Pub Two

Second Published Writing

In the dramatic play "A Streetcar Named Desire", Tennessee Williams beautifully incorporates a major theme of illusion versus reality.  This theme focuses mostly on the character Blanche but, there are multiple instances of the theme appearing with the character Stella. The quote from Stella on page 165, “I couldn’t go on believing her story and live with Stanley.” This statement is the final piece to Stella’s character development in the play. This statement reveals that Stella had a choice, to side with her sister Blanche or stay with her husband Stanley. Stella ultimately decides to stay with Stanley and ends up committing Blanche to a mental institution. If Stella chose to be with her sister she would also have to face the truth that comes with her sister’s story. Stella didn’t want to believe the emotional and physical abuse Stanley has caused her and Blanche. Instead, Stella pushes the abuse aside and paints a picture of the perfect family with her beloved Stanley.

As a character, Stella represents symptoms of a mental illness called Dissociative disorder. Dissociative disorders display cognitive, emotional and behavioral ways of involuntarily escaping from reality. The disorder itself can be categorized into three different groups; Depersonalization disorder, Dissociative Identity disorder and Dissociative Amnesia. Depersonalization disorder is when someone has episodes of an out-of-body experience and detachment from reality. Dissociative Identity disorder is when someone alternates between multiple identities by using different names, characteristics, mannerisms, voices and even language. Dissociative Amnesia is when someone has difficulty remembering personal information such as life history. This disorder can advance into other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety when encountering stressful situations.  The disorder develops as a response to trauma and helps keep the memories hidden away.

Even though Blanche was the unstable one, Stella exhibits signs of decreasing mental stability in her thoughts, actions and words throughout the play. When Blanche reveals to Stella how she lost the plantation she states, “Sit there and stare at me thinking I let the place go! I let the place go? Where were you! In bed with your Polack!” (Williams 22). Stella wanted to escape the reality of her dying family and live in the mirage of a pleasurable life with Stanley. This quote is also a huge piece of foreshadow to the ending of the play when Stella once again chooses Stanley over her family. Stella not only chose Stanley over her family but also chose him over herself. She demonstrates this in Scene Three, The Poker Night. That night Stanley is drunk and frustrated, he turns his frustration towards Stella and violently abuses her. She rushes offstage with her sister and Stanley is left alone. Stanley then calls out to Stella and she immediately rushes back to him and they embrace each other with passion. This act shows that Stella is unable to cope with stress and looks for the easy way out. By denying the reality of the situation, she displays symptoms of Dissociative disorder. Stella is dependant on Stanley and will never leave him because of her desire for her own perfect family. Stella cannot leave Stanley because then she would be admitting to herself that Blanche’s story of the rape, verbal, physical and mental abuse Stanley has inflicted on her and her sister is the reality she doesn’t want to accept. She realizes she would be unstable and lost if it wasn’t for Stanley, which is another symptom of Dissociative disorder. She thinks she needs Stanley and depends on him because she can’t handle the truth and the guilt she has for leaving her family and the plantation. The stress Stanley causes could also lead to Stella’s mental state worsening into manic depression and anxiety. The illusion of Stanley being a good husband, who brings her love and joy, is Stella’s escape from reality and how she copes with her inner demons.

Creating an alternate reality is a more common way to deny the struggles and trauma people are faced with. The problem is when the illusion of reality becomes the reality in a person’s mind, that is when mental illness sets in. Stella denies the truth behind Blanche’s story and decides to stay with Stanley as a way to cope with her guilt and hopelessness. She is living in a world of false hopes and promises. She turns a blind eye to reality and retreats into a world of wonder and illusion.

Works Cited

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Dissociative Disorders.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 Nov. 2017,www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215.

NAMI Staff. “Dissociative Disorders.” Nami, 2018, www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-conditions/dissociative-disorders.

Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library, 2017.