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Whose Reality?

Whose Reality?. Ways of building a bridge … and burning it . Objective. To understand how A Streetcar Named Desire shows us how people construct alternate realities Today is mostly new information – we will apply our understanding in writing tomorrow. You’ll need good notes.

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Whose Reality?

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  1. Whose Reality? Ways of building a bridge … and burning it

  2. Objective • To understand how A Streetcar Named Desire shows us how people construct alternate realities • Today is mostly new information – we will apply our understanding in writing tomorrow. You’ll need good notes.

  3. HOW DOES BLANCHE EVADE Reality?

  4. SOME READING • Read the document “Ways of constructing an alternate reality” • Provide a 6 dot point summary at the end. • You have 5 minutes, then I’ll tell you more.

  5. Ways of constructing alternate realities • Escapism • Illusion • Dishonesty • Either draw a chart or a concept map with these three ideas as we go. • You can include your own vocab definitions too

  6. 1 Escapism • Fantasy • Delusion • Substance abuse

  7. Fantasy as escapism • How is the role of fantasy illustrated in Streetcar?

  8. Delusion as escapism • Delusion: |diˈloōzhən| noun • an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument, typically a symptom of mental disorder : the delusion of being watched. delusions of grandeur a false impression of one's own importance.

  9. Delusion as escapism • Delusion takes escapism a step further. • Blanche may actually believe these things. • She is delusional about her status as a lady- which conflicts with her promiscuity. • What happens when her delusions meet the “truth”?

  10. Substance abuse as escapism

  11. 2 Illusion • Based on untruths • Seductive and positive – a ‘refuge’ • Painful to lose – ‘shattered illusions’

  12. Illusion • Based on untruths • Seductive and positive – a ‘refuge’ • Painful to lose – ‘shattered illusions

  13. Illusion a false idea or belief a deceptive appearance or impression a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses : be under the illusion that be under no illusion (or illusions

  14. Illusion: based on untruths • Illusions are common: Eg? • - Good things happen to good people • Mitch has illusions about Blanche • What illusions has society given Blanche? • People take refuge in illusion – from what truth must Blanche seek refuge?

  15. Illusions: painful to losewith a partner • Identify a couple of examples of shattered illusions in Streetcar. • Use this graphic for each character: • How do you think those illusions came to be/why did the characters develop them? • How do those characters respond when those illusions are shattered?

  16. 3 Dishonesty • Constructing facades • Manipulating appearances • Evasion • Deceiving oneself and others • Denying, rejecting or manipulating the truth

  17. Dishonesty: evasion& denial • How does Blanche evade the truth? • The implications of her evasion are that she is distrusted and the truth of her situation is distorted. • Blanche is in denial about her reality and lies to maintain her dignity. • What is the alternative?

  18. Dishonesty: rejection of the truth • What makes some truths unbearable? • Which truths do Blanche and Stella reject? • What are the implications of this? • Homework: • Can you find quotes (famous or from the text) that illustrate how people can reject difficult truths?

  19. Dishonesty: manipulating the truth • How does Stanley manipulate the truth? • How does Blanche? • The manipulated truths favour those who created them. Their dishonesty is designed to improve their reality. • What are the consequences of their lies?

  20. WHY?

  21. Summary • To understand how A Streetcar Named Desire shows us how people construct alternate realities • Use a table to chronologically list Blanche’s lies.

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