Lauren+&+Adriel

1940s, Elysian Fields- New Orleans, Louisiana __ Blanche Dubois __ - a 30 year old sister of Stella, has a bleak past, smoker, drinker, dominates conversation, critical, promiscuous, destitute __ Stella Kowalski __ - Blanche’s younger sister, 25, has a mild disposition, very submissive and timid __ Stanley Kowalski __ -brusque husband of Stella who in dirty and drinks, has a strong sexual relationship with his wife __ Harold “Mitch” Mitchell: __ Stanley’s clumsy, unrefined but gentlemanly army friend, coworker, and poker player friend; he dates Blanche till he finds out her lies and dirty past __ Eunice __ - she is a parallel to Stella’s life, Stella’s neighbor, friend, and rental owner, Steve’s wife __ Allan Grey __ - Blanche’s poetic husband from the past, who she caught have homosexual relationships, and he shot himself because of the shame __ Steve __ - he is a parallel to Stanley, Eunice’s husband who is rough, drinks, and plays poker with Stanley __ Shep Huntleigh __ - former boyfriend of Blanch who she hopes will now give her support to get herself and Stella away from Stanley, she dreams he will sweep her off her feet __ A Negro Woman __ - she sits outside the house and enjoys watching Stanley’s sexual gestures at Stella __ A Doctor __ - he comes to take Blanche away at the end to an asylum, he is the perfect image for Blanche of a gentleman __ A Nurse”Matron” __ - she helps the doctor take Blanche away __ A Young Collector __ - a paper boy who represents Blanche’s sexual desire for young men, she hits on him and tries to kiss him when he comes to deliver the paper __ A Mexican Woman __ __ Pablo __ - poker buddy who is Hispanic and represents the cultural neighborhood and low-class Blanche arrives at Elysian Fields, Stella and Stanley Kowalski's run down home in New Orleans to stay for awhile. Stanley, a Polish auto-parts supply man, sees Blanche as an invader, violating "his" territory. Although Blanche dresses the part of a wealthy sophisticate, Stanley quickly begins to challenge this image and questions her about the sale or loss of Belle Reve the family plantation in Laurel Mississippi, which means "Beautiful Dream". The mother, father and uncle in the family all died in a fire, and the home became a financial burden to Blanche, who resented Stella for leaving to go to New Orleans. Stanley asks Blanche about this because he believes in the Napoleaonic Code, which states that if something belongs to his wife, it belongs to him and vise versa. He applies this to Blanche, and he feels that they have been cheated out of some of the inheritance. Blanche describes Stanley's poker nights as the "party of apes", because they are so wild drunks. Blanche confides in Stanley's poker buddy Mitch and begins to date him, lying to him, and she tells him that Stanley will be her "executioner" and that she wants magic, not realism. She lives in a fantasy world, and she tries to kiss the paper boy and tells the him that he is "like a young prince for the Arabian Nights". Stanley has another drunken poker game with his male friends at the apartment. Blanche upsets Stanley, mostly because she starts to win the flirt with Mitch. After Mitch has been speaking with Blanche in the bedroom awhile, Stanley becomes volatile, storms into the bedroom, and hurls the radio out of the window. Then Stella yells at Stanley defending Blanche, and Stanley beats her. The men pull him off, the poker game is over, and Blanche and Stella run to Eunice’s apartment upstairs. Shortly after, Stanley is regretful and yells up to Stella to forgive him. Blanche is astonished that Stella returns to Stanley and so passionately. Mitch meets Blanche and comforts her when she is upset. Blanche also has an inability to negotiate her past and form meaningful relationships based upon honesty in the present which leads to her eventual mental breakdown. Blanche tries to get Stella to leave Stanley, and she fantasizes about Shep Huntleigh saving them from Stanley. On the night of Blanche’s birthday, Stanley tells Stella that Blanche was evicted from her former apartment because of her sexual intimations and that she was fired from her school teaching because she has sexual relations with a student. Mitch finds out that Blanche is not the sophisticated woman she pretended to be, Mitch tries to have sex with Blanche, but she forces him to leave by yelling “Fire!” to attract the attention of passersby outside. Later, Stanley comes back from the hospital and Blanche is even very drunk. She tells him that she will soon be leaving with her former lover, Shep Huntleigh, who is a millionaire. Stanley knows that Blanche’s story is fantasy, but he is so happy about his baby that he proposes they celebrate their happiness. Blanche is bitter towards Stanley, and things become heated between them. When she tries to get by him, he refuses to move out of her way. Blanche becomes frightened, and she smashes a bottle on the table and threatens to cut Stanley with it in the face. Stanley grabs her arm and says that it’s time for the “date” they’ve needed since Blanche’s arrival. Blanche tries to flee, but Stanley uses his physical strength to overcome her, and he carries her to bed. The music indicates that Stanley rapes Blanche. Weeks later, Stella and her neighbor Eunice are packing Blanche’s bags. Blanche is bathing, and Stanley plays poker with his buddies in the front room. The doctor is on the way to take Blanche to an insane asylum, but Blanche believes she is leaving to join her millionaire. Stella confesses to Eunice that she simply cannot allow herself to believe Blanche’s assertion that Stanley raped her. When Blanche emerges from the bathroom, her crazy talk makes it clear that she has lost her grip on reality. The doctor arrives with a nurse, and Blanche initially panics and struggles against them when they try to take her away. Stanley and his friends fight to subdue Blanche, while Eunice holds Stella back to keep her from interfering. Mitch starts to cry. Finally, the doctor approaches Blanche in a gentle manner and convinces her to leave with him. She allows him to lead her away and does not look back or say goodbye as she goes. Stella sobs with her child in her arms, and Stanley comforts her with loving words and caresses. __ Themes: __  ·  lying in order to stay in an imaginary world  ·  struggle for identity and a place in the world  ·  men, poker, alcohol, and women don't tend to mix  ·  getting away from the past of present through relaxation __ Questions to ponder __ : In what ways is Blanche at a turning point in her life? What could Blanche have become? What decisions and events prevented her from thriving in the "real world"? How would such a tragic, sad ending be avoided? In what ways do you feel badly (catharsis?) for her? What do we learn about life from Blanche? __ AP essay prompt: __  ·  man verses woman domination struggles  ·  ruined relationships  ·  (what drives someone to) insanity  ·  tragic heroine, socially/politically flawed goodness(Hamartia)  ·  struggle for identity http://www.bookstove.com/Classics/Symbolism-in-Streetcar-Named-Desire.34019
 * __ Adriel Viss AP Notecard __**
 * //A Streetcar Named Desire //** – a play
 * Setting: **
 * Characters: **
 * __ Summary __** :
 * __ Symbols and Motifs __**__ : __
 * white
 * baths
 * water
 * singing/music
 * light
 * Colors
 * Men- they are bold and direct and threatening to Blanche's gentility
 * Animal likeness-Stanley is depicted as a caveman, territorial
 * darkness- the house is cave-like and dark
 * death
 * desire
 * the past
 * insanity/illusion

Lauren Piunti AP English V Ms. Corlies 2/29/08 Annie John; Jamaica Kincaid Antigua, 1950’s Annie – young girl who experiences the hardship of growing up and apart from her mother Annie’s mother – when Annie is younger her mother is nurturing and loving, but as Annie grows older and her mother pulls apart to allow Annie to create her own self Annie begins to hate her Annie’s father – quiet yet holds the power in the family; Annie’s mother revolves her day around him such as when to prepare meals; slept with many women prior to marriage Gwen – Annie’s best friend in school; uses her to kill the empty space left from her mother “Red Girl” – A lower class girl whom Annie admires; Annie craves her free-living lifestyle which lacks the strict rules and regulations of her own Ma Chess – Annie’s grandmother; Comes to Antigua where she heals herself as well as Annie Pa Chess – Annie’s grandfather; Her mother ran away when she was a teenager because they did not get along; He strongly believes in controlling his family and male domination over a family Sonia – Annie’s friend from school; She stops being friends with her after she finds out that her mother died Mineu – Young childhood friend of Annie’s Hilarene – A girl who goes to school with Annie; Annie does not like her because she is compliant and strictly follows the rules Miss. Nelson – Annie’s homeroom teacher who prized Annie’s essay about her mother Miss. Edward – Annie’s history teacher who yells at Annie for damaging a textbook Miss. Charlotte – Annie’s teacher who is found dead on the street Ma Jolie – Obeah woman who comes to Antigua to heal Annie when she was ill In the beginning of the novel Annie John is around age ten and lived in Antigua with her mother and father. After Annie spends one summer outside of Antigua and near a cemetery she becomes obsessed with death and children who die. Annie begins attending funerals because she enjoyed watching all of the mourning people. Her anticipation was so high that one day she forgot to bring home fish for dinner because she rushed out of school to quickly make the funeral of a young girl. Trying to cover up the mistake, Annie lies to her mother who knows she is not telling the truth and forces her to eat dinner outside under a tree alone as punishment. Every summer Annie’s mother would devout all of her time to caring for Annie. They would take hot baths together, go shopping, and spend all day together. Annie had admired her mother thinking she was the most beautiful and wise woman. However, one day when Annie returned home she walked in on her parents having intercourse. Offended and hurt that Annie was not a part of this relationship, Annie begins to hate her mother for not including her. Soon Annie starts school where she is the smartest student, her essay being the most praised, and extremely popular among her classmates. Besides her brilliance, Annie was talented at sports and stuck up for all the other students. She quickly becomes friends with a girl named Gwen who walks with her to school everyday. Still angry with her mother, Annie tries to replace the relationship she had with her mother with Gwen. Her and Gwen explore a relationship more than friends where they kiss which is different for Annie and something she knows her mother would not approve of, which makes her want to do more of. Annie later concludes that her friendship with Gwen is not meaningful and does not want to be friends with her any more. Instead she becomes friends with a girl named Sonia. However, although she likes Sonia she constantly hurts her but then makes it up to her by buying her gifts. When her mother dies though, Annie can not face Sonia again. Soon after, Mrs. Charlotte died but her mother refused to allow her to go to the funeral. Nevertheless, Annie soon finds friendship in a girl whom she calls Red Girl. She is from a lower class and does not follow the traditional values of an Antiguan girl. Annie admires The Red Girl’s carefree personality and starts playing marbles with her (a game that was considered “improper” for an Antiguan girl). One day Annie’s mother catches Annie coming out of her “secret spot” with a marble in hand. Angry with her daughter, Annie’s mother searches for the rest of the marbles but could not find them. Her mothers’ inability to find the marbles pleases Annie and increases her desire to act out against her mothers wishes. Yet when The Red Girl moves away Annie stops playing marbles. Reading ahead one day in class Annie writes in her history textbook but is caught by her teacher Mrs. Edward who lectures her for her misconduct. Annie is sent to the Principal who forces her to copy part of a book. Hoping to find comfort in her own home, Annie leaves school and heads home but does not find the consolation she was looking for. Instead her parents are even closer than before too wrapped up in each other to even notice Annie’s agony. To make things worse, Annie’s mother tricks her into eating breadfruit which she strongly hates. Enraged with her mothers’ treachery Annie’s feelings turn to complete hatred for her mother. Annie’s unhappiness continues to grow worse reminding her of a heavy black ball which she is unsure as to why she feels dejected all of the time. Despite this her schoolwork seems to be continually improving when she gets moved into an older class which leaves Annie feeling alone. Thoughts of running away to Belgium where her mother could never find her cross Annie’s head countless times. After catching a glimpse of her unkempt appearance local boys make fun of Annie which furthers her depressing mood. Her mother confronts her when she returns home saying that she did not approve of her flirtatious behavior and said she was acting like a slut. Offended and irritated Annie retaliates by saying “like mother, like daughter”. Annie’s mother responds by saying that she loved Annie up until that point, forcing a dark cloud between them. Annie requests her own trunk from her father, to store her belongings separately from her mothers. As a result Annie has a mental breakdown in which she must remain in bed for three months. Annie acts as an infant during these three months; needing to be fed, changed, and constantly taken care of. Even with the help of the local doctor and obeah women Annie does not appear to be getting better which is why her grandmother comes to help. Ma Chess is able to cure Annie by holding her and displaying affection towards her. Finally, Annie is nursed back to health and has returned taller than before. Ready to leave Antigua at 17 Annie decides to study nursing in England and away from her mother. Annie leaves remembering the good times she had with her mother but knowing that there is no room for her in her parent’s house. -The changes in mother-daughter relationships -Men having superior authority over women -Annie’s unusual obsession with death -Antiguan values/traditions -Obeah -Death -trunk -marbles More recent criticism reflects postcolonial theory and views Kincaid as a postcolonial writer. Bill Ahscroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin wrote the book on postcolonialism in 1989 — //The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures.// The theory arises out of the historical fact that English literature as a discipline arose concurrently with the pressures of Empire. Consequently, previously colonized people found themselves independent but speaking English. They were not returned to pre-colonialism. They had to create a new cultural identity at peace with the unpleasantness of colonialism and new sovereignty. With the realization of this phenomenon, critics like James Nagel reread Kincaid's //Annie John// as more than a bildungsroman coming of age story. Thus in his 1995 article, "Desperate Hopes, Desperate Lives: Depression and Self-Realization in Jamaica Kincaid's //Annie John// and Lucy," he builds upon Murdoch's insight. The mother becomes blended with the greater powers and the Oedipal constructs fracture beneath the pressure. The family's dynamics are now linked to the greater historical event that is Antigua. Nagel notes the traditional bildungsroman aspects of the novel and then includes the background: "a legacy of slavery and deprivation and the rich texture of Annie's family life as well as the English cultural overlay on the social patterns of Antigua the eminence of the Anglican Church European Christianity folk rituals of potions and curses Everything in this society has a dual foundation, even the local dialect." The novel is seen here for its complexity and applauded for its ability to express the multiplicity of Antigua through the charm of a little girl. But that is art — to show how people live in their own circumstances. Allen Vorda quotes Henry Louis Gates saying this about Kincaid: "she never feels the necessity of claiming the existence of a black world or a female susceptibility. She assumes them both. I think its a distinct departure that she's making, and I think that more and more black American writers will assume their world the way that she does. So that we can get beyond the large theme of racism and get to the deeper themes of how black people love and cry and live and die. Which, after all, is what art is all about."
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