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Summary A* AQA English Literature - A Streetcar Named Desire - 25/25 essay on Blanche and Mitch’s relationship
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My 25/25 (A*) essay on = Examine the relationship between Blanche and Mitch?
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Examine the relationship between Blanche and Mitch? (25/25)In Williams 1947 Southern Gothic play 'A Streetcar Named Desire', he aimed to
show the effects of society on the 'sensitive, non-comfist individual'. This is
personified through the characters of Blanche and Mitch who are somewhat
outsiders (a key trope Williams uses) to their New World industrial society - Blanche
being from the Old South and living in fantasy, and Mitch being less alpha male than
steroetypically expected of 20th century men who had fought in the World War.
Therefore, Blanche and Mitch on the surface may appear compatible. However, in
reality their relationship is based on lies, mutual need for security, and bonding over
trauma so arguably it was fated to be unsuccesful from the outset. Overall, this is
signifcant as they mirror the main theme of appearance versus reality as well as
those who do not fit in.
Arguably, from the outset Williams presents Mitch and Blanche as compatible. Firstly,
both are insecure about their appearances. Williams uses the repetitive motif of
Blanche wanting to keep the lights off to illustarte her fear of aging, and similarly Mith
is 'ashamed of the way I pespire' and look - as emphaised by his questioning in 'You
don't think I am too heavy?. They also both understand death and illness, finding
comfort in each other as 'You need somebody and I need somebody too'.
Additionally, Blanche immediately singles Mitch out as 'different from the others' due
to his kind behaviour. Unlike Stanley who is rude to Blanche, Stella and even his
male friends, Williams has Mitch repeatedly interject dialogue about his 'sickmother'
whom he looks after to reflect his concern about her wellbeing. Likewise, after
Stanley hits Stella in scene 3 he speaks to Stanley in a soft tone and ensures he is
okay before going to Blanche and comforting her, then presents Mitch as no longer
caring about his appearance for Blanche, wearing his 'work clothes... (and]
unshaven'. This is due to Stanley's influence in their relationship by telling Mitch the
truth about Blanche's past sexual promiscuity. This shift in his behaviour is continued
through his vocal and physical treatment of Blanche. For instance, while previoulsy
Williams had Mitch use a soft tone and romantic language, here he uses short
consonant sentances such as 'Me. Mitch' - like Stanley uses - then slowly increasing
the length from 'its dark in here... I've never seen you in the afternoon... [to] Let's turn
the light on so I can take a look at you good and plain' - creating dramatic tension
and a predator-like feel. Likewise, Williams employs questioning of Blanche's
behaviour such as 'Do we have to have that fan on?', or imperatives like 'ought'
when telling her she 'ought to lay off his [Stanley's) liquor', now referring to her
lapping it up all summer like a wild-cat' as Stanley's opinions and voice has taken
over his own. While Williams still demonstrates that Mitch did hold his own views on
Blanche originally, calling Stanley 'a liar at first' (which would be brave to do as
Stanley is much more powerful than himself) and 'believed] you was straight', in this
scene he uses repetition of 'lies, lies, inside and out all lies’.
However, Stanley's influence over Mitch's behaviour is clearest through how Williams
seems to present Mitch in a more animalistic, rather than romantic manner, now.
Previously, arguably Blanche had more power in their relationship as the adjectives
describing Mitch's actions are more feeble such as 'fumbingly embraces her', so
Blanche can use his vulnerability to do things she wants - for instance using the
imperative phrase 'get the door open. Good boy' in scene 6, making him 'dance' with
her, and using the French phrase 'voulez vous couchez avec mois' translating to will
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