A Streetcar Named Desire Lesson Plan

Battered Women

Kind of Activity:

discussion

Objective:

Understanding character, social contexts, and writing achievement

Structure:

Lead a discussion about Scene 4. Help the students to clearly articulate the conflict between the sisters regarding the characteristics of Stella's marriage. What does Blanche see? Elicit that she thinks Stella is being abused and is blinded to the abuse by her love.

Introduce the concept of Battered Woman Syndrome. Do the students, or does Blanche, think that Stella stays with Stanley only because she is suffering from domestic violence and the syndrome?

Then elicit Stella's perspective: she loves Stanley and knows from experience...