Comparing Catcher In The Rye And A Streetcar Named Desire

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden’s brother passed away at a young age. All his life Holden went on with the thought of his brother in the back of his mind. Holden’s decisions are impacted by his dead brother who is not around, but ultimately change his life. Similarly, In A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, the main character, Blanche, is impacted by the death of her husband Allan. Blanche’s life is impacted by this and she officially goes on to having a life where a perfect fantasy is taking over her reality. Blanche drinks to shield her reality and goes insane. She doesn’t know what is real and what is not, which is all due to the death of her husband. In both pieces, a character from their

Since Blanche came to stay with Stella, Stanley grew a disliking to her. She would always lie and be very private as a result of the death of her husband. As Blanche fell deeper into her fantasy, Stanley couldn’t stand her anymore and they got into a massive argument. Blanche’s behavior is always a result of the night her husband took his life, and any reminder of that night she would hear the polka which they danced too. As the amount of times Blanche is reminded of this night increases, the deeper she falls into her fantasy which angers Stanley. As Blanche’s downward spirals continues, so does the distrust of the people surrounding her. Not only does Stanley start to dislike her even more, Mitch and Stella are starting to question the sanity of Blanche. Realizing the sanity of Blanche is not well, Mitch decides to not marry her because she is ¨not clean enough to bring in the house with mother in it¨. Hearing those words from Mitch lead Blanche to fall in deeper to her fantasy as if she is trying to block out that the one she loves is luring her out of her fantasy. Stanley notices the game Blanche is ultimately playing and decides to go along with it. As he goes along with the fantasy, he waits for the right moment to make it crumble. Blanche is expecting to go on a date with Shep Huntley, buy Stanley calls Blanche out on how there is no man that is going to call her and how the cruise is just a lie. The fantasy becomes so alarming that Stella has to call a doctor to come get Blanche. As soon as Blanche sees the doctor she is frightened at first but later goes with him willingly because she has ¨always depended on the kindest¨. The doctor acts like a gentlemen which plays into Blanche’s fantasy. Although Stanley has crushed it, the doctor builds Blanche’s fantasy up again as he takes her away. This connects back to Allan’s death because Blanche slips into her fantasy more and more and as people play along