Feminism in a Street Car Named Desire

Vikramaditya Arora

Feminism refers to promoting women's rights in political, economical and social equality of women. They aim to fight against the constant injustice of gender stereotypes, which are prevalent in society for a long period of time. Gender stereotypes portray women as the inferior gender, where they do not have the right to live life on their own terms and cannot make decisions for themselves, as they're considered under men, and tend to receive instructions or orders from them. Women were also not allowed to work or vote, therefore the sole purpose of a woman is to be confined to the household work, and making sure that the children and the husband are contempt with their services. Feminism took place as a result of set beliefs, education and lack of believing in equal democracy. Where men believed women cannot aspire to be similar or better than them, nor can they have matching characteristics, as they can only be acquired by men.

The purpose of the feminist critics is to analyse and understand the relationship of control and power between men and women, not only in their personal lives, but also in front of the society as whole. Feminists tend to to pay attention to on how much independence and importance is given to the females in these works of literature. They mainly emphasise on how did the acts of discrimination originate, what were the different methods of displaying prejudice towards women and did women try to make their lives better or not. The feminist critics believe that these trends ceased to exist in the society for a long period of time, whether we like to accept it or not. Where Gender stereotypes have been established and reinforced in  English literature.

Over the years, the constant turmoil between both the the genders has been explored in brief ways of literature novels and written plays, where the feminist critics believe that the unorthodox treatment of women has been reflected in english literature over the years. There is a keen focus on the aspect of whether or not, females actually reinforce the stereotypes or  try to fight against the wrongdoing that is present towards them, but cannot because of their lack of power and control. The play a Streetcar Named Desire is based upon the following themes, and emphasises on the struggles faced by the women in in the 1960's.

The Setting of the play shows that Stanley and Stella live in a male dominated society, as Stanley is the head of the house and has all the power and control over Stella. In the recurring theme of Patriarchy, men are shown as the supreme gender who have all the authority, whereas women are considered fragile and hesitant, who wouldn't dare to improve their situation.

The first event in which addresses feminism is the poker night, as poker is considered a game of men and women are not allowed to be present in the same room as men. Thus, Blanche and Stella are commanded by the men to out for the night. After they return from home, Stella does not listen to Stanley, causing him to become angry and violent, after returning Stella implies that Stanley's behaviour was normal.  Regardless of the fact, that Blanche tries to fight Stanley, Stella continues to defend his acts, saying that drinking and gambling is a common thing during a men's night and Stanley losing control was a justifiable.  This is a clear example of the discrimination faced by the women in the 1940s, where the accept the injustice and wrongdoing that is presented towards them.

Review of Feminism on Street Car Named Desire

Sanya Garg 

FEMINISM IN “A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE”

Feminism is the idea or concept of gender equality, specially, parity of women with men, and their opposition to gender stereotypes which prevailed for a very long period of time in our society. Gender stereotypes portrayed a woman to be lower in position, receiving instructions and orders from man without any demand for equality in terms of her rights, choices, wishes and does not protest against her subjugation. She is basically confined to the roles and responsibilities of household work, taking care of children and husband, according to the wishes and directions of her husband. 

The feminism became an undercurrent as a result of spread of modern education, popularity and support to the concept of democracy, justification of right to full development of an individual’s personality and, above all, the concept of equality irrespective of gender and race. It came in the forefront in the decade of 1960s through various women movements. Feminist literary critics in this time and onwards are now more interested in finding out the ways in which women in society are represented and portrayed in the orthodox literature. Although the play “A Street Car named Desire” by Tennessee Williams came much before the woman’s movement in 1960s, feminists look back on it again and again to understand the relative position, of American women at that time, both at home and in American society. 

Feminist critics try to judge and analyse the extent to which power relationship exists between men and women at home, in the private sphere that reflect and affect the balance of power in the public domain. According to them, the relationship between Stella and Stanley in the play clearly portrays this, and, feminists often try to focus on how much importance and space is given to the female experience in those literary works, which is a clear indicator of the respective position in terms of importance and power in the eyes of male dominated, patriarchal society of that time. They are also interested to know, how and where in the orthodox literary texts, such evidences and instances of power imbalance is portrayed and they highlight it to show to what extent females are shown as victims of male dominance and patriarchal oppression. 

The orthodox literature has created and supported, if not directly then indirectly, a set pattern of relationship between male and female, and feminist critics are of this belief that such created gender stereotypes have been reinforced in the orthodox literature. Thus the canonical literature helps in perpetuation of a fixed and unequal roles of men and women according to the views and assumptions of patriarchal society. Sometimes there is seen an interesting kind of divergence in the views of feminist literary critics when considering and evaluating the gender stereotypes of orthodox literature. One section of feminists argues that it is the female characters in the literature who reinforce gender stereotypes whereas others argue that they have the potential to defy them but they cannot do so because they lack the freedom to do so. 

In Street Car, the setting of the play clearly shows that Stella and Stanley live in a patriarchal society which is male dominated, as Stanley has all the powers which he shows when he indulges in violence and sexist violence against Stella and Blanche to maintain dominance. In patriarchy, all men are powerful and oppressive, whereas, women are powerless and victims. Men are to rule and women are to obey and assume a subordinate role. 

The section “The poker night” in the play, gives various glimpses of male dominance, patriarchal oppression and female subjugation. The unequal position of men and women gets highlighted in this section in the instance when Stella and Blanche go out for the night on the night of poker game. It is because only men are allowed to play poker. On their returning back to home, they find to their disliking that the game was still going on. Stella and Blanche’s attempt to disrupt the game makes Stanley frustrated and angry which makes Stanley mad at Stella and hits her. This incident shows how unequal is the power sharing between Stanley and Stella. The subjugation of Stella is also shown here, when Stella is hit by Stanley, and goes to Eunice’s house, but soon after returns back to Stanley. Moreover, she doesn’t make a strong statement against this violence but explains it as if there was nothing to blame about by explaining “In the first place, when men are drinking and playing poker, anything can happen. It’s always a power-keg. He didn’t know what he was doing…”. Stanley’s friends and others blamed it on the alcohol which Stanley and his friends were having during the game of poker. They gave another excuse blaming the game itself by saying that poker is an aggressive game. Another excuse was that Stanley did not know what he was doing. This entire episode of the poker night shows that men definitely have more power than women who are not treated equally. The excuses given for hitting his pregnant wife Stella don’t show that Stanley is blamed for it in any way. Rather, instead of being held accountable for this violence, it is the women who are blamed for this for being at the poker game. 

Group 4 Project

Ujjwal Arora

The group 4 Project is a collaborative activity where students from different G4 subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Design Technology) work together on a scientific topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared. The project is a mandatory part of the IB Diploma Program and is a collaborative activity where students from different subjects work together on a scientific / technological topic.

We (students of grade 11) this year are working on creating a prototype of “Low cost energy efficient Greenhouse” which was started by identifying a place in school where an actual version of the same can be set up connecting it to a real- life situation. This will include the elements from our own research from different subject groups.

A prototype of the greenhouse will be made by the Design Technology students and the presentation by all the subject groups will provide an in depth study and collaborative work done by students.

We were divided into groups according to the science subjects we had. 

The first step was planning. It included research on aquatic plants that can be put in the greenhouse which are easy to grow, require less maintenance and are self sustaining. We divided our group into two further groups so that more information could be collected at once and the work could be completed quickly. To decide what plants to put in the greenhouse, we all first started researching on the types of aquatic plants and plants that would grow the best in the greenhouse that we were planning to build. 

After doing some research, I gained some knowledge about the types of aquatic plants and found out that there 5 main types of them which include: bog plants, deep-water plants, floating plants, oxygenating plants and marginal plants. After getting a fair idea of what aquatic plants are and their types, we decided to start our research on the plants we will put in the greenhouse. 

To choose good plants of the greenhouse, our group leaders gave us some points about the characteristics that the plants should have. These included that the plants should be easy to grow, require low maintenance, have common ph values and temperature requirements and should require less lighting. These could also be backed up by any other advantage that these could bring to the greenhouse if they had any. 

After spending a lot of time 

Group 4 Design Technology

Arham Khan

Group 4 project is a part of the Diploma Programme. It is a collaborative project which enlightens us on practicality of a real life situation. The crucial skills which will be required later in our lives of how to start a project, working together and then tackling with little little problems. This year’s project was to create an environmentally sustainable green house. The entire cohort was divided into different groups of sciences and humanities subjects. I was in Design Technology group. Where we had to create a prototype of the greenhouse. This year’s group 4 project was intended to be a proposal for our school to change and rebuild the current green house, to make it green and sustainable for a longer duration. The existing green house is in a bad shape; it is made of cloth which was not the best material to use. Since the school is located in an area where the chances of rain are high. 

On our first day of the project we started by having a presentation about what the group 4 project is and discussed this years group 4 topic which was to “create a low cost, energy efficient greenhouse.” To begin with we had the pleasure to have Mr. Manish Gupta with us as our guest speaker for the presentation. We started by talking about what a greenhouse is and its purpose and effectiveness, we even looked at some studies that have been performed, like the study performed by NASA and the government of India. Another important thing we talked about was vertical gardening which has become a new innovation which has really helped a lot. I feel that the presentation was helpful and informative as we got to know new facts which helped us by giving a direction to our research. 

To start off the process, we prototype had to be 5 by 4 by 3 feet. We looked at a plethora of options which would help construct the basic structure of the greenhouse. We weighed out a glass structure as an option, and while that’s an ideal aesthetically pleasing option; it often lacks energy efficiency and can be costly. Glass does not permit for the diffusion of light, and for that we would’ve have to choose another method. With the removal of this option from the list, we ended up with three major categories of materials to look at. 

Polycarbonate: A group of thermoplastic polymers that contain carbonate groups in their chemical structures. When used in engineering they have proven to be strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. Can be easily worked with, moulded, and thermoformed. As per the usage of them in a greenhouse, they are cheaper and more versatile than most glass greenhouses. These greenhouses most commonly come with a single-wall or twin-wall polycarbonate sheet. Aluminum is another material which we had looked into. It is a silvery-white, soft, nonmagnetic and ductile metal. It acts as a very low-maintenance material, it doesn’t rust or break down from exposure to the elements such as high temperature and water. However, it is not very strong and when used for a greenhouse frame, the supporting members must either be made from heavy gauge pieces or doubled up for strength. 

Galvanized steel is a type of steel that has been treated with an application of protective zinc coating to help prevent it from rusting. It provides for durability at a low cost. Due to the steel being strong, the greenhouse will require fewer framing members. Most steel frames are designed to be used with polyethylene film, rather than solid glass or polycarbonate panels. Also, a big negative for galvanized steel is that the galvanizing will eventually wear off, and the steel will begin to rust.PVC plastic is a plastic and the polymer of vinyl chloride monomer. Polycarbonate is a type of plastic. PVC plastic polycarbonate are low cost, portable, and very easy to assemble. polycarbonate provides a greenhouse with better insulation properties than a regular, glass greenhouse. Plastic has better heat retention properties than glass, and less heat is lost through polycarbonate material than glass.Acrylic isa transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is extremely light weight, as compared to a glass panel. The final materials were decided after the physics and chemistry groups had experimented with all the materials. 

I worked as a helping hand for my peers. My group leaders assigned me tasks such as cutting of PVC plastic, bolting in the screws, sharpening of aluminum, designing different shapes of greenhouses and so forth. 

Group 4 project has been an incredible experience for me. To start it off with, interaction between all different sciences was quite an enriching experience. I learnt how every science plays a major role. They are all independent to each other. I learnt many skills from my leaders and peers. Communication and collaboration were main skills that made it successful with of course logical thinking. Our group managed to deliver the prototype we had imagined successful. 

A Doll's House: A Humanist or Feminist play?

Pranav Sethi

Many people have argued over which theme, "A Doll's House" relates with the most. The two most prevalent themes readers debate about are whether, "A Doll's House" is a humanist, or feminist play. However, before evaluating which theme the play identifies with the most, readers must understand what these two terms mean in order to determine which theme most suitably represents the play.

Feminism is perhaps the easiest theme to identify because its definition is straightforward. It refers to advocating for women's rights, and ultimately, gender equality. However, humanism is more open to interpretation. However, what seems to be the main characteristics of humanism are ideas and actions that involves humans believing in themselves to lead ethical lives that are for the greater good. The theme of Humanism is argued to take place throughout the play, and through the interactions between all of the characters regardless of gender. On the other hand, Feminism is argued to take place between the relationship between Nora and Torvald, as well as Nora's relationship between other male characters. Regardless of what themes Ibsen was trying to show through the novel, he uses Naturalism, which is a theory in which all interactions between people, and things should be portrayed in a realistic manner.

Naturalism was also a major movement that occurred during the 19th century, which could explain why Ibsen made use of this theory. In many viewpoints, and mine, Ibsen uses Naturalism to portray the theme of Humanism instead of feminism. Although various gender roles were portrayed in the novel, Ibsen focuses on the problems with both men and women. For instance, the arguments posed by readers about how "A Doll's House" is a feminist play includes how Ibsen portrayed the lack of women's suffrage, their inability to finish their education because of societal pressure, and society frowning upon women having careers of their own. However, this is just one of the aspects of the book, and doesn't address the overarching story of the novel that Ibsen is trying to tell.

Along with gender roles being portrayed of women, there are also many stereotypes explored in, "A Doll's House" for men. For instance, men having the sole responsibility to provide for the household, and always needing to be strong, and have power over relationships. Furthermore, the main plot of the story which explores the relationship between Krogstad and Nora is a great example of why, "A Doll's House" leans more towards a humanist theme. Both of these characters had committed similar crimes, and they both reaped the consequences. Should the reader analyze the novel, and read between the lines enough, he or she should see that this is a reason as to why the novel is a humanist theme. It's because the humanist theme incorporates a feminist theme, but as applies it to all humans regardless of their genders.

Although in my opinion, the novel relates more towards a humanist theme, there are many arguments posed by readers which have valid points. This is the reason as to why a novel like, "A Doll's House" cannot be solidified as a humanist, or a feminist theme. There are many parts of the play that support both arguments, however, in my opinion, the writing and main plot of the novel shows why Ibsen considered, "A Doll's House" to be a humanist play.

Women and Men in the 19th Century - a discrepancy

Pranav Sethi

During the 19th century, the state of gender equality was extremely different than it is today. During the 1800s, women had fewer rights than men. For instance, they couldn't vote, finish college, nor could they go appear in court. Additionally, socially, they were considered to be inferior to men. Most women were housewives, taking care of their male partners, and therefore, it was considered to be egregious for women to work in higher class jobs. In contrast, men were considered to be the leaders, brave, and generally were considered to have a higher status in society than women. They had all of the rights they have today, but back then, they were considered both socially, and legally superior to women. This aspect of the state of society in the 19th century is perfectly portrayed throughout the book, "A Doll's House."

An example of this occurs in the very beginning of the novel, when Nora eats and hides a bag of macaroons when Helmer specifically banned them from coming in to the household. This is a clear example of how Helmer is considered to be the, "man of the house," and is shown to be superior to Nora. However, this example also shows how Nora reacts to his rules, and why she can be considered, "a rebel."

Additionally, the gender role of men being leaders, and women mostly being considered to be heavily dependent on men is portrayed in the novel. An example of this occurs during the most crucial moment of the plot, which is when Nora takes out a bank loan to pay for a vacation intended to improve Torvald's health. When Nora informs Ms. Linde about this secret, Nora goes on to say, "[it] [would] [be] painful and humiliating ... for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me [something]! It would upset our [...] relationship altogether." This example shows that even Nora knows the role of men in the 19th century because of her use of the words, "with his manly independence." She also knows that if Torvald realizes what she did, their relationship would drastically change because of the gender roles they play. This direct statement made by Nora during the play shows the reader how different society was back then, when compared to today.

Although gender roles can be created through statements made by the different characters created by Ibsen, their actions also contribute to this reoccurring theme of, "gender roles". For instance, throughout the play, Nora is seen to be spending most of her time with her children, entertaining, and taking care of them. However, neither Helmer nor Torvald are seen taking care of the kids. This can be interpreted by the reader as a symbol used by Ibsen to portray the gender role of work in the 19th century, and how taking care of the children was a, "woman's job", and working at an office was a, "man's job".

Ibsen creates many gender roles in his play, but one of the most notable ones is the influence of a woman on the household. The reader can see this portrayal when Nora requests Helmer for a new job. This shows how much influence a woman had on their husbands during the 19th century, and to some extent, even today.

Finally, one of the most evident gender roles Ibsen creates in, "A Doll's House", is the role of women being talkative, and at times, a gossiper. Ibsen shows the reader this during the time when Nora has a conversation with Mrs. Linde. In this conversation, Nora talks about certain events that should not have been communicated with Mrs. Linde, which creates this stereotype. However, this is one of the gender roles that can also, to a certain extent, be associated with women today.

Ibsen, through many parts of the novel, has conveyed the types of gender roles that both men and women played in the 19th century, which helps the reader to understand the differences in society back then, and today.

Consider why Ibsen called A Doll's House a "humanist" rather than a "feminist" play

Vikramaditya Arora

A doll’s house is a novel published by Henrik Ibsen, which covers various themes and ideas. It takes place in the 19^th century, where the story revolves around the sexual inequality and gender bias, which take place between a wife and her husband. Nevertheless, the category for which the play falls under has often been argued, while some claim the play is humanist, some claim it’s feminist. While both the ideas are recurring themes present throughout the play, with equal emphasis provided upon them. To understand in what category the play falls under, we would need to know the meaning and the role of the 2 terms.

Humanism refers to ideas, actions and values being equally respected, regardless of gender and differentiation in thoughts. Feminism refers to the advocation of women’s rights or views on economical, social and political matters. Ibsen compares both the ideas in the novel, where feminism is demonstrated through the unfair interaction, which takes place between Nora and Torvald, whilst humanism is propagated through the ways in Nora and other women in the play, imagine a world would be fair without the discrimination. Thus trying to create an illusion of reality, where the controversial aspects of their life seem relatable, and we can sympathise with the characters. The use of this technique is called Naturalism.

While the 19^th century was a troubling time for all people, due to pressure faced by society, regarding the roles a male of female had at that time. The play is an example of a humanist play, as its focus is dedicated not towards the problems faced only by females, but also males. Where it tends to put attention on the specific problems faced by females at that time. While the inequality propagated through issues of not being able to vote, or having political views of their own, not being able to complete their education, not being able to have a professional working life of their own etc. Certain stereotypes are explored around men, where they face the pressure of being the breadwinner of the household, Ibsen specifically focuses on the dilemma faced by Females. Nevertheless he includes the way, society, as a whole needs to think in a given manner, Where men have to be the only source of income for the house and in the professional frontier, while women have to take care of the household and children. 

To conclude, the main theme put forward by Ibsen is humanism, rather than feminism. As the play puts emphasis on the drawbacks faced by both the genders in the 19^th century, rather than females as whole, where the author has provided evidence by putting forward points of lack of freedom to think or make independent choices for both the genders, rather than only females.