Ashlynn Farley

English/Language Arts 2

October 06, 2014

Essay

Conscious of and Responsible for Their Actions

 In the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Stella Kowalskis sister,

Blanche Dubios, goes to visit and she is full of secrets that she didnt want anyone to find out

about. Blanche went to visit her sister Stella in New Orleans and stayed longer than Stanley,

Stellas husband, wanted her to. Stanley and Blanches relationship is very sexual and in the end

Blanche is brought to a mental health facility because Stella thought it was for the best. The

characters in A Streetcar Named Desire are fully conscious of and responsible for their actions

because instead of fate, they choose what they want to do on their free will. Stanley and

Blanches actions led up to Stanley raping Blanche. Stella chose Stanley over her own sister and

after all of the abuse he did to her. Blanche chose to make her life a fantasy and kept things from

everyone around her.

The actions of Blanche and Stanley led up to Blanche being raped because they chose

their own kind of fate by choosing their next actions. Their actions led up to Stanley raping

Blanche because there was so much sexual tension between them that when they finally got

alone time, Stanley raped Blanche. Blanche started flirting with Stanley, and he told her the he

would have thoughts about her if she wasnt Stellas sister. Stanley: If I didnt know that you

was my wifes sister Id get ideas about you.(pg. 41). Stanley told Blanche that hed get ideas

about her while she was flirting and it brought on most of the sexual tension between them.

Blanche liked to tease the guys and flirt with them to get attention. Narrator: She takes off the
blouse and stands in her pink silk brassiere and white skirt in the light(pg. 55). Blanche was

undressing in front of the men while they were playing poker because she wanted them to watch

her. Blanche was trying to be seductive by undressing and dancing indolently under the light.

Narrator: ...She raises her arms and stretches, as she moves indolently back to the chair.(pg.

54). Blanche was trying to get the mens attention, so she danced indolently to the chair she was

sitting in before. Blanche was always trying to get attention by undressing, dancing indolently, or

flirting but she didnt know it brought more sexual tension between her and Stanley, and it led up

to her being raped.

Stella chose to be with Stanley instead of leaving him and instead of choosing Blanche.

Stella chose to stay with Stanley even though he abused her lots of times and they get into lots of

fights. After Stanley hit Stella, she went upstairs with Eunice, but went back downstairs to be

with Stanley when he kept calling for her. Narrator: ... Then they came together with low

animal moans(pg. 67). Stella chose to be with Stanley even though he hit her. Stella chose

Stanley instead of letting the little or big things get in the way. Narrator: Stella has embraced

him with both arms, fiercely, and in the full view of Blanche(pg. 84). After Blanche talked to

Stella about how animal like Stanley was, when Stanley came in, Stella hugged him in front of

Blanche to show shed always choose him. In the end, Stella would always choose Stanley over

everything else. Stella: What have I done to my sister? Oh, God, what have I done to my

sister?(pg. 176). Stella wanted so badly to believe Blanche, but she decided to choose and

believe Stanley. Stella chose Stanley over her own sister and this shows she chose her own

actions instead of fate.

 Blanche chose to make her life a fantasy, because thats what she thought it should be.

Blanche lied to keep the terrible truth away, so she made her own fantasy life the way she

wanted hers to be. Blanche was telling Stanley she knows she fibs but a woman's charm is fifty

per cent illusion. Blanche: I know I fib a good deal. After all, a womans charm is fifty per

cent illusion...:(pg. 41). Blanche was saying that a womans charm is half illusion, and she also

said she knew she fibbed a good deal. Blanche admits that she fibs sometimes, but she never is

telling the full truth. Blanche:... Darling Shep, I am spending the summer on the wing, making

flying visits here and there(pg. 85). Blanche was writing a letter to an old friend, and she was

lying about what she was doing. Stanley proves that Blanche has been lying to everyone and

Stella started to believe it because when they were younger, Blanche used to be flighty.

Stanley: Well, she has, however. But now the cats out of the bag! I found out some things.(pg.

118). Stanley tells Stella that Blanche has been lying to them, and that hes been asking everyone

Blanche was acquainted with in the past after her husband had killed himself. Blanche has made

her life a fantasy instead of telling her sister or anyone else the truth, and this shows she

controlled her own actions.

These characters in the play are fully aware and conscious of their actions, because they

choose what they do instead of letting fate happen. Blanches and Stanleys actions led up to him

raping her, because there was a lot of sexual tension between them Stella chose Stanley over her

own sister and even after he abused her while she was pregnant. Blanche chose to make her life a

fantasy, because the truth in her life was so horrible, that she wanted to make her life the way she

wanted it to be. I think that they chose their own actions, because they arent the type of people

who like to be bossed around their whole life, and they chose their own actions instead of fate
choosing their actions. They could have chosen their actions differently, because they thought

they would be happy and satisfied with their choices and actions afterwards.