Living in the past

I found the play, "A Streetcar Named Desire" to be very interesting. But to me it depicted the south as a culture only in a person rather than a whole. Blanche who was Stella's sister seemed to try to be as much as the "southern belle" as she could trying to hold on to the past and things she know. But from the play you know the culture has changed and immigrants have come in and the southern culture is in this play almost lost, except for Blanche who is holding on to it for dear life.

What I found interesting is how Blanche acted. She made it seem like she was so much better than them especially Stanley. But through the whole play you know she seems slightly strange, but there is no knowing if they stories are true until Stanley finds out and exposes her. But what I find disturbing is how Stanley rapes her to get her out of the house. He know she wasn't stable and he knew he could break her but attacking her like he did. He also know no one would believe her because of all the lies she has told. I know Blanche was a ignoring person to live but but I do not agree with what Stanley did at all.

There Eyes Were Watching God Part 2

As I finished reading this story I realized how much it was different than other southern stories that we have read this year. Some have been of discovery like this one, but more of discovery of themselves in society or compared to society, in instead of discovery of themselves like this story is.

What I find interesting about this book is that for the time period that she was married three times in her life. My perception was that people in that time when married would stay married, especially black and workers. Like Janie's grandmother explained is that she needs to find in a husband someone who will be able to care for you, calling that love. I think my perceptions besides coming from stories and movies is that too me thinking about workers it seemed like the women would be doing different work from the women and at the end of the day everyone was exhausted and just wanted company, like they didn't have time to fight or disagree, which I realize I am wrong.

Also interesting is that each time Janie got married her husband's were completely different. But in the beginning they were all the same, they all told her that they would give her things like fun, protection, a supporter and adventure. But over time this faded with everyone except Tea Cake, could this be why she really loved him and only him? It seems this is directly related to freedom of love vs. relationships, the more freedom she was given the better she did.

There Eyes Were Watching God

What I found interesting is how different the characters and there customs were portrayed. The roles of men and women were very different than the usual portrayal of the southern gentlemen and the southern belle.

The opening paragraph started it, changing and challenging the gender roles. "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some then come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by time. That is the life of men." This opening looking back sets the stage for different gender roles. It seems like it is saying that the men dream of things, like being the southern gentlemen. So they seemed mocked by it trying to live up to a standard, trying to do the right thing and fight their desires. But it seems like eventually there dreams get the best of them and they make the change.

Like Janie's first husband, who she really didn't love from the start, gradually changed. I think part of it was that maybe he knew that she didn't love him, but he started out doing everything for her and treating her nicely. By the time she left him it seemed like she wanted her to do everything.
With her second husband, who I am still not sure it she truly loves goes through the same changes. He started out telling her she deserved more and needed someone to care. When they moved to the new town soon he had her running the store and doing things she really didn't want to do and maybe didn't know how.

It seems that part of the problem is Janie and not knowing what love is. It was like a tradition or a culture thing of that time to find a man based on how wealthy he was and if he had land and could support you. So I think that Janie at this point in the book doesn't know what love is.