Choosing Illusion
The quote “I couldn’t go on believing her story and live with Stanley” (Stella 1232). Proves Stella is living in a fantasy world. Choosing Illusion instead of believing the truth is what some people do to survive. In A Streetcar Named Desire Stella is living a lie. She believes Stanley is a wonderful husband but the truth is he an abuser, alcoholic and a rapist. Removing Blanche from her life lets Stella continue her illusion with Stanley. In real life this happens every day. They convince themselves things are perfect when truly they are not. The Jerry Sandusky scandal is an example of a person ignoring the truth and painting a picture of the perfect life. Jerry’s wife denied the charges against her husband. Thankfully Jerry Sandusky’s lies were exposed and he was unable to continue his fabricated life.
Stella cannot go on living with Blanche and Stanley. Stella said to Eunice “I couldn’t go on believing her story and live with Stanley” (Stella 1232). This means that Stella wants to continue believing her lies. Stella misled Blanche in her letters and admitted that to Stanley. She said “She wasn’t expecting to find us in such a small place. You see I’d to gloss things over a little in my letters.” (Stella 1177). Even though Blanche was unstable it was clear Stanley and Stella’s life was not what it was made out to be. On the night of the poker game, Stanley hits Stella, she leaves him and goes upstairs to Eunice. Stanley’s slap was reality but Stella’s illusion takes over again and she goes back to him. There is a bit of hope of Stella breaking free of her fantasy life when she questions her own actions. Was sending her sister to a mental institution the right choice? She cries uncontrollable when Blanche is led away. As Stella stands their sobbing Stanley draws her back into their deceptive life when he calls out uncertainly “Stella?” (Stanley 1238). The poker then continues and so does Stella and Stanley’s toxic relationship.
In real life there are so many people who lie to themselves. Jerry Sandusky was a popular Penn State Coach. A college coach who dedicated a lot of his time to young boys. Inviting them to sleepovers and doing the unthinkable things to these innocent children. His wife had to suspect something was going on during those sleep overs. The situation sounded very odd and set off many red flags to the average person. Mrs. Sandusky just like Stella wanted to stand by her man. Mrs. Sandusky put blame on the victims as Stella put the blame on Blanche. Mrs. Sandusky is sticking to the story that she was in the house and nothing happened. She said yes he showered with boys but that was his generation. “During Sandusky’s trial in 2012, three different boys testified to being assaulted by Sandusky from 1995 onward “(Alderfer 125). She claims the victims were motivated by money and no one saw the abuse. “At the time, Sandusky’s behavior with the young boys was observed by three janitors.” (Alderfer 128). Dottie Sandusky said her husband is a good guy and one day he will be proven innocent. She is trying to convince herself.
People that create an illusion, create their own truth. We read about it in the play A Street Car Named Desire. In life we see it, as the world saw Jerry Sandusky for the man he truly was. Most people want to appear to be living a great life. Exaggeration is not unheard of but to create an entire fabricated life is the extreme. Stella wants so much to have the perfect husband. Deep down she knows the truth. Dottie Sandusky wanted the world to believe her husband was the best football coach ever. He turned out to be the world’s biggest monster. Deep down Maybe Mrs. Sandusky knew who her husband’s true self was. Whatever choice we make in life takes us one step to a truthful life or one step further away.
Alderfer, Clayton P. "Not Just Football: An Intergroup Perspective on the Sandusky Scandal at Penn State." Industrial and Organizational Psychology Ind Organ Psychol (2013): 117-33. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment