Blog Post 3, Option 3

The 1950’s accredits itself for being the “Golden Age” of the United states; a time period in which the family life was much more prosperous, the economy was flourishing, and Americans were discovering the subtleties of life within the suburbs. The 1950’s are, therefore, often times romanticised for having conservative and “morally correct” accustoms that are believed to have strengthened the “American” society. Despite economic prosperity and significant technological advances, the 1950’s, however, were a time in which individuals could not partake in actions that were perceived to be “scandalous” or “deviant” without facing intolerant responses. Women were expected to remain in the household tailoring to the needs of both their husbands and children, while men were assumed to play the role as head of the family by working the typical nine to five labour. Gender roles were, consequently, extremely defined which caused the individuals who stepped out of these roles to be considered as peculiar or deviant. With such strict gender roles in place, both defiant women and the homosexual community were perceived as an unethical inconvenience to society. Many individuals held the belief that such actions could be fixed and anyone not following the accepted set of norms were clearly suffering from some sort of mental distress that could be cured. Both women and the homosexual community were often times hospitalized for behaving in manners that society did not did condone. A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams portrays the conservative 1950’s lifestyle by highlighting the homophobic and misogynistic values set in place through Blanche's acts of insanity. Blanche, however, purposely exhibits both rational and irrational characteristics to point out that insanity is a subjective category that does not always hold a fitting definition, but rather results from the values that are present during a certain time.

Insanity today is defined as, “ a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior. Insanity is distinguished from low intelligence or mental deficiency due to age or injury.” Through this definition Blanche can be clearly categorized as insane since she does not have a realistic understanding of the events and people within her life. She delusionally speaks of a fake lover and the make belief life that both they shared. Indeed, it is easy to quickly deem Blanche as someone who is not fit to distinguish reality from events created by her imagination. Aside from her faulty judgement, she is already perceived as peculiar since she is widowed by a man of a “strange” nature and was living alone. Blanche’s peculiar position allows her to be susceptible to the judgement of those around her such as Stanley or Harold who hold the authority to have her declared unfit.

Without context, it is easy to categorize Blanche as insane since it’s natural to believe that no one in the right state of mind could behave in such an illogical manner. When one comes to realize, however, that Blanche’s only lover was gay in a time that being homosexual was both unheard off and rejected, it is easy to understand why she would distort the truth in an effort to shield herself from judgement. No one knew what it was to be gay, and therefore Blanche seems as if she blames herself for not being able to keep her husband to herself. Blanche had ultimately lost everything, her job, her estate, her husband, and most importantly her dignity. When someone loses everything they once owned it's easy to create an alternative reality to cope with such a loss. Aside from just a coping mechanism, creating a false truth is an easier explanation to give both family or friends when the truth itself is too much of a burden to carry. The false reality she created was not just a random creation of her imagination, on the contrary, it was a tactical shield that allowed her to be perceived as a desirable woman who was still was valued by someone distinguished. Blanche, therefore, was never really insane but rather misunderstood for it was a time when speaking out on uncommon issues was received with both judgement and disapproval.