Tennessee Williams’ "A Streetcar Named Desire," a play depicting 20th century social realism and physical, emotional, and sexual conflict, explores the interpersonal relationships between husbands and wives, two sisters, and friends. After reading this classic work of literature, I fell in love with the characters and story plot and decided to create an additional 12th scene to add to the end of the originally 11-scene play, portraying a conversation that takes place between the couple, Stanley and Stella Kowalski, after Blanche’s departure to a mental asylum.
This extension to the play employs Willams’ lyrical style of writing and portrays various themes explored throughout the play, such as the unfortunate dependence of women on men, a clash of social classes and reality finally dominating the “magical illusions” that Blanche created. This scene functions to provide Williams’ audience with an alternative closure to the play, capturing the ultimate outcome of the Kowalski family. It therefore gives readers a new perspective to Stanley and Stella’s relationship after Blanche’s departure.
Stanley’s showcase of animalistic behavior and authority over his wife, Stella, is further depicted in this scene, portraying Stella’s ultimate role and responsibilities as a housewife and mother, along with her hardship in finding peace in Stanley’s primitive world compared to Blanche’s fantastical world of purity and elegance.
The italicized gestures and emotions show the dissimilarity between Stanley and Stella as they converse, while the background music and visual action creates the Plastic theatrical atmosphere that is adopted throughout the play. William’s Plastic theater is, therefore, indicative of a penetrating and vivid portrayal of reality.
SCENE XII
It is moments later that same evening after Blanche’s departure. There is an ominous silence in the dusk orange sky. Faint musical tones echo from the Four Deuces.
STELLA sits in a chair on the porch with her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close together as she continues sobbing. Autumn leaves blow in the crisp air as STANLEY, STEVE, PABLO, and MITCH continue their game in undertones. The atmosphere of the kitchen is now a raw, threatening one. EUNICE comforts STELLA in her state of sorrow and guilt, holding her in her arms.
STELLA: What have I done to my sister? [sobbing uncontrollably] What have I done?
EUNICE: Now, now, darling. You did the only thing you could do.
STANLEY [from inside]: C’mon Stella, honey. It’s all going to be fine now.
STELLA [shakes her head]: I left Belle Reve to start my own life. Blanche lost Belle Reve because I wasn’t there to help her. And now I’ve sent her away from my life. Oh, heavens!
EUNICE: You hush, now! She in good hands an’ with good people.
Chairs scrape on the kitchen floor as the men get up. STELLA wipes her tears. MITCH comes outside, a whiskey bottle in hand, clatters down the steps and walks away, looking down with guilt and awkwardness. STANLEY comes out onto the porch and takes STELLA clumsily in his arms. EUNICE heads upstairs with STEVE as STELLA and STANLEY make their way to the bedroom with the baby.
STELLA now seems faint with exhaustion and sits at the side of the bed faintly, laying the baby down beside her. She looks at her hands, overcome with guilt and remorse.
STANLEY [tenderly, soothingly stroking STELLA’S back]: What’s the matter, baby?
STELLA: I let her go, Stan.
STANLEY: Well, isn’t that what we wanted? She didn’t belong here from the start, darling.
STELLA [staring, baffled]: She’s my sister!
STANLEY: Well she lived in a world of imagination and lies.
STELLA: You never understood Blanche.
STANLEY [fervently]: But I understood you, Stell. Can’t we go back to the way it was before? You remember that? The fun we had and the nights we spent together, all alone with nobody to hear us! I pulled you down from the columns, pulled you down from her world, and you loved it! Oh, baby doll, we were so happy together. Everything was all okay till she showed here!
STELLA keeps staring at her hands, making no movement.
[STANLEY’S grip on STELLA’S shoulders tightens.] What happened, Stella? What changed?
STELLA [quietly]: You didn’t have to be so cruel to her.
STANLEY [standing up angrily]: You’re damn tootin’ I had to be! Good lord! She came in here, hoity-toity, disrespecting me and how I live, taking over this goddamn apartment. [STANLEY rips off the last lantern from a lightbulb on the ceiling and throws it at STELLA’S feet.] She had no right. She lied to me! She lied to Mitch! Look at the poor ol’ boy!
STELLA [standing up to face STANLEY]: She lost everying, Stan! She just needed a place to live!
STANLEY [yelling]: Sit down!
STELLA: I’m going outside.
STELLA picks up the baby and crosses to the portière to enter the kitchen. STANLEY follows, storming up behind her. At once, STELLA remember’s BLANCHE’S horrid story and turns around briskly to face STANLEY.
STELLA: So is it true? Did you sleep with Blanche?
STANLEY: No.
STELLA: Tell me the truth. I can’t go on living with you after hearing her story.
STANLEY [booming]: Can’t go on living with me? [bellowing] What do you mean can’t go on living with me? Blanche has made you go wonky! What about the baby!
STELLA’S anger visibly rises and then she falls feebly into a chair, seemingly tired and distraught.
[nervously] Stella, honey, I didn’t sleep with Blanche.
STELLA: Oh, Stanley! I don’t know what to believe!
STANLEY [guiltily]: No, honey, I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t.
STELLA: I want to believe you.
STANLEY [impatiently]: Then why don’t you? Why can’t you trust me? What happened, Stella? Blanche is gone now. We can be good old Stanley and Stella again!
STELLA: [pouring herself a drink] I just don’t know. My head is spinning.
STANLEY: The Kowalskis and the DuBois can never make ends meet. We have different notions.
STELLA [sadly]: That’s right.
STANLEY: So what do you want? Tell me what you want.
As STANLEY asks this question, the baby begins crying and STELLA quickly gets up and rushes to the room to bring its bottle.
Tell me, Stella! Do you want my life or Blanche’s life?
STELLA [reentering the kitchen with a small bottle of milk in hand]: Oh, my God, Stanley. How can I choose?
STANLEY [firmly]: You have to choose.
STELLA holds the bottle gently in the baby’s mouth. The lights in the kitchen seem to be getting brighter and the “blue piano” plays its tune in the distance as the trumpets from the Four Deuces sound mildly. STANLEY’S confrontation has put STELLA in a state of panic as she is caught in a battle, searching for an answer,. The sky outside the window is of a turquoise hue and with STELLA’S now blurred vision due to faint dizziness, colors of bright orange, yellow and blue seem to be dancing to the music. She looks at the baby and then at the sky with uncertainty and anxiety.
STELLA: I can’t leave the baby. I’m a mother now.
STANLEY: Yes, the baby needs you. I need you.
STELLA [having found a kind of mental shelter]: Oh, Stan. I need you too! I need your care and I need us and I’m so deeply sorry.
The low tone clarinet moans. STELLA’S eyes are wet with tears as they come together in a soft, tender embrace. STANLEY moans brutishly as he tightens his grip on STELLA. The sensual wails fade away as the clarinet sounds in the distance and the “blue piano” music intensifies.
CURTAIN
