A Street Car Named Desire
Why is Stanley Kowalski so likable? Brute, neadertahl, wife beater, maybe even rapist, and yet some can't help but pull for his character. Why is it that on paper Stanley is undoubtably a despicable beast of an antagonist and yet on screen in living color flesh we frantically search our hearts for any available sympathy? Perhaps its a testament to the superhuman likability of Marlon Brando, after all while A Street Car Named Desire may be Mr. Mumbles first film his most famous portrayal was another hard-not-not-to-root-for antagonist in The Godfather. I have not seen any other versions of Streetcar but I wonder if it is easier to hate stanley when he is portrayed by someone else. I also think Blanche's character is so unlikable that it is easy to root for anyone who is antagonistic to her. But what does that say about us? Do we actively root for the villain just because we don't like the protagonist? I mean after all it is heavily implied that Stanley rapes Blanche. Is she THAT unlikable? Maybe we the reader are the true villain and Stanley Kowalski just a reflection of ourselves.
Why is Stanley Kowalski so likable? Brute, neadertahl, wife beater, maybe even rapist, and yet some can't help but pull for his character. Why is it that on paper Stanley is undoubtably a despicable beast of an antagonist and yet on screen in living color flesh we frantically search our hearts for any available sympathy? Perhaps its a testament to the superhuman likability of Marlon Brando, after all while A Street Car Named Desire may be Mr. Mumbles first film his most famous portrayal was another hard-not-not-to-root-for antagonist in The Godfather. I have not seen any other versions of Streetcar but I wonder if it is easier to hate stanley when he is portrayed by someone else. I also think Blanche's character is so unlikable that it is easy to root for anyone who is antagonistic to her. But what does that say about us? Do we actively root for the villain just because we don't like the protagonist? I mean after all it is heavily implied that Stanley rapes Blanche. Is she THAT unlikable? Maybe we the reader are the true villain and Stanley Kowalski just a reflection of ourselves.