A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE (1947) – Tennessee Williams

A Street Car Named Desire (1947) – Tennessee Williams

Is an American psychological drama situated in the South of America (which is very conservative) – Louisiana state – New Orleans into the fifties of the 20th century.

The plot is placed into a shanty town[1] of New Orleans which has even if is it a poor quarter[2] some charm. The main plot takes a place in a two-floor, corner house number 632 at a street called Elysian’s fields. To be more precious, mainly in the firts floor of this house in a two rooms flat of Stanley and Stella Kowalski.                                                                                                                   It is an early evening at the beginning of May and the atmosphere is filled by tones of a „black piano“ in the background from a corner bar.

The main characters are working class people:

Blanche (Dubois) – is an American women over thirty with French roots. She used to work as a teacher of English at Gymansium in a town called Laurel. She is a „Southern Belle“[3] and a coquette[4]. She likes to put on nice dresses, plays “a theatre” and makes illusion about herself. She tries to make illusion about her age, about her virtuousness[5], primness,[6] her whole life. She never forgets to ask : „How do I look?“  Blanche changes the rules of Stella and Stenley’s family and also manipulates Stella.

Stella (Kowalski)  - is Blanche’s younger sister. Stella is 25 and is pregnant. Stella wants to leave “old tracks”of previous life. Most of the time she tries to calm down difficult situations with her husband or her sister.

Stanley Kowalski – as a Polish emigrant, housband of Stella. He is in his thirties, physically is well builded. He is independent, knows how to enjoy his life. Stenley is a strong person -  a “Macho man.” He has dominance  over Stella but he can not control Blanche. But Stanley very soon reveales [7] Blanche’s  real situation.

Eunice – a white women, their upstairs neighbour.

Steve – husband of Eunice. One of the poker players .

Pablo Gonzales - One of the poker players.

Mitch Harold – a young, serious, gallant man about thirty. He is also one of the poker players. He has seriously sick mother. 

“Another characters”

Shep Huntleigh – a mysterious lover of Blanche from Dallas

Mr Graves – a director of Gymnasium

Allan – Blanche’s former lover when they were sixteen

Mr Kiefaber – a travelling salesman from the town Laurel

House – lost house Belle Reve

Blanche came into New Orleans to visit her sister Stella. Blanche was shocked by the place where Stella and Stanley lived. Anyway, she stayed with them in their two-rooms flat plus a bathroom. 

The bathroom played a quite important role in this novel. Blanche loved frequent bathing and occupied the bathroom very often. What is more, after her bath she mentioned that she felt fresh and rested and never forgot to pour face powder around her and sprayed her perfume.                           One evening when Stanley, Mitch, Steve and Pablo played at Stanley and Stella’s place poker, Stella nad Blanche went out for dinner and drink. On their way back the man still played poker. Blanch and Stella came in, Mitch noticed Blanche and immediately fell in love with her. They started to date, but Blanche still kept illusion about her personality, moreover, she never literally showed him her real face,only in the gloom[8].                                                                                                                   That evening also happened a verbal fight between Stanley and Blanche because of the radio. This quarrel [9]escalated with fling[10] the radio through a window by Stanley. In addition, Stanley in his   fury [11]physically attacted pregnant Stella. Stella and Blanche run upstairs to Eunice’s flat to find a shelter. Poker man calmed down Stanley and disappeared. Stanley suddenly figured out what he did and run in front of the house and cried Stella’s name. Between Stanley and Stella was a sensuous[12] connection so she slowly came down and kissed and hugged each other.                                                Blanche a next day told off [13]Stella and named Stanley an animal, a stinky Polish and a prehistorical man.                                                                                                                     Meanwhile Stanley’s patience reached its top. He got sick and tired of Blanche’s manners[14], sick and tired of Blanche’s secret drinking his whiskey and what is more, he finally had an argument with Stella about lost house in Bella Reve. Stanley in his fury emptied Blachne’s suitcase and lately argued with Blanche over the “documents” of Belle Reve.                                                                          Later one late afternoon in the middle of September Blanche had a birthday. Stella made her a birthday cake. Stanley did not forget to ask Stella : “How many candles you sticked on the cake?” Stella sticked only 25. Stanley when Blanche was in the bathroom also told to Stella the real truth about Blanche. Stella did not believe him and argued, but a bit suspicion[15] appeared in her mind. They invited for a birthday dinner Mitch, but he did not come. Blanch was disappointed, but on the other hand she ask Stanley to tell them jokes. Stanley started to get angry and quickly gave Blanche his present. An envelope with a bus ticket back to Laurel. Blanche could not hide her panic. Stanley hardly tried to keep the truth about Blanche’s real life – identity and the dinner finished by smashed his plate. Blanche was still naively surprised and unexpectedly Stella got contractions. Stanley and Stella went to a hospital. Blanche stayed alone and suddenly Mitch came. He was crossed because of the truth about Blanche from Stanley.                                                                                            Stanley discovered from a travelling salesman Mr Kiefaber in Laurel that Blanche lost her job. She had an intimate contacts with many men in a hotel in Laurel. Futhermore, she had an intimate contact with a seventeen year old student at Gymansium where she taught. The headmaster Mr Graves fired her immediately. She was incapable[16] to hold this job. Blanche started to cry and explained to Mitch nearly everything about her life. She told him about her sad relationship with a boy Alan when they were sixteen. She told him about Allan’s relationship with some man and how he shot himself.                                                                                                                                                      Stanley came back from the hospital and that evening had again an argument with Blanche and finally "probably" raped her. Blanche in her played illusion started to get muddled[17]. She wore a luxury dress and told to Stanley that she got an invitation from Shep Huntleigh to join him at a cruise. She still waited for his call…                                                                                                            Stella came back from the hospital with a baby and life at house 632 continued. Blanche got mental disaster. The novel finished when a doctor and a nurse came. The man played downstairs poker, Eunice told to Blanche that she goes to vacation. Blanche was confused, but finally left the house with the doctor…

T. Willams with mastery described inner experiencies of main deeply different characters, often lonely, looking for filling their desires. He used civil – the low middle class language  - connected with their work which gave the novel very realistic character. People are formed by its background and nobody respected each other feelings. T. Willams used an open ending.                                        

A Street Car Named Desire considered by many to be one of William’s greatest was awarded by the Pulitzer Price [18]for Drama in 1948.                                                                                                     In 1951 the play was adapted on a movie screen and starring Marlon Brando as Stenley Kowalski.

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[1] Chudinská čtvrť

[2] Čtvrť

[3] Jižanská kráska

[4] Koketa

[5] Ctnost

[6] Upjatost

[7] Vypátrat, odhalit

[8] Šero, přítmí, temnota

[9] Hádka, roztržka

[10] Mrsknutí, hození, švihnutí

[11] Zuřivost, vztek, divokost

[12] Smyslné, živočišné

[13] Vynadat

[14] Móresy

[15] Podezření

[16] Nezpůsobilá

[17] Popletená, zmatená

[18] The Pulitzer Prize /ˈpʊlᵻtsər/^[1] is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature, and musical composition in the United States. It was established in 1917.                                                                                           Wikipedia

OF MICE AND MEN - John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

The plot is placed into thirties years of the 20th century at a farm in a Salian valey in California - America during  the Great Depression in the United States.[1]

Two impecunious[2] men – farming workmen try to get a job at the farm in the Salian valey and at the same time they dream about their own small property – a house – houskeeping, agriculture, breeding[3] of pigs, a caw, but most of all about breeding rabbits.

Both of them are completely different. While George Milton is a protective and foresighted[4] man, Lennie Small, his companion, as a feeble - minded[5] ( a bit special ) strong man.

Physically, George is rather short, moving, with a dark – skinned[6] face, restless eyes, firm features. On the other hand, Lennie is a giant with a shapeless face, big pale eyes and with clumsy[7] movement.

Lennie do everything after George. Lennie grew up with his auntie Clara, but after her death George took care of him.

As for the plot…An agency "Muray – Ready" in Weed arranged for George and Lennie jobs at the farm in the Salian valey in California. They got in a trouble at a former farm, to be more precious, Lennie got into the trouble with some girl. Lennie tried only caressed[8] some girl, touched her dress, but the girl was affraid of him and he hold her until her scream – yell. And the problem arose.

Lennie was also passioned by mice. He caressed them with no gentleness and all of them he more by accident than by design,[9] killed.

Before they got at the farm in the Salian valey by foot, they stopped in nature next to a small green pool[10] with willow trees. This place George marked as a meeting point – pre – arranged – secret place if something bad happen. They got at the farm in the morning and went into a house for workmen with eight beds. There they met an old workman called Candy and also their keeper – owner of the farm. The owner questioned George and Lennie, but Lennie got a ban form George not to speak at all. George called Lennie his cousin even it was not true. George also described to the owner Lennie’s mental disability, but he swore he is a strong workman.

Candy – the workman without one hand had an old, stinky, shepherd’s dog with a grey muzzle, pale-blind eyes and unhealthy fur.

An another character in this novel was Curley – the son of the owner. Curley was a thin young, small man with a dark-skinned face, thick hair. He was a former nimble[11] boxer. Curley had a wife who, generally speaking, loved men. The workmen called her whore[12] and express into a guod.[13] Curley was extremely jealous and every single man was in huge danger with him.

Curley’s wife had no name in this novel. She was a young woman who provoked men, she was a temptress.[14] As for her appearence – she made up her full lips, made up her eyes, her nails were red and her hair remainded sausages. When she met with George and Lennie, Lennie looked at her with amazement but George warned him strongly.

Slim was an another workmen at this farm. He worked as a coachman[15] and had a calm, sensible character. He was also an owner of a female dog with new born puppies. Lennie got a promise to have on of five puppies. Lennie spent one evening in a stable[16] with new born puppies until he got warning from Slim not to touch them so early.

Carlson was a fat workman with a gun. He persuaded an old Candy to kill his old stinky dog and got a puppy from Slim. Candy finally refused to kill his loved dog so Carlson did it one evening outside with his gun. He shot Candy’s loved dog.

Crooks was an another character. He was a black man – horseman[17] , physically disabled, who was separated – isolated from other workmen and had a small room in a stable.

There was an accident one evening when Curley looked for her wife. He got into workmen’s house, argued with them and finally Curley attacted Lennie. Lennie was injured in his face, but Curley got from this fight mashed his hand. Lennie mashed Curley’s hand simply in his fist. Curley was forced by the workmen to tell his father and his wife that he put his hand into a machine.

The novel escalated one Sunday afternoon. The workmen played outside with a horse shoe when Lennie was in the stable and looked at a dead puppy which he killed by accident. Suddenly Curley’s wife came into the stable and found Lennie with the dead puppy. Lennie caressed the dead body of the puppy and spoke with it. Curley’s wife tried to cough Lennie’s attention and finally she did it. She spoke about her hair and let him to touch her soft hair. Lennie enjoyed it but he did it without gentleness. Curley’s wife started to yell and Lennie in fear covered her mouth with his hand. She still yelled and begged him to let her go but he got angry and unexpectedly broke her back of a neck. Lennie covered half of her dead body with hay and disappeared with the dead puppy to their meeting point – secret – pre-arranged place in nature – place with the small green pool and willow trees. Candy went into the stable, looked after Lennie and in horror he found Curley’s wife with the broken neck.[18] He called George and later other workmen and also Curley came. What is more, Carlson’s gun disappeared. All the workmen with Curley went to find Lennie. George went for sure into their secret place. Meanwhile Lennie had an imaginery – magic speech with her dead aunt Clara and then with a big rabbit. When George got at their secret place Lennie yelled his name. George calmly sat next to Lennie and told him to look over a river and just to listen to him. Lennie often ask George to tell him about their future the small house, farming, rabbits, an idea of freedom etc…Lennie loved to visualize this idea and calmed himself down. George took slowly the Carlson’s gun and put it on Lennie’s nape[19]….. and shot him. Lennie fell into sand. He was dead. Suddenly Slim’s voice called George…they found him dejected[20]…and Slim offered George a shot…

Soledado  was a nearest town with pubs and prostitutes. The workmen spent most of their money and days off in this town in a cathouse[21] owned by Susana. Women spoiled men’s  dream.

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[1] The Great Depression began in August 1929, when the United States economy first went into an economic recession. Although the country spent two months with declining GDP, it was not until the Wall Street Crash in October 1929 that the effects of a declining economy were felt, and a major worldwide economic downturn ensued. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement. Although its causes are still uncertain and controversial, the net effect was a sudden and general loss of confidence in the economic future. Wikipedia

[2] Nemajetný, bez peněz

[3] Chování, šlechtění

[4] Prozíravý

[5] Mentálně zaostalý, slabomyslný

[6] Snědý

[7] Neohrabaný

[8] Pohladit, laskat

[9] Spíš náhodou něž úmyslně

[10] Tůňka

[11] Mrštný

[12] Děvka, kurva

[13] Basa, kriminál, lapák

[14] Pokušitelka, svůdkyně

[15] Kočí

[16] Stáj

[17] Koňák

[18] Zlomený vaz

[19] Zátylek

[20] Sklíčený, zkroušený, skleslý

[21] Nevěstinec

Dear All,
Should you feel like doing so, have a look (and a listen) to one of the most important poets of the turn of the last centrury, Robert Frost (1874 - 1976), reading his famous "Birches"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBw-OaOWddYAlthough towards the end the poem loses its momentum a bit, the beginning is just superb...

Birches
(Roberst Frost)
When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the lines of straighter darker trees,
I like to think some boy's been swinging them.
But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay
As ice-storms do. Often you must have seen them
Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning
After a rain. They click upon themselves
As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored
As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.
Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells
Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust—
Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away
You'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.
They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load,
And they seem not to break; though once they are bowed
So low for long, they never right themselves:
You may see their trunks arching in the woods
Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground
Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair
Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.
But I was going to say when Truth broke in
With all her matter-of-fact about the ice-storm
I should prefer to have some boy bend them
As he went out and in to fetch the cows—
Some boy too far from town to learn baseball,
Whose only play was what he found himself,
Summer or winter, and could play alone.
One by one he subdued his father's trees
By riding them down over and over again
Until he took the stiffness out of them,
And not one but hung limp, not one was left
For him to conquer. He learned all there was
To learn about not launching out too soon
And so not carrying the tree away
Clear to the ground. He always kept his poise
To the top branches, climbing carefully
With the same pains you use to fill a cup
Up to the brim, and even above the brim.
Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish,
Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.
So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It's when I'm weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig's having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better.
I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches. 

FIESTA by Ernest Hemingway - 1926

The plot takes place in France and Spain in period after 1st World War.

The main characters are:

Jack Barnes – an editor, who is also a narrator of the whole novel

Brett Ashley –  34 years old pretty women with short hair cut, emotionaly disbalanced, scandalous,      promiscuous, femme fatale

Mike Cambel, Robert Cohn ( Jew),  Bill Gorton.

They are all of them more or less good friends,  come from middle or lower classes and they are also bohemians, heavy drinkers and some of them layabouts. 

Hemingway called them – „lost generation“.

Before I tell the story I would like to explain the word Fiesta. Fiesta in this novel means seven days long celebration of bull fights in a town called Pamlone in Spain. People celebrate Fiesta in streets, bars, restaurants.

I am going to tell the story since Jack and Bill moved to Spain countryside for fishing eels at river Irati. Hemingway describes in all details nature, relaxed mood, summer weather, passion for fishing, drinking etc. Later their friends came to Pamplone for Fiesta and bull fights and all of them met there. They stayed in a local hotel where aslo stayed on of the toreadors – Pedro Romero – handsome, 19 years old promising toreador.

Then Hemingway descibed Fiesta celebration in streets and most of all he narrated in details the arena and bull fights. I did not like this part very much as I do not like killing animals just for pleasure, entertainment even if is it a national tradition. Anyway during bull fights Brett crazy and seriously fell in love with Pedro Romero – the toreador. Her lover Robert Cohn was extremely jalous and the novel escalated into serious  and physical fight between Cohn and Pedro Romero. The result was that Cohn had to leave Pamplone by morning train.

The Fiesta came to its end and the rest of the group was leaving the town Pamplone. Brett left with Pedro Romero into Madrid. Jack – the narrator decided to „restart himself“ after seven days long celebration and spent a couple of days at sea cost in Spain in town San Sebastiano. Last chapter I really liked because Hemingway described in particular deatils landscape of San Sebastiano. He also narrated how was Jack enjoyed swimming in the sea, sunbathing, watching people and relaxed atmosphere of the sea cost. He also described in particular details for example how Jack took off his clothes and put on the swimming suits and vise versa after swimming. Sudenly Jack got an urgent telegram form Brett who was in that time in Madrid with Pedro Romero. Jack packed all of his stuff and went by night train to Madrid. In a hotel Montana he met with Brett who is dissapointed and confused by Pedro Romero. Jack calmed her down and went with her for a walk…That is the end of the novel.

I would like to add that in the whole novel goes as a red line alcohol – lots of bottles of wine,  beer and local spirits.

Dear All,

Below please find lins for relevat videos for classes no. 2 and 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb-hwaKWx7I
https://prezi.com/2dujs9eizx9_/amlit-1608-now/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBcMFaSDErc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R0quok0dR0

All the best,

M

Aspects of romancticism in Poe's literature

Characteristics of romancticism literature 

- Period 1770 / 1848
- Emphasize emotions, apprehension, beauty of a nature, horror and terror
- Prioritezed folk art more than noble society
- Melancholy was quite the buzzword for the Romantic poets, and altered states of consciousness were often sought after in order to enhance one’s creative potential

'' Edgar Allen Poe, today recognized as the most purely Romantic poet and short story writer of his generation. Poe crafted fiction and poetry that explored the strange side of human nature. The English Romantics had a fascination with the grotesque and of “strange” beauty, and Poe adopted this aesthetic perspective willingly. His sing-song rhythms and dreary settings earned him criticism on multiple fronts, but his creativity earned him a place in the first rank of American artists. He is credited as the inventor of detective fiction, and was likewise one of the original masters of horror. A sometimes overlooked contribution, Poe’s theories on literature are often required reading for students of the art form. ''

Romancticism." Online-literature

Some attributes of romanctism literature:

Location:  

The Raven - cold dark room of a narrator, dying fire
The Fall of the House of Usher: Big old house, where are windows are covered and where is always dark

Magic, Mysteries

The Raven: Midnight in December, month when something ends and new chapter opens
The “many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore” may very well be books of black magic which the protagonist studies in order to raise the ghost of his beloved, and so attain “surcease of sorrow (Byrd Howell Granger) 
The Fall of the House of Usher: The mystery disease of Lord Usher and his sister - today we would call it " hypersesthesia (hypersensitivity to textures, light, sounds, smells and tastes),hypochondria (an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness) and acute anxiety" (wikipedia)



 Sources

• Wikipedia contributors. "Romanticism." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 Mar. 2017. Web. 7 Mar. 2017.
• Wikipedia contributors. "The Fall of the House of Usher." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 Feb. 2017. Web. 9 Mar. 2017. 
•  Romancticism." Online-literature. Jalic Inc., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2017. <http://www.online-literature.com/periods/romanticism.php>. 
•  Granger, Byrd Howell. "Devil Lore in “The Raven”." The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore . The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore , 1 May 1997. Web. 9 Mar. 2017.

Dear RS13 Bloggers,

Welcome to your shared blog on American literature. This blog offers you an opportunity to engage in discussing and/or thinking through relevant topics for our Friday literature class. In addition to this, it can be seen as a methodological demonstration of what can be done with literature in ELT and a probe into what may and what may not work with your own students.

With this being said, each week, I will try to initiate a discussion based on topics related to our next class by posting questions, comments and/or other potentially interesting content, and ask you to respond to it in any way you see fit. There are no limits, restrictions or suggestion regarding the length or nature of your response!

Let us try to make this work and enjoy the opportunity.

Once again, thank you for your willingness to make this happen,

All the best,

Martin

AmLit discussion questions (choose one - or more - and leave a comment!)

1. The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher are often described as “romantic”, can you think of reasons why?

2. Compare the following extracts from two important documents in American history? What is the main difference between the two? And do teh yhave something in common?

from “The Mayflower Contract”( November 1620)

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620.

from The Declaration of Independence (In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776)

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.  

3. Go online a Google up some of the available translations of Poe's "The Raven". Which one do you like/do not like and why? For example you can begin with a relatively new version by Miroslav Macek:

http://www.macekvbotach.cz/edgar-allan-poe-krkavec/