Primitive, Primal and Masculinity

Question 1

What are the topic sentences for the topic of Primitive, Primal and Masculinity?

Answer 1

1. ) symbols of binary masculinity
2. ) violence
3. ) sexuality
4. ) Stanley’s masculinity as attractive
5. ) Mitch’s lack of masculinity

Question 2

What is the introduction for Primitive, Primal and Masculinity?

Answer 2

‘Streetcar named desire’= the play is driven by ‘brutal desire’= ‘broken world’

• primitive quality expressed through the coarseness and lack of refinement of the ‘raffish charm’ of the setting, Williams spent time in New Orleans

Context: represents a divergence of attitudes in a post -Civil-War south, lack of social decorum of plantation aristocracy

• the actions of the characters in the ‘Quarter’ operate on a level of visceral human emotion and brutality= ‘ we are all savages at heart’

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Question 3

What is the topic sentence and quotes for topic 1?

Answer 3

1.) symbols of binary masculinity: post-Depression and WW2 America there was an emphasis placed on traditional roles

• ’ animal joy implicit in all his actions’
  expressionism:
• ‘locomotive glares as is thunders past’
  Context: urbanisation and jutting materialism of the New South
• ‘Poker night’
• meat ( ‘hurls package of meat’, ‘spears a pork chop, which he eats with his fingers’) ‘caveman’

Question 4

What is the topic sentence for point 2?

Answer 4

2.) violence:
as an aspect of the primitive

• underpins actions of characters, integral aspect of life, brutal and visceral quality.

-‘tosses the radio’ ‘shouted drunken oath’ ‘blow is heard’
‘forced, pinioned, throws them off’

Context: lack of social decorum and propriety= divergence from Old South Graciousness

• Stella and Stanley, Steve and Eunice= Context= mirrors relationship of Williams’ own parents
• ‘you brag- brag-brag-brag bull’
• ‘jerks out a handful of dresses’

Question 5

What is the topic sentence and quotes for point 3?

Answer 5

3. ) Sexuality:
   - as an innate aspect of humanity

-‘there are things that happen between and man and a woman that sort of- make everything else seem unimportant’

Context: demonstration that both male and female character are sexual beings: ‘sexuality is a part of everyone’s life’= even the character of Blanche enacts sexuality as a form of escapism

• ‘they come together in low, animal moans’

Stanley not only is inextricably tied to Stella, sexuality is also used as a means of interaction with other characters

• ‘sizes up women at a glance’- sets a precedent for this
• to reassert control of his domain and territory over Blanche in his rape of her: ‘tongue protrude between his teeth… maybe you wouldn’t be so bad to- interfere with’

Context: in a post civil war south, the divergence of values from southern gentlemanliness= more barbarism

Question 6

What is the topic sentence and quotes for paragraph 4?

Answer 6

4. ) Mitch’s lack of primitive or primal masculinity
   - ‘you are all married. But I’ll be alone when she goes’
   - ‘sugartit’- Williams was ridiculed by his peers and abused by his father for his overt femininity- Homosexuality

• Blanche interprets this tone for romantic tenderness
  Context: the loss of Southern gentlemanliness she clings to
• Other more refined and sensitive males characters = Allan Grey ‘softness and tenderness that wasn’t like a man’s’ ‘bashful young man’
• Context: ‘trace the fleeting visionary of love’
• ‘you need somebody, I need somebody too Blanche’