BLOG3 #3

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Insanity is defined as “a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder”, “something utterly foolish or unreasonable” , and “unsoundness of mind or lack of the ability to understand that prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or that releases one from criminal or civil responsibility”. In conclusion, people who behave differently with normal people is regarded as insane people. Therefore, I think to decide the definition of “Insanity”, we should first figure out what normal people，or we can say most of the people in society will behave.

Different time of the society decide different definition of a normal person. In 18^th century of American, African-American have no human rights and identity in society during that period. Racial discrimination and slavery are normal social phenomenon in America, and the cultural idea of equality is insane. However, in today’s society, the idea of slavery is defined as insanity, and the normal thought is that every one is born to be equal. Something is defined as insane just because fewer people support it now.

In the A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche is defined as an insane woman, being sent to the mad house at the end. Blanche is an extreme idealist and romanticist surrounded by many realists. Both of Blanche and her sister Stella are raised in a southern rich family. They belonged to upper-level of the society. However, as the time passed, their life changed, and they come down in the world. Blanche can not fit into the new world. Her ideal life is living a rich, happy life with her beloved man. The reality is too cruel for her to accept. In the play, Blanche talked about her family, “All of those deaths! The long parade to the graveyard! Father, mother! Margaret, that dreadful way!”,“you'd never suspect there was the struggle for breath and bleeding. You didn't dream, but I saw! Saw! Saw!”She reacts so violently, and her sadness is so deep and real. What’s more, her husband’s tragic death is also a heavy blow on her. She loves her husband. By "turning on a blinding light" and experiencing love "all at once and much, much too completely" Blanche made herself vulnerable by allowing herself to be affected in every way by Allan. The fact that this is all taken away from her abruptly after the revelation of his homosexuality. All of this drive Blanche to be madness. Blanche, as an extreme idealist and romanticist, refuses to accept the truth. Therefore, she lied to everyone, even to herself. She is lonely and desires for love, so she imagines she has a rich suitor, and she has a relationship with her 17 years old student. She uses every method to pretend that her life is as normal as before and her world is still fantastic as usual. Her living in a fantasy world is her way of dealing with her ungrateful events. Whereas, Stella is a typical realism, she chooses to accept the change and reality, she married with Stanley, a lower-level half Polish. She becomes a normal housewife, suffering husband’s violence and poor life. Actually, I think Stanley represents the reality. He, the reality, is young, strong and desirable. He always breaks the fantasy dream of Blanche. Blanche, as

a romanticist and idealist, hates reality. But Stella, as a realism, loves reality. In the end, Blanche is raped by Stanley. This shows that Blanche can not escape from her real destiny actually. This is the break down of her fantasy world, and this is the break down of idealism and romanticism. Finally, reality makes Blanche insane.

      Neurosis is thus not the consequence of the modern world, but rather of our separation from this world, of our lack of adaptation to this world. We all have to live in this real world.