How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?
How and why is the working class of post-war America presented as dominating and powerful through the character of Stanley?
Written Task 2:
In 1931, James Truslow Adams popularized the phrase “American Dream”. He stated that the “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” This phrase surrounded the idea that there is an equality of opportunity which is available to any American, allowing the highest of aspirations and goals to be achieved in their lives. In his book, The Epic of America from 1931, he explained that for many in both the working class and middle class, upward mobility (moving upward in social class) is the core of the American dream as well as the prospect of betterment and improving oneself. …show more content…
His idea seemed appropriate to pertain to the character of Stanley, in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Throughout the play the audience is provided with several examples of how Stanley is a part of the working class, moreover at the hand of Tennessee Williams, is represented as heartless, threatening or aggressive, and very overpowering of women. Throughout the play, there are several examples in which Stanley is presented in this particular fashion. Through Williams’ choice of portraying stanley as heartless and emotionless, the audiences receives an impression of the self-serving nature of the working class. There are several examples where Stanley holds a disregard for anyone else's emotions, operating with only his self-interest at heart. An example would be the stage directions in Scene 1. It states that the “centre of [Stanley’s] life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it [...] with the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens” (page 25). These stage directions, highlighted to the audience the heartless and in this case, manipulative nature that working class carries. Also considering the fact that Stanley can control both the “giving” and “taking” of pleasure, only advances this idea of manipulation. Another example of this would be in Scene 8, when Stella confronts Stanley about his treatment of Blanche, Stanley replies with, “delicate piece she is” (page 136). This curt response that Stanley delivers provides the audience with the stubborn nature that the working class carries, presented through the character of Stanley. This idea is once again advanced in Scene 11, where Stanley’s “fingers find the opening of [Stella’s] blouse” while she is sobbing (page 179). Through this interaction, the audience is once again presented with the idea of Stanley being heartless and emotionless. His focus on solely sexual pleasure shows that he has minimal respect for Stella’s emotions at the time. Through all of these examples in depicting Stanley as heartless and emotionless, the audience is able to highlight the selfish and heartless nature of the working class. Another manner in which Stanley is portrayed throughout the play is to be threatening and aggressive. These examples occur repeatedly in …show more content…
Throughout the play, there were several instances in which he demonstrates this, both with Blanche and with Stella. In Scene 2, Stella asks Stanley to do something, he replies with a rhetorical question stating, “Since when do you give me orders” (page 35). He hints at his desire to maintain the pre-war gender hierarchy. This is implied through him hinting to Stella to “keep her place”. Another example of Stanley demonstrating his overpowering of women is in Scene 3, where Stanley “crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out the window [...] Stanley charges after Stella” (page 62). The following stage directions demonstrate Stanley’s quick temper. Through solely Blanche turning on the radio, a series of events take place, including Stanley’s assault to Stella. This example too, highlights his overpowering of women through domestic violence. The same idea is explored in Scene 8, where Stanley replies to Stella’s command to clear the table by shouting “that’s how I’ll clear the table! Don’t ever talk that way to me!” (page 131). Stanleys orders are assertions of power that he uses to dismiss Stella whenever she speaks at his level. This is once again another method in which Williams presents Stanley’s character to be overpowering of women to represent the working
How and why is the working class of post-war America presented as dominating and powerful through the character of Stanley?
Written Task 2:
In 1931, James Truslow Adams popularized the phrase “American Dream”. He stated that the “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” This phrase surrounded the idea that there is an equality of opportunity which is available to any American, allowing the highest of aspirations and goals to be achieved in their lives. In his book, The Epic of America from 1931, he explained that for many in both the working class and middle class, upward mobility (moving upward in social class) is the core of the American dream as well as the prospect of betterment and improving oneself. …show more content…
His idea seemed appropriate to pertain to the character of Stanley, in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Throughout the play the audience is provided with several examples of how Stanley is a part of the working class, moreover at the hand of Tennessee Williams, is represented as heartless, threatening or aggressive, and very overpowering of women. Throughout the play, there are several examples in which Stanley is presented in this particular fashion. Through Williams’ choice of portraying stanley as heartless and emotionless, the audiences receives an impression of the self-serving nature of the working class. There are several examples where Stanley holds a disregard for anyone else's emotions, operating with only his self-interest at heart. An example would be the stage directions in Scene 1. It states that the “centre of [Stanley’s] life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it [...] with the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens” (page 25). These stage directions, highlighted to the audience the heartless and in this case, manipulative nature that working class carries. Also considering the fact that Stanley can control both the “giving” and “taking” of pleasure, only advances this idea of manipulation. Another example of this would be in Scene 8, when Stella confronts Stanley about his treatment of Blanche, Stanley replies with, “delicate piece she is” (page 136). This curt response that Stanley delivers provides the audience with the stubborn nature that the working class carries, presented through the character of Stanley. This idea is once again advanced in Scene 11, where Stanley’s “fingers find the opening of [Stella’s] blouse” while she is sobbing (page 179). Through this interaction, the audience is once again presented with the idea of Stanley being heartless and emotionless. His focus on solely sexual pleasure shows that he has minimal respect for Stella’s emotions at the time. Through all of these examples in depicting Stanley as heartless and emotionless, the audience is able to highlight the selfish and heartless nature of the working class. Another manner in which Stanley is portrayed throughout the play is to be threatening and aggressive. These examples occur repeatedly in …show more content…
Throughout the play, there were several instances in which he demonstrates this, both with Blanche and with Stella. In Scene 2, Stella asks Stanley to do something, he replies with a rhetorical question stating, “Since when do you give me orders” (page 35). He hints at his desire to maintain the pre-war gender hierarchy. This is implied through him hinting to Stella to “keep her place”. Another example of Stanley demonstrating his overpowering of women is in Scene 3, where Stanley “crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out the window [...] Stanley charges after Stella” (page 62). The following stage directions demonstrate Stanley’s quick temper. Through solely Blanche turning on the radio, a series of events take place, including Stanley’s assault to Stella. This example too, highlights his overpowering of women through domestic violence. The same idea is explored in Scene 8, where Stanley replies to Stella’s command to clear the table by shouting “that’s how I’ll clear the table! Don’t ever talk that way to me!” (page 131). Stanleys orders are assertions of power that he uses to dismiss Stella whenever she speaks at his level. This is once again another method in which Williams presents Stanley’s character to be overpowering of women to represent the working