A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 10: Stanley's Animalism

In Scene 10 of A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams continues to portray Stanley in an animalistic manner. While Stella is at the hospital getting ready to give birth, Stanley and Blanche are left alone at the apartment. Once Stanley starts staring at her and as "his mouth slowly [curves] into a grin," Blanche is overcome with a feeling of fear (Scene 10 160). Stanley becomes creepy and alarming once Williams depicts him to be grinning at Blanche. By describing his smile to be a "grin," Williams displays that Stanley is not withholding himself anymore, and he now allows him to indulge in the sight of Blanche. Early on, Williams publicized that the "center" of Stanley's life "has been pleasure with women" (Scene 1 25). Since then, one sees through Stanley's deception, and now, Williams divulges that Blanche sees through Stanley's mask as well. Stanley "springs toward her, overturning the table" to grab Blanche (Scene 10 162). The use of spring to describe Stanley's motion is very inhumane and once again contributes to his animalistic behavior. In addition, by "overturning the table," Stanley's actions are barbaric. Thus, by grinning, and therefore no longer restraining his desires, Williams divulges that Stanley suppresses a barbaric behavior. The person who eventually rapes Blanche is in actuality Stanley's "real" self.