A Streetcar Named Desire: Character & Key Quotes: Stanley

Understanding the Character

Stanley Kowalski: Stanley is the brutishly masculine and animalistic husband of Stella. He firmly represents the working class of post-WWII America.
Stanley is both physically and mentally dominant, often using brute force and crafty manipulation to establish his authority and keep control.
While love and affection for his wife Stella are apparent, he frequently lapses into violence and aggression during bouts of drunkenness.
Stanley is also shown as sexual and explicitly erotic, which contrasts with Blanche’s more refined sensibilities.
His insistent realism and insistence on facts and truth starkly contrast with Blanche’s illusions.

Key Quotes

“You showed me a snapshot of the place with them columns. I pulled you down off them columns and how you loved it.” - Stanley’s representation of dominance over Blanche compared to her Old Southern ideals.
“I am the King around here, so don’t forget it!” - This clearly portrays Stanley’s assertion of authority and control in his household, often exerted through hostility and aggression.
“There’s even something - sub-human - something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something - ape-like…” - Blanche’s description of Stanley. These words describe him as a primitive, bestial figure, emphasizing the animalistic and brutish nature of his character.

Themes

Class Conflicts: With his proud working-class background, Stanley’s character often directly clashes with fading Southern belle Blanche, sparking tension.
Domestic Violence and Aggression: Stanley’s character exposes the disturbing reality of domestic violence in mid-20th century America.
Masculinity and Sexual Desire: Stanley’s rough and sexually explicit demeanour explores the dominant aspects of masculinity.

Literary Style and Devices

Symbolism: The ‘poker night’ can symbolise Stanley’s dominance, aggression and competition within a masculine society.
Character Contrast: Stanley’s character serves as a stark contrast to Blanche, creating dramatic tension in the storyline.
Foreshadowing: Stanley’s aggression and violence foreshadow the tragic climax of the play.
Dialect and Language: Stanley’s coarse and colloquial language represents his class and cultural contrasts with the more refined Blanche.

As with the previous revision, these points and analysis should enhance your understanding and interpretation of Stanley’s character, aiding your comparison and comprehension of his role in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Remember to provide specific examples from the text to support your points.