论文部分内容阅读
摘 要：As one of the greatest playwrights in American history, Tennessee Williams has portrayed a series of fascinating characters in his works. Unfortunately, cultural differences have hindered our appreciation of them. Therefore, it is necessary for us to learn the culture in which those characters live if we want to have a thorough understanding of the mentality and behaviors of those characters.
关键词：Stanley Kowalski；Intercultural Communicatio；Materialism ；Individualism；Aggressiveness
中圖分类号：H31 文献标识码：A 文章编号：1009-0118（2012）-02-0-03
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) was one of the greatest playwrights in American history. In his play A Streetcar Named Desire, he blazed a trail of expressing the theme of sexuality when it is forbidden by law and social modes and portrayed two fascinating characters——Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski who have always been at the top of a large number of literary critics.
Individualism, equality, materialism, striking a balance between work and leisure and being enthusiastic about competition are believed to be the dominant American cultural patterns. That Americans people are more aggressive than people in other cultures is known not strange to all of us. These cultural patterns are very clearly shown by many great images in American literature works. Stanley Kowalski is one of these fascinating characters.
Stanley Kowalski, the man protagonist of the film, who has always been the focus of many critics and scholars of all over the world, is thought as a very complicated character in most viewers’ eyes.
1. A representative of the culture that stresses equality, materialism, importance of work and leisure and importance of competition
1.1 Materialism that Stanley displays
For most Americans, materialism has always been an integral part of life. They consider it almost a right to be materially well off and physically comfortable. As the philosopher Lionel Trilling observed, “In the American metaphysic, reality is always material reality.”
Stanley first feels his properties threatened when he finds out that Belle Reve has been lost. He does not care for Belle Reve as a bit of ancestral property, but, instead, he feels that a part of it is his. If his wife has been swindled, he has been swindled. He has lost property, something that belonged to him. He probes into the problem without tact or diplomacy. He goes straight to the truth without any shortcuts. His only concern is to discover whether he has been cheated. He does not concern himself with the feelings of Blanche. He wants only to force the issue to its completion.
Stanley feels the first threat to his marriage and his private life after the big fight he has with Stella after the poker game. He knows that this would not have occurred if Blanche had not been present. It is her presence which is causing the dissension between him and his wife. Then the following morning when he overhears himself being referred to as bestial, common, brutal, and a survivor of the Stone Age, he is justifiably enraged against Blanche. He resents her superior attitude and bides his time.
Throughout Blanche’s stay at his house, he feels that she has drunk his liquor, eaten his food, used his house, but still has belittled him and has opposed him. She has never conceded to him his right to be the “king” in his own house. Thus, he must sit idly by and see his marriage and home destroyed, and himself belittled, or else he must strike back.
1.2 Stanley’s Struggle for Equality and His initiative in Winning Competitions.
In the USA, the value of equality is prevalent in both primary (within a family) and secondary (between friendship and coworkers) relationships. They think no one should belittle or feel superior to others. In an American family, even children are treated as adults, needless to say the host. Then, just imagine that when a man who values materials and vulgar amusements confronts with a gentle woman who comes from a degenerated middle-classed southern family that values refinements, charms, traditional culture, a certain balance will be broken. Blanche’s assuming of setting herself high above Stanley wins her attacks. Stanley revenged himself on her for his right of equality.
His attack is slow and calculated. He begins to compile information about Blanche’s past life. He must present her past life to his wife so that she can determine who on earth is the superior person. When he has his information accumulated, he is convinced that however common he is, his life and his past are far superior to Blanche’s. Now that he feels his superiority again, he begins to act. He feels that having proved how degenerate Blanche actually is, he is now justified in punishing her directly for all the indirect insults he has had to suffer from her. Thus he buys her the bus ticket back to Laurel and reveals her past to Mitch.
Consequently, when we approach the rape scene, we must understand that Blanche has made Stanley endure quite a bit. She has never been sympathetic toward him. She has ridiculed him. From what Stanley has done to Blanche, it is not difficult for us to see that he is a down-right materialist and sexist, he uses extreme means to protect himself and his properties, to seek equality, to carry on sex as a way of relaxation or leisure and to value the importance of winning of competition between himself and Blanche.
1.3 Stanley’s attitudes towards work and leisure.
For most Americans, work is a desired and desirable expenditure of energy, a means of controlling and expressing strong affective states, and an avenue of recognition, money or power. On the other hand, they value relief from the regularity of work, it is in play that they find real joy. Knowing this can help us have a better understanding of the state of Stanley’s life and the significance of the poker scene. Stanley, one of the blue collars in the competitive society, is proud of his pole and his controlling power of his own life. He is satisfied with his living state but lacks ideals and imaginations. Stanley’s chief amusements are gambling, bowling, sex, and drinking, he regards leisure as a reward of his work and doesn’t allow anyone(his wife and Blanche) to deprive his right to it. He will become extremely irritated if anyone dares to do so.
2. Hofstede’s Theory and Stanley
2.1. Individualism that Stanley displays
We know that the single most important pattern in the United States is individualism. In cultures that tend toward individualism, an “I” consciousness prevails: competition rather than cooperation is encouraged; personal goals take precedence over group goals; people tend not to be emotionally dependent on organization and institutions, and every individual has the right to his or her private property, thoughts, and opinions. This culture stress individual initiative and achievement. Stanley, who was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is a blue collar in a society in which fierce competition exists. He has to work hard for himself, his pregnant wife and his family. However, he is extremely proud of his role in the society and feels like almost a creator of the world. Stanley Kowalski is the king of his family. He controls everything, does anything what he desires to do, destroys what he dislikes. He is terribly rude and cruel towards Blanche because she pretends too much and fears to be exposed to the real world, so conflicts between a “world conqueror” and a “pitiable shirker” must be inevitable. Inside his apartment, he is the absolute authority: he hates to be opposed and views women as an outlet of his sexual desires. When his will was violated, Stanley irritated that he just threw the radio out of the window. He constantly uses violence to solve problems and cares for nobody else’s feelings but himself. In this sense, he is a typical model of a culture in which “I” consciousness prevails.
2.2. A low-uncertainty-avoidance tendency in Stanley
According to Hofstede, the term uncertainty and avoidance indicate the extent to which a culture feels threatened by or anxious about uncertain and ambiguous situations and in a culture that tend to a low-uncertainty-avoidance, people more easily accept the uncertainty inherent in life and are not as threatened by deviant people and ideas……think that there should be as few rules as possible and depend not so much on experts as on themselves……Stanley’s raping Blanche illustrates that he is a good owner of the trait, he ignores laws and morals, just takes the initiative as soon as an idea strikes him, paying no attention to the consequence of his action.
2.3. Masculinity that Stanley displays
Stanley’s masculine characters are showed vividly in the film. He is full of manly vigor, and he does the physical work of his family, works to support his family. Stanley Kowalski lives in a basic, fundamental world which allows for no subtleties and no refinements. He is the man who likes to lay his cards on the table. He can understand no relationship between man and woman except a sexual one, where he sees the man’s role as giving and taking pleasure from this relationship. He possesses no quality that would not be considered manly in the most basic sense. By more sensitive people, he is seen as common, crude, and vulgar. Certainly, his frankness will allow for no deviation from the straightforward truth. His dress is loud and gaudy. He relishes in loud noises, and his voice rings out like a loud bellow. However, in a deeper sense, Stanley is a sexist. In spite of the first women’s liberation movement that took place in the 1920s in the western countries, women were still enslaved by men under the roof of the house. Stanley’s attitudes towards women can be perceived as proof to women’s inferior and weak position in the society.
3. Aggressiveness that Stanley Shows
American culture is known for its assertive and aggressive communication style. Another aspect of American history that has shaped the culture is violence. American history is filled with storied of violence: the taking of Native American lands by force; fighting the War of Independence and the Civil War, engaging the two World Wars, ……According to an essay titled “The American Uncivil Wars” in U.S. News ﹠ World Report, the thrust of the article was to call attention to the variety of ways aggressive behavior is reflected in American culture: （下轉第274页）（上接第272页）
It is a time when schools use metal detectors to keep out guns and knives, when universities insist on speech and behavior codes to stem the tide of hatred and disrespect, when legal cases become shouting matches, when the Internet is lettered with raunch and menace, when political campaigns resemble food fights, when trash talk and head butts are the idiom of sports, and when popular culture tops itself from week to week with displays of violence, sex, foul language and puerile confession.
Undoubtedly, Stanley is the best example in American literature that inherits those characters. When Stanley deals with the clashes and contradictions between Blanche and himself, violence is constantly used by him. When he feels belittled, he never tries to avoid confrontation but stands up for his rights and defends himself against it just as expected. He has no intension to maintain and avoid interpersonal clashes. The methods he chooses include impoliteness（（1）Mentioning deliberately Blanche’s unhappy marriage when he really knew that the husband died （2）Checking Blanche’s wardrobe trunk when he doubted that Blanche had taken exclusive possession of the properties from Belle Reve）, straightforwardness（Interrogating Blanche about Belle Reve and properties）,sarcasm（Prodding Blanche’s old wounds by proposing rhetorical question “What’s Virgo” when Blanche says that her birthday is under Virgo （2）His bitterly sarcastic words to Blanche just at the rape scene）, attacks（（1）His investigations of her past（2）his birthday gift to her（2） his sabotage of her relationship with Mitch） and violence（（1）Throwing the radio out of the window when Blanche disobeyed his order （2）Raping Blanche）. It is aggressiveness in Stanley’s character that makes the clashes between the two protagonists so complicated and incompatible and the highlight of the film so attractive and thought-provoking.
4.Conclusion
We cannot deny the fact that Stanley Kowalski is a fascinating character. The usual reaction is to see him as a brute because of the way that he treats the delicate Blanche. Some will even go so far as to dislike this man intensely. But this dislike would stem from too much identification with Blanche.
关键词：Stanley Kowalski；Intercultural Communicatio；Materialism ；Individualism；Aggressiveness
中圖分类号：H31 文献标识码：A 文章编号：1009-0118（2012）-02-0-03
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) was one of the greatest playwrights in American history. In his play A Streetcar Named Desire, he blazed a trail of expressing the theme of sexuality when it is forbidden by law and social modes and portrayed two fascinating characters——Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski who have always been at the top of a large number of literary critics.
Individualism, equality, materialism, striking a balance between work and leisure and being enthusiastic about competition are believed to be the dominant American cultural patterns. That Americans people are more aggressive than people in other cultures is known not strange to all of us. These cultural patterns are very clearly shown by many great images in American literature works. Stanley Kowalski is one of these fascinating characters.
Stanley Kowalski, the man protagonist of the film, who has always been the focus of many critics and scholars of all over the world, is thought as a very complicated character in most viewers’ eyes.
1. A representative of the culture that stresses equality, materialism, importance of work and leisure and importance of competition
1.1 Materialism that Stanley displays
For most Americans, materialism has always been an integral part of life. They consider it almost a right to be materially well off and physically comfortable. As the philosopher Lionel Trilling observed, “In the American metaphysic, reality is always material reality.”
Stanley first feels his properties threatened when he finds out that Belle Reve has been lost. He does not care for Belle Reve as a bit of ancestral property, but, instead, he feels that a part of it is his. If his wife has been swindled, he has been swindled. He has lost property, something that belonged to him. He probes into the problem without tact or diplomacy. He goes straight to the truth without any shortcuts. His only concern is to discover whether he has been cheated. He does not concern himself with the feelings of Blanche. He wants only to force the issue to its completion.
Stanley feels the first threat to his marriage and his private life after the big fight he has with Stella after the poker game. He knows that this would not have occurred if Blanche had not been present. It is her presence which is causing the dissension between him and his wife. Then the following morning when he overhears himself being referred to as bestial, common, brutal, and a survivor of the Stone Age, he is justifiably enraged against Blanche. He resents her superior attitude and bides his time.
Throughout Blanche’s stay at his house, he feels that she has drunk his liquor, eaten his food, used his house, but still has belittled him and has opposed him. She has never conceded to him his right to be the “king” in his own house. Thus, he must sit idly by and see his marriage and home destroyed, and himself belittled, or else he must strike back.
1.2 Stanley’s Struggle for Equality and His initiative in Winning Competitions.
In the USA, the value of equality is prevalent in both primary (within a family) and secondary (between friendship and coworkers) relationships. They think no one should belittle or feel superior to others. In an American family, even children are treated as adults, needless to say the host. Then, just imagine that when a man who values materials and vulgar amusements confronts with a gentle woman who comes from a degenerated middle-classed southern family that values refinements, charms, traditional culture, a certain balance will be broken. Blanche’s assuming of setting herself high above Stanley wins her attacks. Stanley revenged himself on her for his right of equality.
His attack is slow and calculated. He begins to compile information about Blanche’s past life. He must present her past life to his wife so that she can determine who on earth is the superior person. When he has his information accumulated, he is convinced that however common he is, his life and his past are far superior to Blanche’s. Now that he feels his superiority again, he begins to act. He feels that having proved how degenerate Blanche actually is, he is now justified in punishing her directly for all the indirect insults he has had to suffer from her. Thus he buys her the bus ticket back to Laurel and reveals her past to Mitch.
Consequently, when we approach the rape scene, we must understand that Blanche has made Stanley endure quite a bit. She has never been sympathetic toward him. She has ridiculed him. From what Stanley has done to Blanche, it is not difficult for us to see that he is a down-right materialist and sexist, he uses extreme means to protect himself and his properties, to seek equality, to carry on sex as a way of relaxation or leisure and to value the importance of winning of competition between himself and Blanche.
1.3 Stanley’s attitudes towards work and leisure.
For most Americans, work is a desired and desirable expenditure of energy, a means of controlling and expressing strong affective states, and an avenue of recognition, money or power. On the other hand, they value relief from the regularity of work, it is in play that they find real joy. Knowing this can help us have a better understanding of the state of Stanley’s life and the significance of the poker scene. Stanley, one of the blue collars in the competitive society, is proud of his pole and his controlling power of his own life. He is satisfied with his living state but lacks ideals and imaginations. Stanley’s chief amusements are gambling, bowling, sex, and drinking, he regards leisure as a reward of his work and doesn’t allow anyone(his wife and Blanche) to deprive his right to it. He will become extremely irritated if anyone dares to do so.
2. Hofstede’s Theory and Stanley
2.1. Individualism that Stanley displays
We know that the single most important pattern in the United States is individualism. In cultures that tend toward individualism, an “I” consciousness prevails: competition rather than cooperation is encouraged; personal goals take precedence over group goals; people tend not to be emotionally dependent on organization and institutions, and every individual has the right to his or her private property, thoughts, and opinions. This culture stress individual initiative and achievement. Stanley, who was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is a blue collar in a society in which fierce competition exists. He has to work hard for himself, his pregnant wife and his family. However, he is extremely proud of his role in the society and feels like almost a creator of the world. Stanley Kowalski is the king of his family. He controls everything, does anything what he desires to do, destroys what he dislikes. He is terribly rude and cruel towards Blanche because she pretends too much and fears to be exposed to the real world, so conflicts between a “world conqueror” and a “pitiable shirker” must be inevitable. Inside his apartment, he is the absolute authority: he hates to be opposed and views women as an outlet of his sexual desires. When his will was violated, Stanley irritated that he just threw the radio out of the window. He constantly uses violence to solve problems and cares for nobody else’s feelings but himself. In this sense, he is a typical model of a culture in which “I” consciousness prevails.
2.2. A low-uncertainty-avoidance tendency in Stanley
According to Hofstede, the term uncertainty and avoidance indicate the extent to which a culture feels threatened by or anxious about uncertain and ambiguous situations and in a culture that tend to a low-uncertainty-avoidance, people more easily accept the uncertainty inherent in life and are not as threatened by deviant people and ideas……think that there should be as few rules as possible and depend not so much on experts as on themselves……Stanley’s raping Blanche illustrates that he is a good owner of the trait, he ignores laws and morals, just takes the initiative as soon as an idea strikes him, paying no attention to the consequence of his action.
2.3. Masculinity that Stanley displays
Stanley’s masculine characters are showed vividly in the film. He is full of manly vigor, and he does the physical work of his family, works to support his family. Stanley Kowalski lives in a basic, fundamental world which allows for no subtleties and no refinements. He is the man who likes to lay his cards on the table. He can understand no relationship between man and woman except a sexual one, where he sees the man’s role as giving and taking pleasure from this relationship. He possesses no quality that would not be considered manly in the most basic sense. By more sensitive people, he is seen as common, crude, and vulgar. Certainly, his frankness will allow for no deviation from the straightforward truth. His dress is loud and gaudy. He relishes in loud noises, and his voice rings out like a loud bellow. However, in a deeper sense, Stanley is a sexist. In spite of the first women’s liberation movement that took place in the 1920s in the western countries, women were still enslaved by men under the roof of the house. Stanley’s attitudes towards women can be perceived as proof to women’s inferior and weak position in the society.
3. Aggressiveness that Stanley Shows
American culture is known for its assertive and aggressive communication style. Another aspect of American history that has shaped the culture is violence. American history is filled with storied of violence: the taking of Native American lands by force; fighting the War of Independence and the Civil War, engaging the two World Wars, ……According to an essay titled “The American Uncivil Wars” in U.S. News ﹠ World Report, the thrust of the article was to call attention to the variety of ways aggressive behavior is reflected in American culture: （下轉第274页）（上接第272页）
It is a time when schools use metal detectors to keep out guns and knives, when universities insist on speech and behavior codes to stem the tide of hatred and disrespect, when legal cases become shouting matches, when the Internet is lettered with raunch and menace, when political campaigns resemble food fights, when trash talk and head butts are the idiom of sports, and when popular culture tops itself from week to week with displays of violence, sex, foul language and puerile confession.
Undoubtedly, Stanley is the best example in American literature that inherits those characters. When Stanley deals with the clashes and contradictions between Blanche and himself, violence is constantly used by him. When he feels belittled, he never tries to avoid confrontation but stands up for his rights and defends himself against it just as expected. He has no intension to maintain and avoid interpersonal clashes. The methods he chooses include impoliteness（（1）Mentioning deliberately Blanche’s unhappy marriage when he really knew that the husband died （2）Checking Blanche’s wardrobe trunk when he doubted that Blanche had taken exclusive possession of the properties from Belle Reve）, straightforwardness（Interrogating Blanche about Belle Reve and properties）,sarcasm（Prodding Blanche’s old wounds by proposing rhetorical question “What’s Virgo” when Blanche says that her birthday is under Virgo （2）His bitterly sarcastic words to Blanche just at the rape scene）, attacks（（1）His investigations of her past（2）his birthday gift to her（2） his sabotage of her relationship with Mitch） and violence（（1）Throwing the radio out of the window when Blanche disobeyed his order （2）Raping Blanche）. It is aggressiveness in Stanley’s character that makes the clashes between the two protagonists so complicated and incompatible and the highlight of the film so attractive and thought-provoking.
4.Conclusion
We cannot deny the fact that Stanley Kowalski is a fascinating character. The usual reaction is to see him as a brute because of the way that he treats the delicate Blanche. Some will even go so far as to dislike this man intensely. But this dislike would stem from too much identification with Blanche.