A Streetcar Named Desire https :// youtube/watch?v=bmQcX8hE33w

1. By Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desirehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmQcX8hE33w

2. Genre and Plot Structure • Tragedy – a serious drama in which the problems and flaws of the central characters lead to an unhappy or catastrophic ending • Tragic hero meets with an unhappy end as a result of a combination of outside forces and his or her own fatal flaws • Blanche – social pretension, alcoholism, dishonesty and fixation with the past • Stanley – antagonist who pursues, exposes and destroys her

3. Three Unities (Aristotle) • Unity of place • Single-interior setting (Kowalski Apartment) • Unity of time • Chronologically over the course of a few months • Unity of action • One plot (conflict between Blanche and Stanley)

4. LEFT PAGE: • Create a plot line/story arc and label each key point along the line. • Then, as we read, identify the scenes that depict each plot element.

5. Plot Line/Story Arc • The dramatic premise- the essence of the plot/ the main conflict between characters • The dramatic situation- the circumstances surrounding the action • Inciting incident- the event that sets the plot in motion • Plot point 1- an event that forces the protagonist to change direction or meet a new challenge.

6. Plot cont’d • Obstacles – events, character traits, or circumstances that prevent main character from achieving his or her goal • Blanche has no money • Emotional and of her own making

7. Plot cont’d • The first culmination – point when success seems within reach of main character • Plot point 2 – second major turning point (protagonist’s darkest hour) • Climax – zenith of action • The denouement – wrapping up of loose ends or the calm after the storm • The catastrophe – the denouement of ending action of the play

8. Costumes • Blanche’s incongruous appearance underscores the conflict between Southern gentility (good manners, pretensions, lost plantations, etc.) and the rough masculinity of urban society (bare-chested men, loud poker players, coarse language) • Men’s strong, loud, primary colors (mirror personalities) • Women’s softer, muted pastels (again mirror personalities)

9. Setting • Elysian Fields Avenue – allusion to where the heroes of Greek Mythology found their final rest and spent their afterlife • Symbolic irony: Kowalski apartment far from ‘heavenly’ • Streetcars – “Desire” leads to “Cemeteries”, which takes one to “Elysian Fields”

10. Music • Varsouviana Polka – psychological deteriorization • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBxk6GnlWgY • Blue piano – ambiance and mournful notes (7 of 11) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmCv6UOF22A

11. LEFT PAGE: • As we read, gather and chart passages that support each of the following motifs. • Include passages rich in symbolism and other literary techniques. • Your goal will be to establish thoughtful theme statements utilizing the various symbols and motifs.

12. Motifs to be Developed into Themes • The Old South vs modern world • Desire • Fantasy vs reality • Animalistic characteristics

13. Symbols and other motifs • Light • The moth • Bathing • Drinking • The poker game • Sexual symbols (raw meat, seven-card stud) • Animal imagery • Colors (White/Blanche)

14. Literary Terms to Know • Irony • Tone/mood • Farce • Catharsis • Apostrophe • Symbolism • Existentialism • Humanism • Romanticism • Realism • Naturalism