A Streetcar Named Desire Response- Zora Kesich
A Streetcar Named Desire Response- Zora Kesich
This was my second watch of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. I read the play and watched the film my senior year of high school. I remember being relatively disinterested in the work the first time, but I enjoyed it this time much more.
I thought that the characters were well developed and I enjoyed the interesting dynamic between characters. For instance, Blanche and Stanley’s tumultuous relationship was captivating to watch play out on screen. From their first encounters, it was clear that they would clash– that there were some innately different aspects of their personalities that would not bode well for a conducive relationship. I think part of what made their relationship so riveting was the fact that they both thought they had the other completely figured out. I think that Blanche considered herself to be much more perceptive than she truly was. She made comments to Stanley to the effect of ‘Stella doesn’t really understand you like I do.’ Blanche believed she deeply understood both Stanley and Stella and this was one of the many traits that infuriated Stanley. On the other hand, Stanley thought he understood Blanche and therefore he had a right to call her out on her behavior. However, because Blanche was so irrational, he could never truly understand her. He knew she was dishonest, but he could never be sure about what.
I think the portrayal of Blanche’s alcoholism was interesting. She is a classic example of an individual who abuses alcohol to mask internal pain and distract herself. However, what is noteworthy is that she tries to hide her drinking in many scenarios. For instance, in an early scene Stanley asks Blanche if she would like a shot and she refuses even though she clearly would. Stanley on the other hand never hides his drinking. He also has an alcohol problem, becoming significantly too drunk in many scenarios to the point that it would suggest he is using alcohol as a coping mechanism as well.
All in all, I enjoyed the film for it’s characters. I found myself feeling extremely sympathetic towards Blanche by the end of the film whereas in the beginning, I had disliked her for her seemingly pretentious demeanor. I think the film did a good job of portraying a number of coping mechanisms and exemplifying how they play out amongst different individuals.
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