A Streetcar Named Desire: Foil 1 key example

Blanche represents the fading aristocracy of the Old South, living like a relic of a former age. Her attachment to this bygone era is not just nostalgic: it’s also a desperate attempt to maintain her self-esteem and social status. Everything about her is centered around being a successful “Southern belle,” but this persona is not compatible with the demands of modern life. In stark contrast, Stella has embraced her new life in New Orleans. Rather than trying to preserve their lifestyle at Belle Reve, Stella has accepted her place as a member of the working class and is adapting to a more modern existence alongside her husband, Stanley.

This acceptance reflects a pragmatism in Stella that Blanche lacks. Stella's ability to adjust is rooted in both her realistic assessment of her circumstances and her satisfaction with a life based on the fulfillment of physical desires. Blanche can neither accept her circumstances nor bear to exist in a realm that isn’t like a romantic dream. These attitudes toward desire and conflict are another deep divide between the sisters. Blanche views sexual and physical desire as a destructive force that has brought her ruin and disgrace. Her deceased husband—who’s implied to have been non-heterosexual and having physical relationships with other men—killed himself because he couldn’t change his desires. Blanche is traumatized by his death but still experiences a lot of physical desire herself, which causes her to be disgraced and ruined. Stella, however, sees sex and the physical as a natural part of life. Rather than a shameful act, sex is the primary way she can connect with her husband.

These differences also extend to how these women view security from men. Blanche seeks protection and stability from any man who might offer it. She believes in the old-fashioned gender roles of her past, and is driven by a deep-seated fear of poverty and loneliness after her struggles with Belle Reve and her dying family. She exerts control over men through manipulation, while Stella asserts her needs loudly and clearly. Stella, while also dependent on a man, is less submissive and beguiling about trying to get her wants fulfilled. Her attention to men is also focused solely on Stanley. Even though she doesn’t meekly accept his commands, she does accept his violence and short temper as part of their life together. These approaches to difficulty also expand out into the broader lives of these characters. When faced with conflict, Blanche often reacts with hysteria. She’s unable to confront reality effectively and devolves into anxious, mothlike fluttering. Stella, on the other hand, demonstrates a sort of childish pragmatism and a capacity for suppressing her emotions during times of conflict. She doesn’t hold onto things like Blanche does in any aspect of her life.