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A Streetcar Named Desire Conflict Essay

783 Words4 Pages

In the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, the main characters, Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski, share a great dislike and distrust towards one another, ultimately becoming the basis for the story’s conflict. Their common contemption stems from their contrasting personalities and backgrounds, their incompatibility of being able to function under the same environment, and inability to adapt to the situations they find themselves in. Although Blanche detests Stanley and the manner in which he behaves in, she realises that he is a necessary part for Stella’s life in New Orleans, an environment that greatly differs from the southern aristocracy that Stella and Blanche once lived in. Blanche expresses this idea by stating, “Oh, …show more content…

From the loss of Belle Reve to Blanche’s dark past in the Hotel Flamingo, Stanley becomes verbally abusive towards Blanche in what he perceives to be deception. In response, Blanche becomes defensive as well as physically, mentally, and emotionally deteriorated by the abuse. Blanche and Stanley also are polar opposites, sharing very contrasting personalities and backgrounds. Stanley is shown to be barbaric and masculine, while Blanche tries to be elegant, feminine, and aristocratic. Stanley comes from a Polish immigrant descent, while Blanche is the definition of a Southern Belle. However the main conflict is Blanche’s inability to accept reality or her inability to let go of her past. Blanche sees herself above her sister’s life and carries a sense of entitlement that no longer fits her environment like it did in her past. Underneath, Blanche is a liar and Stanley is not. Stanley and Stella are able to able to admit what they are while Blanche is constantly trying to hide who she is. She is unable to come to her desire and sees herself superior to the people around her. She brings this sense of superiority to Stella who unintentionally tries to distinguish her background from Stanley as well. Stanley recognizes the fact that Blanche looks down on him forcing him to assert his masculinity over her. Stanley’s dominance over the household and Stella is being questioned upon Blanche’s

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