17170800
Description
Mind Map by Robinson Abigail, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Robinson Abigail
about 5 years ago
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Stella Kowalski
- How is she introduced to the
play?
- Stella is introduced in the stage directions
as 'a gentle young woman, about
twenty-five'. This suggests that Stella is
very different from her husband as he is
described as being 'roughly dressed'. Stella
also speaks 'mildly' to Stanley whereas he
is 'bellowing'. This, perhaps, is a deliberate
technique used by Williams to immediately
suggest that the relationship between
Stella & Stanley is somewhat unstable, yet
it still works between them.
- Stella is introduced in the stage directions
as 'a gentle young woman, about
twenty-five'. This suggests that Stella is
very different from her husband as he is
described as being 'roughly dressed'. Stella
also speaks 'mildly' to Stanley whereas he
is 'bellowing'. This, perhaps, is a deliberate
technique used by Williams to immediately
suggest that the relationship between
Stella & Stanley is somewhat unstable, yet
it still works between them.
- What clues do the stage directions give about
costume and appearance?
- The stage directions give very little detail
about what Stella wears during the play.
This suggests that Stella - although a key
character - is less important than
Blanche and Stanley because we learn a
lot about what their costumes and
appearances are like but nothing about
Stella. This is perhaps to detract
attention from Stella and focus it on
Stanley & Blanche, as the play is
fundamentally about their conflicting
relationship throughout the Southern
Gothic tragedy.
- The stage directions give very little detail
about what Stella wears during the play.
This suggests that Stella - although a key
character - is less important than
Blanche and Stanley because we learn a
lot about what their costumes and
appearances are like but nothing about
Stella. This is perhaps to detract
attention from Stella and focus it on
Stanley & Blanche, as the play is
fundamentally about their conflicting
relationship throughout the Southern
Gothic tragedy.
- What does she do? How does she behave? Are
her actions consistant?
- Stella is a typical housewife in many ways.
She caters to Stanley's every need (and
even Blanches). She also puts up with
Stanley's poker nights and gets no say in
when they happen, along with his frequent
trips to go bowling. Stella behaves this way
throughout the play, whenever she tries to get
Stanley to end a poker night before he
chooses to he lashes out with physical
violence towards her. In one case she and
Blanche took refuge in Eunice's apartment,
and in another Stella went into labour.
- Stella is a typical housewife in many ways.
She caters to Stanley's every need (and
even Blanches). She also puts up with
Stanley's poker nights and gets no say in
when they happen, along with his frequent
trips to go bowling. Stella behaves this way
throughout the play, whenever she tries to get
Stanley to end a poker night before he
chooses to he lashes out with physical
violence towards her. In one case she and
Blanche took refuge in Eunice's apartment,
and in another Stella went into labour.
- What do other characters
say about her?
- Interestingly, not much is said by other
characters regarding Stella. This is most
likely because the play's main theme is the
conflict between Stanley and Blanche and
background information of supporting
characters like Stella and Mitch is not
necessary and would detract attention
from the real drama. The most an
audience learns about Stella is that she
and Stanley are 'crazy for each other', to
show that although the pair come from
vastly different worlds, there is a definite
strong connection between the two. They
do genuinely love one another.
- Interestingly, not much is said by other
characters regarding Stella. This is most
likely because the play's main theme is the
conflict between Stanley and Blanche and
background information of supporting
characters like Stella and Mitch is not
necessary and would detract attention
from the real drama. The most an
audience learns about Stella is that she
and Stanley are 'crazy for each other', to
show that although the pair come from
vastly different worlds, there is a definite
strong connection between the two. They
do genuinely love one another.
- What is Stella's position/state of mind at the start of the
play? Does this change as the play progresses?
- Stella's state of mind at the start of the
play is relatively clear. She appears to
be content with her life as a traditional
housewife. When Blanche arrives,
however, the dynamics in the Kowalski
apartment changes dramatically and
Stella seems to be put under more
pressure as she becomes the mediator
between her sister and her husband. By
the end of the play, Stella seems to be
more upset as Blanche leaves with the
Doctor as she 'sobs with inhuman
abandon'.
- Stella's state of mind at the start of the
play is relatively clear. She appears to
be content with her life as a traditional
housewife. When Blanche arrives,
however, the dynamics in the Kowalski
apartment changes dramatically and
Stella seems to be put under more
pressure as she becomes the mediator
between her sister and her husband. By
the end of the play, Stella seems to be
more upset as Blanche leaves with the
Doctor as she 'sobs with inhuman
abandon'.
- In what ways does she change
during the drama?
- Stella becomes more emotional as the play progresses. Early on
she finds out that the beloved Belle Reve is 'lost' and suspects
that her sister is not the same sister she once knew. For
instance, when Stella gives Blanche a coke, Blanche has a fit
and 'screams' when the foam goes on her skirt. Furthermore, on
Blanche's birthday, Stanley tells Stella about Blanche's past and
reputation in Laurel which Stella 'doesn't want to believe'. They
then all sit very awkwardly and eat dinner together before
Blanche has another colourful breakdown at the prospect of
going back to Laurel when Stanley gives her a ticket home. This
again causes Stella to get emotional as she defends Blanche to
Stanley and goes into labour.
- Stella changes in a physical sense as
her pregnancy develops during the play.
This could be what affects her
emotional stability as pregnant women
and new mothers tend to be sensitive
and emotional. Therefore it could be
argued that Stella's heightened
emotional state is due to her baby.
- Stella changes in a physical sense as
her pregnancy develops during the play.
This could be what affects her
emotional stability as pregnant women
and new mothers tend to be sensitive
and emotional. Therefore it could be
argued that Stella's heightened
emotional state is due to her baby.
- Stella becomes more emotional as the play progresses. Early on
she finds out that the beloved Belle Reve is 'lost' and suspects
that her sister is not the same sister she once knew. For
instance, when Stella gives Blanche a coke, Blanche has a fit
and 'screams' when the foam goes on her skirt. Furthermore, on
Blanche's birthday, Stanley tells Stella about Blanche's past and
reputation in Laurel which Stella 'doesn't want to believe'. They
then all sit very awkwardly and eat dinner together before
Blanche has another colourful breakdown at the prospect of
going back to Laurel when Stanley gives her a ticket home. This
again causes Stella to get emotional as she defends Blanche to
Stanley and goes into labour.
- How does Stella end up?
- In the denouement of the tragedy, we
learn that Stella has had the baby, and is
upset due to sending her sister to an
asylum. Although many movie
representations depict Stella leaving
Stanley, she actually stays with him. The
last thing an audience would see before
the curtain falls is Stanley's 'fingers
finding the opening of her blouse', leaving
the audience with a sense of distaste
towards his character as he is what
drove Blanche to a complete mental
breakdown and Stella to an emotional
wreck.
- In the denouement of the tragedy, we
learn that Stella has had the baby, and is
upset due to sending her sister to an
asylum. Although many movie
representations depict Stella leaving
Stanley, she actually stays with him. The
last thing an audience would see before
the curtain falls is Stanley's 'fingers
finding the opening of her blouse', leaving
the audience with a sense of distaste
towards his character as he is what
drove Blanche to a complete mental
breakdown and Stella to an emotional
wreck.
- How does she use language?
- Like Blanche, Stella is an educated, cultured women and so
uses language effectively (in comparison to Stanley). For
example, Stella is well-spoken and when exclaims uses
phrases like 'oh heavens'. To contrast, Stanley tends to insult
people with creative phrases like 'bone-headed cry-baby'
(Scene 11). This again, highlights the fact that she and her
husband are from two entirely different worlds and
backgrounds.
- Like Blanche, Stella is an educated, cultured women and so
uses language effectively (in comparison to Stanley). For
example, Stella is well-spoken and when exclaims uses
phrases like 'oh heavens'. To contrast, Stanley tends to insult
people with creative phrases like 'bone-headed cry-baby'
(Scene 11). This again, highlights the fact that she and her
husband are from two entirely different worlds and
backgrounds.
- What key themes and ideas are
developed through Stella?
- Women's Dependence
on Men
- Traditional
Femininity
- Sexual
Desire
- Thoughts on Domestic Abuse in
the 1940s-50s
- Women's Dependence
on Men
- What things are associated
with Stella?
- Traditional 'gentle' femininity
- Maternity & Motherhood
- Sisterly love towards Blanche. She
protects Blanche and caters to her
every need. Stella feels the need to
look after her sister even though
she is the younger sibling.
- 'Stella for star' -
Stella's name means
'star', suggesting that
she is associated with
light and inaccessible
brilliance.
- Stella is the bridge that joins the
two very different worlds of
Blanche and Stanley together (to
drastic results). She is the
mediator between the two which
has a negative affect on her.
- Traditional 'gentle' femininity
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