Stella is soft-spoken, speaking only when it is needed, and expressing her grief only when it overwhelms her, whereas Blanche is the opposite: an outspoken woman, with many opinions. Superficial is the first impression that Blanche gives when she enters the play. Consumed by appearance and face value, she is unable to see that Stella’s new lifestyle is not as horrid as she imagines. In comparison to Belle Reeve, it is true that these New Orleans slums may not meet Dubois standards, but Blanche is unable to see beyond the way things appear in order to realize that Stella’s world does not revolve around material items. This flaw is intertwined with her vanity and the need keep up appearances. On the surface, Blanche appears to be snobbish and conceited. She comes to visit Stella with a trunk full of decorative dresses and fancy jewels, and although it was obvious that these items are superfluous in Stella and Stanley’s lifestyle, she parades them about as if to show her true importance and beauty. When more thought is dispenses on this matter, there lies the question of whether Blanche is as confident in herself and her beauty as she seems. Surely, when one is as confident as Blanche seems, it is not necessary to fish for compliments from others. Nor is it necessary to worry, as much as she does, about what others think. Blanche was never sincerely confident. She was a young girl trapped in a woman’s body. Her youthful insecurities lingered with her as she matured physically, but her mind is still that of a young girl. From the beginning, it is clear that Stanley and Blanche have irreconcilable differences. Their confrontation is inevitable. The two characters are very much alike, but to opposite extremes. Both are stubborn and imposing, but the attitudes behind these traits are emphatically different. Blanche puts in great efforts to “save” Stella from what she sees as a horrible ...
