a streetcar named desire a level example essay

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Essays on A Streetcar Named Desire

Choosing the right essay topic is crucial for your success in college. Your creativity and personal interests play a significant role in the selection process. This webpage aims to provide you with a variety of A Streetcar Named Desire essay topics to inspire your writing and help you excel in your academic pursuits.

Essay Types and Topics

Argumentative.

• The role of gender in A Streetcar Named Desire
• The impact of societal norms on the characters' behaviors

Paragraph Example:

In Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, the portrayal of gender dynamics is a central theme that sheds light on the power struggles and societal expectations faced by the characters. This essay aims to explore the significance of gender in the play and its influence on the characters' decisions and relationships.

Through a close examination of the gender dynamics in A Streetcar Named Desire, this essay has highlighted the complexities of societal norms and their impact on individual lives. The characters' struggles serve as a reflection of the broader societal challenges, prompting us to reconsider our perceptions of gender roles and expectations.

Compare and Contrast

• The parallels between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski
• The contrasting symbols of light and darkness in the play

Descriptive

• The vivid imagery of New Orleans in the play
• The sensory experiences portrayed in A Streetcar Named Desire
• An argument for Blanche's mental state and its impact on her actions
• The case for the significance of the play's setting in shaping the characters
• Reimagining a key scene from a different character's perspective
• A personal reflection on the themes of illusion and reality in the play

Engagement and Creativity

As you explore these essay topics, remember to engage your critical thinking skills and bring your unique perspective to your writing. A Streetcar Named Desire offers a rich tapestry of themes and characters, providing ample opportunities for creative exploration in your essays.

Educational Value

Each essay type presents a valuable opportunity for you to develop different skills. Argumentative essays can refine your analytical thinking, while descriptive essays can enhance your ability to paint vivid pictures with words. Persuasive essays help you hone your persuasive writing skills, and narrative essays allow you to practice storytelling and narrative techniques.

Reality Versus Illusion in The Streetcar Named Desire

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How Blanche and Stella Rely on Self-delusion in a Streetcar Named Desire

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An Examination of The Character of Blanche in a Streetcar Named Desire

The flaws of blanche and why she ultimately failed, analysis of stanley kowalski’s role in tennessee williams’ book, a streetcar named desire, analysis of blanche and stella relationship in a streetcar named desire, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

The Concealed Homosexuality in a Streetcar Named Desire

Oppression, its brutality and its inescapability, is a dominant theme in literature, similar themes in a streetcar named desire by tennessee williams and water by robery lowell, first impression lies: the power and masculinity exuded by stanley kolawski, determining the tragedy potential in a streetcar named desire, how tennessee williams is influenced by the work of chekhov, the use of suspense in a streetcar named desire, a streetcar named desire by tennessee williams: personal identity of blanche, the portrayals of sexuality in cat on a hot tin roof and a streetcar named desire, evaluation of the social class ranking as illustrated in the book, a streetcar named desire, blanche and mitch relationship in a streetcar named desire, female powerlessness in the duchess of malfi and a streetcar named desire, a comparison between the plastic theatre and expressionism in a streetcar named desire, morality and immorality in a streetcar named desire and the picture of dorian gray, oppositions and their purpose in "a streetcar named desire" and "the birthday party", how femininity and masculinity are presented in ariel and a streetcar named desire, tennessee williams’ depiction of blanche as a casualty as illustrated in his play, a streetcar named desire, history defined the themes of a streetcar named desire, comparing social and ethnic tensions in a streetcar named desire and blues for mister charlie, the use of contrast as a literary device at the beginning of a streetcar named desire.

December 3, 1947, Tennessee Williams

Play; Southern Gothic

The French Quarter and Downtown New Orleans

Blanche DuBois, Stella Kowalski, Stanley Kowalski, Harold "Mitch" Mitchell

1. Vlasopolos, A. (1986). Authorizing History: Victimization in" A Streetcar Named Desire". Theatre Journal, 38(3), 322-338. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/3208047) 2. Corrigan, M. A. (1976). Realism and Theatricalism in A Streetcar Named Desire. Modern Drama, 19(4), 385-396. (https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/50/article/497088/summary) 3. Quirino, L. (1983). The Cards Indicate a Voyage on'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Contemporary Literary Criticism, 30. (https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1100001571&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00913421&p=LitRC&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E8abc495e) 4. Corrigan, M. A. (2019). Realism and Theatricalism in A Streetcar Named Desire. In Essays on Modern American Drama (pp. 27-38). University of Toronto Press. (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.3138/9781487577803-004/html?lang=de) 5. Van Duyvenbode, R. (2001). Darkness Made Visible: Miscegenation, Masquerade and the Signified Racial Other in Tennessee Williams' Baby Doll and A Streetcar Named Desire. Journal of American Studies, 35(2), 203-215. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-american-studies/article/abs/darkness-made-visible-miscegenation-masquerade-and-the-signified-racial-other-in-tennessee-williams-baby-doll-and-a-streetcar-named-desire/B73C386D2422793FB8DC00E0B79B7331) 6. Cahir, L. C. (1994). The Artful Rerouting of A Streetcar Named Desire. Literature/Film Quarterly, 22(2), 72. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/7040761d75f7fd8f9bf37a2f719a28a4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=5938) 7. Silvio, J. R. (2002). A Streetcar Named Desire—Psychoanalytic Perspectives. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry, 30(1), 135-144. (https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jaap.30.1.135.21985) 8. Griffies, W. S. (2007). A streetcar named desire and tennessee Williams' object‐relational conflicts. International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 4(2), 110-127. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aps.127) 9. Shackelford, D. (2000). Is There a Gay Man in This Text?: Subverting the Closet in A Streetcar Named Desire. In Literature and Homosexuality (pp. 135-159). Brill. (https://brill.com/display/book/9789004483460/B9789004483460_s010.xml)

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A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee williams, everything you need for every book you read..

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

A Streetcar Named Desire: Introduction

A streetcar named desire: plot summary, a streetcar named desire: detailed summary & analysis, a streetcar named desire: themes, a streetcar named desire: quotes, a streetcar named desire: characters, a streetcar named desire: symbols, a streetcar named desire: theme wheel, brief biography of tennessee williams.

Historical Context of A Streetcar Named Desire

Other books related to a streetcar named desire.

• Full Title: A Streetcar Named Desire
• When Written: 1946-7
• Where Written: New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans
• When Published: Broadway premiere December 3, 1947
• Literary Period: Dramatic naturalism
• Genre: Psychological drama
• Setting: New Orleans, LA
• Climax: Stanley’s rape of Blanche at the end of Scene Ten
• Antagonist: Stanley Kowalski

Extra Credit for A Streetcar Named Desire

That Rattle-trap Streetcar Named Desire. The Desire streetcar line operated in New Orleans from 1920 to 1948, going through the French Quarter to its final stop on Desire Street.

Streetcar on the silver screen. The original 1947 Broadway production of Streetcar shot Marlon Brando, who played Stanley Kowalski, to stardom. Brando’s legendary performance cemented the actor’s status as a sex symbol of the stage and screen. Elia Kazan, who directed both the original Broadway production and the 1951 film adaptation, used the Stanislavski method-acting system, which focuses on realism and natural characters instead of melodrama. The Stanislavski system asks actors to use their memories to help give the characters real emotions. Brando based his depiction of Stanley on the boxer Rocky Graziano, going to his gym to study his movements and mannerisms. Largely due to Brando’s Stanley and Vivian Leigh’s iconic Blanche, Kazan’s film has become a cultural touchstone, particularly Brando’s famous bellowing of “STELL-LAHHHHH!”

Oh, Streetcar! In an episode of The Simpsons , the characters stage a musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire called Oh, Streetcar! Mild-mannered Ned Flanders as Stanley gives the famous “STELLA” yell, singing, “Can’t you hear me yell-a? You’re putting me through hell-a!”

AS & A2 English Blog

Revision notes and example essays on the edexcel a level english literature syllabus (2015).

Pearson Edexcel Example Essays – A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

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As we have already linked for poetry, here is the exemplar essays pack provided by Edexcel. There are examples of essay on A Streetcar Named Desire all of varying grades.

When it comes to writing essays, it can be really hard to know how to structure them because you cannot keep the style from GCSE, it’s just not complex and sophisticated enough. You may also not know how to write a great introduction or conclusion!

I found these really helpful at the start of the year when I had no clue how to write a really good essay (they are also written about the poems we are studying so you’ll also be able to understand the play better and get ideas for essay content whilst learning about the structure of an essay!)

Click to access AS_drama_exemplar_pack.pdf

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4 thoughts on “ pearson edexcel example essays – a streetcar named desire ”.

can you send the link please?

Hi, when you press the link the page transfers you back to the homepage instead of the exemplary pack. Please, could you advise

hey, i’m not sure why that’s happening, i’m sorry! there are a few exemplar essays on streetcar on this blog that you can find by scrolling back, or looking in the tags x

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A Streetcar Named Desire: Essay Questions

A list of potential essay questions to form revision and speed planning practice

‘Stella is the lynchpin within the play for better or for worse’ In light of this statement, explore William’s presentation of relationships in A Streetcar Named Desire. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.

‘Shame lies at the heart of each character’ In light of this statement, explore William’s presentation of self and identity in A Streetcar Named Desire. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.

‘A Streetcar Named Desire is a play emblematic of the modern era’ In light of this statement, explore William’s presentation of time and place in A Streetcar Named Desire. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.

‘Abuse is normalised as the strong dominate the weak’ In light of this statement, explore William’s presentation of power in A Streetcar Named Desire. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.

Examine the view that the conflict between Stanley and Blanche is primarily based on their difference in social class.

‘A play about secrets and the catastrophic consequences of their exposure’ In light of this statement explore Williams’ presentation of secrets and their revelation in A Streetcar named Desire .

To what extent can Blanche DuBois be considered a victim in A Streetcar named Desire ?

Discuss the importance of the past in A Streetcar named Desire .

‘This play explores the clash between two cultures not, two individuals’ Consider this perspective in A Streetcar named Desire .

‘The play essentially reveals to us the vulnerability of human beings’ Examine this view in A Streetcar named Desire .

Explore Williams’ use of music in the play, is it much more than a naturalistic device?

Blanche believes the opposite to death is desire. How is this theme developed throughout the play?

Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in A Streetcar named Desire .

Explore themes of morality in A Streetcar named Desire .

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Join get revising, already a member, a streetcar named desire: essay example - self deception & reality.

• Created by: Charlotte
• Created on: 29-12-16 15:46

Explore the ways in which Williams presents self-deception and reality in A Streetcar Named Desire. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.

In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, self-deception and reality are key ideas presented throughout the entirety of the play and are perhaps the two most important themes which are explored. The 11 scene play shows the downfall of the protagonist Blanche DuBois and the web of lies she spins whilst the other characters, notably Stanley, try to sift through the truth.

The character of Blanche DuBois is single-handedly the most obvious example of self-deception in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. It is her hamartia. From the immediate onset of the play, the audience see Blanche deceiving herself as her “appearance is incongruous to [the] setting”. She is dressed in white, a colour which connotes purity and innocence an image that Blanche attempts to portray, however this juxtaposes her surroundings as there is an “atmosphere of decay”. The white colour makes her stand out from her dingy surroundings of mundane New Orleans and represents how she is a social outsider, consequently reinforcing how at times she feels like a victim and why possible audiences may feel sympathy for her. Throughout the play, Williams uses dramatic irony to show Blanche consistently lying to the other characters making her seem somewhat unlikeable. One of the first things Blanche does when she arrives at her sister’s house is look for a drink. “She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle” The use of “springs” makes it seem like a drink for Blanche is a necessity and she deceives herself in to thinking it will get rid of all her problems. She then repeatedly denies her intimacy with alcohol saying “One’s my limit” or “I rarely touch it” when the audience know fully well that she drinks as they have seen her already have multiple drinks within the first few scenes. She experiences difficulty when confronted with her past (which was full of pain) and it’s later revealed that she drinks as a coping method but her failure to be able to face the truth form the exposition of the play catalyses her decent in to insanity and has resulted in numerous stories all of which are lies and fakes, and it is this deception used by Blanche to keep reality at bay not only for herself but also for those around her. Blanche’s alcoholism may be modelled of William's own personal experiences as he was known for modelling his most memorable characters off aspects of his own life. William's father was a heavy drinker and he loathed his father, which may be an explanation as to why he created Blanche in an obnoxious manner. At the play progresses we see Blanche’s developing obsession with bathing. "Blanches is bathing." Throughout the play we see Blanche phase many times it is her way of coping with the past as she says it relaxes her. However it may be symbolic of…

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AS and A Level: A Street Car Named Desire

• English Literature
• Tennessee Williams
• A Street Car Named Desire

"A Streetcar Named Desire" written in 1944 by Thomas Lanier Williams.

Marco Wu Class 10° ENGLISH ESSAY Throughout the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" written in 1944 by Thomas Lanier Williams, better known as Tennessee Williams; we can meet various social issues such as homosexuality, loneliness, psychiatric illness and the contrast between the New and the Old America. This are all social issues presented during the life of the author. The protagonist of the play have the characteristics of Tennessee Williams' family, Stanley is like his father, the one who decides everything, as a "KING". Meanwhile Blanche is a mix between his sisters Rose who was mentally ill and his mother who had hysterical attacks, and as we know the author of the play was homosexual who consumed his 1rst experience at age of 28 and declaring it openly during an interview, this connects directly to Blanches' husband who was Homo and killed himself. Once William said "Symbols are nothing but the natural speech of drama...the purest language of plays". In the whole play there is hidden meaning; we know that the initial title of the play was "the moth" which represents Blanche a fragile being, in literature the moth is the soul, therefore the entire play is a big allegory that talks about the way to heaven (Elysian Fields) of the soul. So the

• Word count: 1372
• Level: AS and A Level
• Subject: English

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

Williams is attributed with furthering "Domestic Realism" in Modern American Drama. Discuss his exploration of the emotional burdens of ordinary life within the domestic setting. Consider how the: Dialogue, setting and stage directions add to the effectiveness of the family dynamics exposed. Throughout the play of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" various members of the family are at loggerheads. However, this comes to a climax in this passage as Big Daddy's imminent death is confirmed and the question of the heir to the estate becomes an important issue. The Oxford Companion to American Literature describes the play as "depicting bitter, abnormal family tensions". These family tensions are clearly seen in this passage. Big Daddy is dying and the only characters who appear to be more concerned about his death than the estate are Big Mama and Maggie, "Precious Mommy. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry". Maggie is sorry for the death of Big Daddy and all the petty arguments surrounding it. "Big Daddy is not going to die" This denial of what the doctors have claimed as inevitable is evidence of her not wanting Big Daddy to die. Mae and Gooper, however, seem to be desperate to get rid of him. "Eventualities have to be considered and now's the time". This is inhumane of Gooper and he is wrong when he claims, "now's the time". Big Mama is still discovering Big Daddy is going to die and Gooper is

• Word count: 1057

"Each of these two characters is fundamentally incomplete." Examine the contrasting personalities of Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski in the light of this comment.

Oct 13 Daniella De Silva "Each of these two characters is fundamentally incomplete." Examine the contrasting personalities of Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski in the light of this comment. To examine these characters, their backgrounds must first be uncovered. Blanche is a middle aged, former Southern Belle. She grew up in a dream world, on a beautiful country estate called Belle Reve. Her entire childhood was spent doing whatever it was that she pleased and being waited on by the family's servants. She was never forced to work hard, unlike Stanley. He grew up in America: More than likely right there in Elysian Fields. He too enjoyed his childhood, although they were very different from each other. Stanley has had to work hard all of his life for things that he wanted or cared about. These different upbringings and ideas on life create their personalities to clash continually. Blanche, although she portrays quite a self-controlled character, has endured some tough situations. She mentions in the play how while trying to hang on to Belle Reve and her childhood, she, "stayed and fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it." She also mentions her dead husband and how the music, especially the Varsouviana makes her reminisce on him and the homosexual situation. She tries to escape from the reality of these things by "misrepresenting things" to people

• Word count: 1028

Explore What a Streetcar Named Desire has to Say About Male and Female Roles in the Society the Play Depicts?

Explore What a Streetcar Named Desire has to Say About Male and Female Roles in the Society the Play Depicts? Set in the years immediately following the Second World War, A Streetcar Named Desire displays the typical roles of both men and women within both home and life in general. With men portrayed as leaders of the households and women simply cleaning up after them. Through Tennessee William's usage of dialogue, specific descriptions of characters both in stage directions and from other characters and finally in lighting and music changes depicted in the stage directions, he illustrates to the reader of modern society how men and women coexisted in the mid 1900's in comparison with life today. It almost seen as if women are dependent on men financially. A fine example of this would be Blanche contacting Shep Huntleigh for financial support. Also women would look on men for emotional support, Blanche uses their praises where as Stella tends to use hers and Stanley's sexual activity as a form of emotional support. William's uses both Stella's and Blanches dependence on the men in their lives to expose the treatment of women and the fact that these women see male companionship as their only means to achieve happiness, Blanche for example thinks that her relationship with Mitch will allow her '...to rest! I want to breathe quietly again!' which shows the reader that

• Word count: 1122

A street car named desire - How do the play's settings contribute to its dramatic effect?

How do the play's settings contribute to its dramatic effect? You might like to consider; * The Kowalski's flat * It's surroundings * The wider American Context The play and its author beg the question; how does the absolute appearance of surroundings affect an audience's compassion to the drama that the play perceptibly emits? The play unquestionably needs dramatic effects to capitalise the story and also to induce and consume an audience. If, without the use of incarcerating dramatic effects from the surroundings and manipulating them into supplying the story's tension, then it would ultimately not receive the same desirable reaction that is needed to illuminate the play. The depicted ideas of the eminent and radiating title tempts the audience with certain evocative ideas, but are ultimately confronted with a whole new concept of a darker and more dramatic story line. The audience can automatically sense this with the contrast of the title with the melancholy and hoary surroundings of the old corner building, emancipating an 'atmosphere of decay', betrayal, self embrace, ugliness and death. This contrast creates a poignant conflict between ideal standards the audience had prepared themselves to see. Whilst the synchronisation between ethnic groups and the humbling sounds of the "blue piano" are heard in the opening scene, these merely act as a façade for the

• Word count: 783

Look again at Scene 9 of Streetcar named desire - How do you imagine you would feel as a member of an audience witnessing this scene? How does T.W. evoke these feelings in his audience?

Look again at Scene 9 of 'Streetcar'. How do you imagine you would feel as a member of an audience witnessing this scene? How does T.W. evoke these feelings in his audience? Scene 9 of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' is a tense scene that runs up to a climatic end. In this scene, Mitch finally learns the truth about Blanche. In the starting directions of this scene, Blanche is depicted as being, 'seated in a tense hunched position,' which is similar to her initial arrival to the house, in scene 1, in which she sits, 'very stiffly.' This is a reference to the nervousness Blanche feels, and a feeling of uncertainty and incongruousness that relates back to the feelings she felt on her arrival. The reference to the 're-covered' chair is yet again another depiction of Blanche's attempts to cover up the truth, and bare reality. The 'Varsouviana' plays 'in her mind,' and this, and the 'scarlet satin,' blood coloured robe, serve to remind the audience of the death of her husband, Allan. Blanche is overcome with a 'sense of disaster,' such as the one she felt when she lost her first love through, she feels, her own doing. Once again, she feels she has lost out on the chance to love, and being stood up by Mitch throws her in that she knows of the precocious nature of her past, and no matter how much she runs, she knows she cannot escape it. Here we see, again, another of Blanche's vices,

• Word count: 1961

Classic Note on A Streetcar Named Desire.

Classic Note on A Streetcar Named Desire Main Themes: Fantasy/Illusion: Blanche dwells in illusion; fantasy is her primary means of self-defence. Her deceits do not carry any trace of malice; rather, they come from her weakness and inability to confront the truth head-on. She tells things not as they are, but as they ought to be. For her, fantasy has a liberating magic that protects her from the tragedies she has had to endure. Unfortunately, this defence is frail and will be shattered by Stanley. In the end, Stanley and Stella will also resort to a kind of illusion: Stella will force herself to believe that Blanche's accusations against Stanley are false. The Old South and the New South: Stella and Blanche come from a world that is rapidly dying. Belle Reve, their family's ancestral plantation, has been lost. The two sisters, symbolically, are the last living members of their family. Stella will mingle her blood with a man of blue-collar stock, and Blanche will enter the world of madness. Stanley represents the new order of the South: chivalry is dead, replaced by a "rat race," to which Stanley makes several proud illusions. Cruelty: The only unforgivable crime, according to Blanche, is deliberate cruelty. This sin is Stanley's specialty. His final assault against Blanche is a merciless attack against an already-beaten foe. On the other hand, though Blanche is

• Word count: 530

Tennessee Williams wrote in a letter that It (Streetcar) is a tragedy with the classic aim of producing a catharsis of pity and terror and in order to do that, Blanche must finally have the understanding and compass

Tennessee Williams wrote in a letter that "It ('Streetcar') is a tragedy with the classic aim of producing a catharsis of pity and terror and in order to do that, Blanche must finally have the understanding and compassion of the audience. This without creating a black-dyed villain in Stanley. It is a thing (misunderstanding) not a person (Stanley) that destroys her in the end." In your opinion, to what extent has Williams succeeded in his aims. Although there are many different viewpoints on a conventional tragic heroine, Aristotle made his views clear that a hero must fall from fortune and power, due to a tragic flaw, allowing an audience to feel catharsis at the end of the play. It can be argued that Stanley causes Blanche's downfall, however, it is clear that Blanche had brought this upon herself by creating a conflict between them and ensures her own downfall by other means such as her promiscuity and flux into fantasies. Williams makes it clear that a misunderstanding destroys Blanche in the end. This misjudgement can be seen in her aggressive teasing of Stanley and her uncomfortable belonging in multi-cultural New Orleans. From the beginning of the play, Williams makes it clear that 'the Kowalski and the DuBois have different notions' with Blanche withholding the Southern Belle attitude of 'Belle Reve'. However, it is clear that Blanche cannot cope with the stark

• Word count: 1760

A Streetcar Named Desire - An Analysis of its Imagery and Symbolism

A Streetcar Named Desire: An Analysis of its Imagery and Symbolism The symbolism used within a streetcar named desire lies primarily within its stage directions. Tennessee Williams makes use of figurative language when he illustrates a sound or a description of a scene and its characters within it; the language they use is enriched by figures of speech (most notably the use of metaphor). Music plays a vital role within the play, it represents emotions; and Williams describes such sound in a meaningful way, this is evident from the phrase which closes the opening narrative of scene 1 - 'From a tiny piano being played with the infatuated fluency of brown fingers. This 'blue piano' expresses the sprit of the life which goes on here' Here Williams describes a notion that the black pianist is totally immersed by the skill and fluency of his playing of the blues. He takes pleasure in it; his emanation of pleasurable sound signifies the spirit of New Orleans and how its satisfaction is the foundation of the city's cheerfulness. Examples of these are scattered significantly within the play. The 'blue piano' is a symbol of the heartless vitality of the old squares and quarters dotted within the rundown city of New Orleans; while the 'Varsouviana' polka symbolises Blanche and her promiscuous (and tragic) past. Williams also functions music as an indication of a change in mood and

• Word count: 2139

How does Tennessee Williams suggest that Stanley is an animalistic character in the play A streetcar named desire ?

How does Tennessee Williams suggest that Stanley is an animalistic character in the play "A streetcar named desire" ? Stanley Kowalski is Stella Kowalski nee Dubois' polish husband. He works as an engineer and has acquired many rowdy friends from his place of work. Stanley does not seem to function without Stella. When Stella's sister Blanche comes to stay all of Stanley's most horrible animalistic traits seem to come to the surface. The first act of animal like behaviour we see in the play is in the very first scene where Stanley chucks some meat which is still bloody at Stella who is up at the window. This symbolises Stanley to be the provider in the family just like in a wolf pack when the male wolf goes out and hunts for meat for his family. That fact that the meat is still bloody also brings Stanley bring meat Stella and a wolf bringing meat to his family closer. The second time we see Stanley is when Blanche has arrived and Stella has left the room because Blanche has upset her. Even though Stanley has never met Blanche before he doesn't care at all about taking his top off in front of her and making himself more comfortable. This could imply that Stanley is quite territorial and wants to show Blanche that it is his home and he can do whatever he likes and be dressed however he likes in his own home. Being territorial is a very animalistic trait. Furthermore

• Word count: 978

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A Streetcar Named Desire FULL MARKS Sample Coursework A* A Level/AS Level Essay AQA/OCR/Edexcel

Subject: English

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

27 August 2020

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‘Write a detailed critical appreciation of Scene 10 (pp90-94) exploring how it develops Williams’ concerns and demonstrates his techniques in the play as a whole.’

This sample coursework received full marks A* in English Literature AS/A level.

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