Beyond The Hedonic Treadmill Analysis

The article “Beyond the Hedonic Treadmill” states that the original treadmill theory by Brickman and Campbell “proposed that people briefly react to good and bad events, but in a short time they return to neutrality” (Diener, Lucas, and Scollon 305). Each human experience results in a behavioral response, either conscious or unconscious. The degree of each response is unique to every individual and the specific experience. Similarly, the way that people cope with an event is a direct reflection of their temperament. Generally, the spectrum of human experiences ranges from incidents that bring happiness, anger, sadness, fear, or guilt. When the event is over and the person forgets or is not consciously aware of the incident, the intense emotion

When there is any mention of Shep Huntleigh, it is always following a conversation or situation in which Blanche feels lonely or realizes the unattainable standards that she set for her potential husband. In Scene 3, Stanley beats Stella because she yelled at him for drunkenly throwing the radio out of the window, in a fit of rage initiated by Blanche. Blanche confronts Stella at the beginning of Scene 4 about Stanley’s drinking problem, his financial instability, and his primitive behavior. Stanley’s imperfection, and the relationship that Blanche observes between he and Stella, lead Blanche to consider the love that she desires. Similarly, after Mitch ends his relationship with Blanche, Blanche tells Stella that she received and invitation from Shep to attend a cruise with him. The immediate transition from Mitch to Shep represents Blanche’s dependence on a strong male figure. Shep Huntleigh is mentioned numerous times and is Blanche’s coping mechanism for all that Blanche has lost, while also representing what she hopes to attain. The constant feeling and reminders of inadequacy result in Blanche not being able to entirely adapt after Allan’s