A Street Car named Desire-Southern Literature

A Street Car named Desire

This play is about New Orleans and several characters. Stella and her husband Stanley, several of Stanley’s friends, Blanche (Stella’s sister) and the upstairs neighbor, Eunice. From the beginning, one could see that this place, New Orleans was not paradise. Blanche comes to “visit” her sister and brother-in-law and ends up staying for almost the entire time. The sisters are from Oriole, somewhere South. It would seem as if they had a pretty posh life until recently. Blanche is homeless and later we find out all kinds of juicy details about her. Blanche tries to talk sense into Stella p. 1140 “In my opinion? You’re married to a madman!” Stella doesn’t want to hear it, despite Blanche being correct. We find out later, Stanley is a manipulative evil man.

The theme I chose is women’s rights for this project. From the start, one could tell that women were not respected in this area or the time period. Women were good for several reasons: cook, sex and have babies. There is no strong woman figure in this story and they were all manipulated by men. Women in this story had no back bone to the rough men and kept going back to them after horrible things happened.

I think that Stanley was grossly misunderstood by Blanche. Yes, on the surface he seemed harmless and simple minded but we find out that what he spun was a terrible scheme including both sisters. A madman was simply a deeply troubled drunk man who, under unknown circumstances ended up in Louisiana in The French Quarter. He seemed to recover quickly enough when he seemed so drunk he lost his temper.

I see Stanley as an opportunist, that is he saw dollar signs in Stella and she was easily manipulated by his good looks. I believe he cheated on Stella and he even raped her sister. What kind of man does that? A madman? I do not believe so, I think he had the misfortune of living in a rough neighborhood, did time in WWII and was an alcoholic. When he was younger, perhaps he tortured animals too. This play was almost entirely dialogue, very descriptive dialogue.

LITERARY ANALYSIS:

I Chose Humanism for my theme of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Beloved. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/

Throughout this book there are humanistic themes that seem to be at odds with Christianity. There are some very thoughtful Christians in this book but seem to lean towards the majority which is Slavery. At times it seems as if Mrs. Shelby would gain control and step in to do what she believed was the right thing, but bowed to her husband and site Christianity as an excuse to do nothing about a situation she didn’t feel as right or ignore it completely. “Mrs. Shelby, being entirely ignorant of her husband’s embarrassments, and knowing only the general kindliness of his temper, had been quite sincere in the entire incredulity with which she had met Eliza’s suspicions. In fact, she dismissed the matter from her mind without a second thought; and being occupied in preparations for an evening visit, it passed out of her thoughts entirely.” (53-End of Chapter “A Man of Humanity- (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)” -so aptly named because Mr. Shelby behaved without any.

We have discussed in class that the women up to when we met Eva seem to round out their husbands with more caring ways, humanity. We met the detestable Mr. Haley who has no wife and seems to cut the book into a different episode. Eva is a remarkable little girl who sees humanity in everything and everyone. “Often and often she walked mournfully round the place where Haley’s gang of men and women sat in their chains. She would glide in among them, and look at them with an air of perplexed and sorrowful earnestness; and sometimes she would lift their chains with her slender hands, and then sigh woefully, as she glided away. Several times she appeared suddenly among them, with her hands full of candy, nuts, and oranges, which she would distribute joyfully to them, and then be gone again.” (232-Evangeline)

Tom showed humanity to Eva when she fell into the water and without thinking, he saved her. When Eva persuaded her father to buy Tom, she stated “I want to make him happy”. In The Chapter Of Tom’s New Master, and Various other Matters St. Clare is being described, “In childhood, he was remarkable for an extreme and marked sensitiveness of character, more akin to the softness of woman than the ordinary hardness of his own sex” (239)

St. Clare is a huge character for my humanity topic not only for his love for his mother who he describes as a woman of uncommon elevation and purity of character, and he gave to his child his mother’s name, fondly fancying that she would prove a preproduction of her image.” (243 Of Tom’s New Master)

Ophelia is another character that I would say had humanistic viewpoints. She came to the big city of Orleans to help out her dear cousin. “The minister, who inclined strongly to abolitionist views, was quite doubtful whether such a step might not tend somewhat to encourage the southerners in holding on to their slaves, while the doctor, who was a stanch colonizationist, inclined to the opinion that Miss Ophelia ought to go, to show the Orleans people that we don’t think hardly of them, after all. He was of opinion, in fact, that southern people needed encouraging.” (246 Of Tom’s New Master) Ophelia was quite conscientious in all things that seem to matter.

Marie St. Clare seems to be devoid of humanistic qualities at all. Completely absorbed in her own problems she doesn’t appreciate her husband, daughter, Ophelia and most of all her “servants.” (260 Tom’s Mistress)

Eva is a truly remarkable child. “Eva’s peculiar,” said her mother, “very. There are things about her so singular; she isn’t like me, now, a particle;” and Marie sighed, as if this was a truly melancholy consideration. Miss Ophelia in her own heart said, “I hope she isn’t,” but had prudence enough to keep it down. “Eva always was disposed to be with servants; and I think that well enough with some children. Now, I always played with father’s little negroes—it never did any harm. But Eva somehow always seems to put herself on an equality with every creature that comes near her. It’s a strange thing about the child. I never have been able to break her of it. St. Clare, I believe, encourages her in it. The fact is, St. Clare indulges every creature under this roof but his own wife” (265 Tom’s Mistress)

The best moment for humanism comes in the form of St. Clare when he is discussing religion with Ophelia and Marie. “Religion!” said St. Clare, in a tone that made both ladies look at him. “Religion! Is what you hear at church, religion? Is that which can bend and turn and descend and ascend, to fit eery crooked phase of selfish, wordly society, religion? Is that religion which is less scrupulous, less generous, less just, less considerate for man, than even my own ungodly, wordly, blinded nature? No! When I look for a religion, I must look for something above me, and not something beneath. “The Bible was my mother’s book,” said St. Clare. “By it she lived and died, and I would be very sorry to think it did. I’d as soon desire to have it proved that my mother could drink brandy, chew tobacco, and swear, by way of satisfying me that I did right in doing the same. It wouldn’t make me at all more satisfied with these things in myself, and it would take from me the comfort of respecting her; and it really is a comfort, in this world, to have anything one can respect.” (280-281 Tom’s Mistress)

CRITICAL COMMENTARY:  I chose James Baldwin’s Everybody’s Protest Novel; On page 533, he writes that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a very bad novel stating that Ms. Stowe’s motivation for writing the book was to say slavery was wrong. Baldwin also goes on to say that her characters lacked depth and the stronger ones like Chloe and Topsy are largely dismissed. I don’t disagree with these criticisms but as a whole I felt this novel was important for whites to read and reassess slavery on a more human level. At the time, this novel was shocking and heart wrenching. The last paragraph talks about the terror and damnation of religion or more aptly called “theological terror.” 

READER RESPONSE:  On goodreads, I found most everyone rated this book four out of five stars. The review says “Stowe’s puritanical religious beliefs show up in the novel’s final, overarching theme-the exploration of the nature of Christianity and how Christian theology is fundamentally incompatible with slavery.” I absolutely agree with this statement and feel exactly the same. The other regular people who wrote reviews said overall it was a great book but many people disagreed on if it was considered “classic” or not. Stowe’s character is being discussed on how she influenced Abraham Lincoln and did not mention how The Civil War sparked interest. Some people thought she down played the brutalness of slavery for her own personal gains. I agree that she did not go into many gory details but considering this was written in the 1800’s and many other aspects are to be considered I would give her a pass. 

Kelly Koenig

March 7, 2017

Race and the American Novel Project

Uncle Tom's  Cabin

TEXTUAL BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT:  The textual image I chose is of an Iron mask, collar, leg shackles and spurs used to restrict slaves. This picture shows the injustice and inhumanity of Slavery to me. These are clearly torture devices used to put the African Americans in place, showing the inferiority of their race to the white man. The idea of humans that are property to buy, sell, abuse, restrict and dehumanize makes me weep for justice.  The horror that went largely unmentioned in Uncle Tom’s Cabin is hard for me to imagine but seeing these illustrations and ads gives me an unfavorable impression of these historical times. I feel we have gone so far beyond racism by having non-segregated restrooms, drinking fountains, shops, buses and so much more by having a first black President, Barrack Obama. America has elected him two terms and he served despite the opposition of old white men. Today, we have taken steps toward the ancient past by electing an old white guy who could possibly bring bigotry and hatred back to our fine Nation.  

Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman--The Yellow Wallpaper

Kelly Koenig

American Literature

March 3, 2017

Realism and What is it? Literary Realism attempts to represent familiar things as they are. Realist authors choose to depict every day and banal activities and experiences, instead of using a romanticized or similarly stylized presentation.

Other Realist Authors include Honore de Balzac 1799-1850

He has a keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society. Balzac is one of the founders of realism in European Literature. His writing influenced many famous writers-Emile Zola, Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Jack Kerouac, Akira Kurosawa, Henry James and philosopher Friedrich Engels.

Edith Wharton was another realist author-1862-1937

Edith Wharton was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer and designer. Wharton combined her insider’s view of America’s privileged classes with a brilliant, neutral wit to write humorous, incisive novels and short stories of social and psychological insight.

A little background I have found on Charlotte was that her father wasn’t around much after she and her sister were born leaving the raising of the children up to relatives and their mother. Frederick Beecher Perkins was a relative of well-known and influential Beecher family, Harriet Beecher Stowe of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Charlotte was known as a Reformist and Socialist who fought against the injustices of women’s lives in many ways. She wrote Women and Economics-1898, Concerning Children-1900, The Home: It’s work and Influence-1903, Human Work-1904, The Man-made world or Our Androcentric Culture-1911, Herland and founded, wrote for and edited The Forerunner, a journal published from 1909-1917

Charlotte defended Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Women’s Bible which was against the Patriarchal viewpoint of the Church’s influence suppressing women.

Kessler, Farley Carol—Professor of English American Studies in Pennsylvania

Knight, D Denise—Faculty in English Department at Cortland, Teaching fulltime. She published 15 books, over 51 articles, essays and encyclopedia entries in addition to nearly 50 book reviews and delivered over 40 talks at academic conferences.

  Upon doing research on Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman I believe her story The Yellow Wallpaper is her semi autobiography when she was battling postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Katharine. In the late 1890’s, women did not have as many rights as we do today. The doctors handled “women sicknesses” in cruel and unusual ways. To classify Charlotte as “hysteric” is grossly underestimating what she was feeling. On p 486, “John is a physician, and perhaps— (I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)—perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick!” Charlotte doesn’t seem to agree with the Doctors’ advice and even says so. Her opinion isn’t even considered and by taking away what she loves most (her writing and household chores) is very cruel.

            Charlotte has a vivid imagination and there are lots of different theories on this story. One I heard was that she had multiple personality syndrome. I personally don’t believe that but it truly is one imaginative story with that wallpaper. John doesn’t seem to give Charlotte’s thoughts a care, he seems to know what’s best for her. In fact, I believe she is getting worse with the way she is being treated as a patient and not a wife. At least a loving husband would not certainly treat his loving wife that way, or would he? He belittles her at every turn, calls her names and seem to think she’s being silly and whimsical. On p 496, Charlotte was determined to get something accomplished. She secured a rope and locked the door and threw the key down into the front path. “I don’t want to go out, and I don’t want to have anybody come in, till John comes. I want to astonish him.” She peeled off the wallpaper and made her hasty escape. Her husband fainted when he finally retrieved the key and saw his wife creeping around the room. I take this to mean she was a stronger person than he was because she escaped.