The development of fictional characters can occur in brief moments – sometimes, critical events are inconspicuously disguised. When Stanley Kowalski, in A Streetcar Named Desire, is first introducing himself to Blanche DuBois, a screeching cat interrupts their conversation. This cat doesn’t seem out of place – the neighborhood that the Kowalski’s live in is not exactly the most pristine, and besides, the cats act to set the atmosphere of the apartment and the surrounding area. However, a closer look at the scene reveals that these cats are synonymous with Stanley’s violent, animalistic and volatile characteristics. When Stanley is first introduced at the end of Scene I, he is viewed mostly positively, with relatively few hints of his true potential (shown in Scene X). Although Stanley first plays a minor role – as simply Stella’s husband – his significance quickly grows as he advances the plot. In the first …show more content…
Its appearance is brief and takes no more than a few lines. As Stella and Stanley exchange a few awkward words, “A cat screeches near the window” (31), thus startling Blanche. Stanley, in this scene, throws the cats off as a minor occurrence, and turns his attention to Stella. In fact, Tennessee Williams almost seems to emphasize Stanley’s lack of care when Stanley quickly, very nonchalantly, replies to Blanche with a low-key “Cats…”, then subsequently changes the subject by calling out “Hey, Stella!” (31). Williams has now created an intricate relationship between Stanley, Blanche, and Stella. In only a few lines, it is already established: Stanley and Stella’s connection is brought together by the cats – which represent the animalistic and rage-like qualities