Heidi and Street car

There are many similarities between A Street Car Named Desire and Heidi Chronicles. One of these similarities is through the setting. In both A Street Car Named Desire and Heidi Chronicles the time period in which they are set is very important to understanding the play. If we did not know that Heidi Chronicles was during a feminist movement that created a lot of change we would not have full understood the significance of Heidi's decisions or those of the friends. While Blanche's beliefs are emphasized by the change it time period as her ideas appear to be outdated and stuck in the past.

While there is quite a difference in the settings of the two plays the locations do have some similarities. Both of the settings in the play tend to reflect or emphasize the main character. In A Street Car Named Desire the setting changes when Blanche is being haunted by her past while Heidi's changes when there is a different relationship with the other characters.

Setting

As this play encompasses a time period from 1965-1989, key events during America were sure to help invoke feminist movements to an even more extreme level. Starting from the early 1960’s to the late 1990’s, a movement known as “Second Wave Feminism” arose, which happened around the times that The Heidi Chronicles displayed. Basically, Second Wave Feminism rebounded off the first’s strife to legal equality rights for voting and property and focused more on social equality, such as issues regarding sexuality, employment, and family.

As a prelude to introduce rising feminist movements, under the Kennedy administration, the President made women’s rights a key policy of his 1961 New Frontier campaign. As talks of equality begin to pick up, many find that in almost every aspect of American life involve discrimination against women. To counter this, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in terms of sex, gender, etc. when hiring. Betty Friedan, an immensely important feminist figure founds the National Organization for women in order to create more civil rights opportunities. More and more momentum begins to pick up around 1967 as the Equal Rights Amendment and National Welfare Rights Organization start. Women’s liberation movements begin appearing all over America and the first conference is held later on. A huge achievement is made when the first Women’s Equality Day is announced in 1971. Another is seen the following year when the Equal Rights Amendment is reintroduced into Congress and passes in order to secure presidential consent for gender equality. Women begin getting permission to join the Army and Air Force, and the Time Person of the Year goes to a woman in 1975 to celebrate feminist successes. Women all over the nation begin speaking out against common issues that have faced them for so long: abortion, divorce, equal pay, pregnancy, etc. However, the 1980’s marked the decline of the second wave. Curiously enough, the play’s second act also remains in New York, from 1980-1989. Perhaps this shows the world’s decline in feminism in accordance with Heidi’s own.

As shown by the enormous historical events that occurred with feminism during the era of Heidi, clearly outside factors were a large factor on the play. Other social developments are also conveyed through the transition in time, such as music, use of television, dress, and other forms of media/entertainment.

Since Streetcar took place roughly 10-30 years, from the start to end of Heidi, its evident how different women were treated before the Second Wave Feminism. What is also a factor in the treatment is the location, as the East coast of America is sure to be a lot more civilized and socially advanced than the South area of New Orleans. The domestic abuse that the women face are nowhere to be seen in Heidi, yet Stella, Blanche, Eunice, and the prostitute are all abused verbally and physically.

In act one the setting is important as it takes Heidi is a circle, returning her to her original location at the end. This cyclical journey emphasizes in the play how much the world has changed while Heidi has remained the same.

The setting is also important as is shows Heidi’s remoteness in the scenes. In the first scene Heidi is at a high school dance with many people but still is able to be removed from what is happening. The setting during that scene is very youthful and with “streamers” and such, this displays Heidi’s youth while her placement in the crowd displays how she is removed from the others at the dance. When she is seen in the next scene she is also removed from setting in away as she stands by herself by the table and is only connected to the scene through Scoop when he comes to chat with her. In the next scene the setting shows how Heidi is removed from what is happening around her as she sits “slightly outside the circle.”

In once scene the setting echos what is happening in the scene. In scene four, at the art institute it is raining. This reflects what is going on in the scene as not only has the rally not gone well but initially Peter's and Heidi's friendship is not in a good place. However by the end on the scene both situations have cleared up and so has the weather.

The changes in setting in act one compared to act two also show us the difference between the characters in the acts. At the beginning of the play they are young and are not required to be responsible and can do as they please; but in the latter half of the play they are older and having to face their decisions and have realized that they cannot keep chasing the ideals they did in their youth. The second half of the play reflects how the characters in the play have needed to become stable and responsible while having to give up their initial goals in life.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/womenx2019s-rights-movements

http://countrystudies.us/united-states/history-131.htm

Differences

One of the major differences between the written play and the movie Street Car Named Desire is the ending. In the original version Stella does not confront her suspicions about the validity of Blanche claim and continues to delude herself about Stanley's actions. It is quite the opposite in the movie as Stella eventually confronts these ideas and runs to Eunice's instead to back to Stanley, however we don't know how long this lasts as this is the final scene.

Another difference between the original play is Mitch's outburst toward Stanley in the last scene. This short confrontation between Mitch and Stanley present in the movie was not in the original text. The fight in the movie made the audience more certain of the rape than the book describes as the passage in which it occurs is some what vague.

Another thing that was different between the original and the movie was that the movie focused on Blanches confusion with reality and fantasies; the original also incorporates the emotional turmoil she experiences as the music haunts her as to the shadows on the wall. Though the Polka music does play quite often in the movie, the original uses it more as a memory that haunts her rather than something that occurs when she becomes agitated. And in the movie the creeping shadow are used very little if at all to show how she can't get away from her past as it does in the original.

Another difference between the movie and the original play is that in the original Blanche's dead husband was gay while he is not in the movie. For whatever reason this was omitted from the movie it did effect some of the audiences perceptions of Blanche. Because of this difference Blanches reaction can be interpreted differently as can her residual guilt that drives her slightly mad. After reading Alice's blog post on the subject I understand that even more of the story was impacted by this small change in character. I found "It saps the love the love Blanche held for Allen and, to some extent, belies Blanche's ideal of fairytale love," to be a really interesting idea that I had not thought of before (http://airossignol.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/film-adaptations-rarely-good-often-sacrilegious/).

Set Design

I chose to make the two rooms (the kitchen and bedroom) the main focus on the stage because in the play those are the rooms in which most of the story and development occurs. The rooms above are not drawn and I felt that there really was no need for them because in the play we never really entered the above apartment; we only heard noises from their tenants. However I felt that the stairs were more important because Blanche sweeps Stella away from Stanley up the stairs and much happens in relation to the stairs. Because of the relationship Stella has at the end with Eunice and because of Stella's return to Stanley, again leaving her sister after she was hit. When drawing the stage I felt that the play focused really on the one building, specifically Stella and Stanley's apartment, while there interactions were somewhat in a world of their own and they only came into contact with the out side world when it came to them. For example the scene with the boy collecting the rent and other scenes that occur not with in the house but happen just outside it. On the stage I placed the large table in the front of the room because the men playing poker has such significance to the play that it should not be hidden behind things and obscured. On the dresser I also placed the picture of Stanley that was mentioned at the beginning because I felt that it was significant that there were really no other photos.

The Italics

Set design

At the beginning the area is described as having charm even though is it not is a wealthy part of town. The descriptions hint that the apartment is quite close to everything, the bowling ally, Three Deuces, Butcher.

Lighting

The lighting in the first scene is blue and is described to give the area the feel of decay. From reading the book I can now understand that the lighting can symbolize Blanche's through her aging and her feeling of deterioration.

Sound

Blues Piano is play quite frequently, at the beginning it is used to describe the way in which they live and the area they live in. It also grows intensely when when stronger emotions appear.

Music tends to open and close each scene.

Clothes

The clothes that we first see Blanche in explain a lot about who she wants to be; she wears a white dress, signifying purity, while later in the play we find that this is only who she wants to be and who she really is is completely different. However just looking at this one scene she contrasts greatly with the setting as it is dirty and weathered and she looks new. With the rest of the book in mind and more information about Blanche, the setting and Blanche begin to have more in common. The buildings are "mostly white frame, weathered grey, with rickety outside stairs... This building contains two flats, up stairs and down. Faded whist stairs ascend to the entrances of both," while Blanche is later described as "decked herself out in a somewhat soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown and a pair of scuffed silver slippers."(page 1)(page 151)

The clothes that we first see Stanley in are also very telling about his character. Fist we see him in work clothes that are sticking to him with sweat, which shows us his masculinity right off the bat.

Symbols in A Street Car Named Desire

Paper Lantern

Blanche tries to hide her aging by dimming the lights with a chinese paper lantern. This is analogous to her desire to keep from fading and maintain her beauty. She also doesn't like the truth:

"I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action." (Blanche p60)

Truth/reality is the naked light, and while she does try to hide her aging, she will also create elaborate stories to put her in better light than she actually is.

"I don't want realism. I want magic!" (Blanche p145)

"When people are soft- soft people have got to shimmer and glow- they've got to put on soft colors, the colors of butterfly wings, and put a - paper lantern over the light..." (Blanche p92)

"I want to deceive him enough to make him - want me..." (Blanche p95)

Blanche sings a song about a paper moon, and a make believe world in the bath, while outside Stanley and Stella are talking about Blanche's reality. p120

Bathing

"A hot bath and a long, cold drink always give me a brand new out look on life!"

Bathing is used throughout the play as a way to clean the characters of their past.

Blanche bathes frequently to try and remove her undesirable history.

She also bathes a lot to try and prevent her years from showing. During her long baths Blanche also sings song about fairy tale love which contrasts greatly with the reason for her numerous baths.

Blanches bathing often contrasts with other things occurring in the scene. Once while Blanche is try to rid herself of her past Stanley shares his findings about her history with Stella.

Poker

Stanley has considerable control over each poker game, dealing the cards and making sure people stay at the table. In the last scene, Steve takes control from Stanley by telling the guys the name of the game.

"This game is seven-card stud." (p179)

"Poker shouldn't be played in a house with women." (Mitch p63)

In the play poker represents masculinity and is shown one way through the exclusion of the female characters. This is seen in the very first poker game as the"ladies are cordially not invited." (pg 36) By not having the women there the masculinity of the card game is amplified.

Stella has understood and respects that Stanley feels that it is a mans game and that the presents of females would contaminate the male essence; Mitch knows this as he states near the end of this scene that "poker should not be played in a house with women." The fact that it is a masculine game seems to be universally known excluding Blanche.

Samantha Blandford + Wesley Hamilton

XLIII

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

This poem connects to A Street Car Named Desire very well and has an even stronger connection to Blanche. The poem talks about love and more specifically pure, fairy tale type love. Blanche wants to find love but only fairy tale love. I think that she wants this fairy tale love because not only is it "perfect" but also because she doesn't believe in any other type of love. Unfortunately this desire Blanche has is also part of her downfall because she is reaching for something that is unattainable, made worse by her deteriorating beauty. Even in the poem there is stress on light as there is in the play even though Blanche shuns the light to counter act her lost beauty.

Blanche
1. Empress
2. Daisy
3. Hen
4. Old Maid
5. Moth

A lot of the words used to describe Blanche make her out to be frail. One of these words of Moth. As Blanche is described to be moth like is makes her appear to be fragile, and something in needed to protection. Throughout the play we can see that in a way Blanche does need protection at least she believes that she does (protection from time). Other words that are used to describe Blanche that do imply gender is Daisy this is because they are beautiful and fresh. When used in describing Blanche the implication of this word may be that she may have no other purpose than to be pretty and fresh. This is Blanches battle throughout the play; she battles with the expectation that she can win against the aging process. Old maid is used negatively and describes really the realization of Blanche's fears. The implication of the term old maid is that they are past their prime and are undesirable, which again is one of Blanche's fears.


Stanley
1. Master (Sergeant)
2. Lordly
3. Lamb
4. Pig
5. Ape

Throughout the books Stanley is constantly described by some type of animal. This contrasts heavily with Blanche's as she is more often described as something more delicate such as a flower. This sharp contrast between Blanche and Stanley shows very strongly that there is a difference between language and the notion of gender. Only once is Stanley ever described as something vulnerable and that is only done by Stella who ignores his other animalistic tendencies. When Stanley is described he is often described with positions of power: master, king. This implies his power over Stella and Blanche, as well as sometimes between his friends.

(Sub human, forceful, ape-like,coarse, unrefined, king, madman, Polack, simple, commener, brute, primitive) (fading, canary bird, shakily, choked, shrilly, delicate, honey, lily white, light as a feather, phony, unrefined, sugar tit, playful, wildcat, feverish, baby, neurasthenic, half crazy, uncertain, queen, her majesty)

-Masculine

-Described as an ape

-Alpha male (with friends and the sisters)

-Stella lusts for him (as well as Blanche)

-Blanche and Stanley are similar people (empress - king)

1. Coverage.

Blog 1: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/passage.html

Blog 2: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/continued-robert-and-unity-in-chapters.html

Blog 3: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/dear-embarrased-in-encino.html

Blog 4: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/bulls-and-steers.html

Blog 5: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/nonsense.html

Blog 6: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/memories.html

Blog 7: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/greater-love.html

Blog 8: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/comparison.html

Blog 9: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/commentary-trench-duty.html

Blog 10: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-ten-reasons-you-want-to-be-jake.html

Blog 11: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/comparison-of-anthem-for-doomed-youth.html

Blog 12: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/commentary-escape.html

2. Depth. http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/nonsense.html I chose this blog because I did some outside research to help my commentary outline.

3. Interaction. http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/passage.html I chose this blog because this blog was a comment on another person’s blog post.

4. Discussions. http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/comparison.html

5. Xenoblogging. http://airossignol.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/greater-love-analysis/#comment-122 I chose this blog because I commented on her commentary.

6. Wildcard: http://samantha94englishblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/memories.html I chose this blog because I feel that this blog I put a lot of work into and that the commentary was relatively well rounded.