Exploitation and Conflicts in A Streetcar Named Desire and The Kite Runner

The essay compares conflicts, suppression and exploitations in the two stories and how the authors have used the characters, their language and mannerisms to reflect the racial tensions and class conflicts.

Exploitation and Conflicts in "A Streetcar Named Desire “and "The Kite Runner"
May 12, 2018
University

Introduction
The fate of the countries and their people get shaped and influenced by the political,
economic and social upheaval taking place within and on the global stage. “The Kite Runner” by
Khaled Hosseini offers an insight on Afghanistan monarchy during the seventies while “A
Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams gives an overview of the early twentieth
century. The essay compares conflicts, suppression and exploitations in the two stories and how
the authors have used the characters, their language and mannerisms to reflect the racial tensions
and class conflicts.
The literature of “The Kite Runner” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” allow one a better
understanding of class conflicts and racial tensions. When making a comparison of the theme or
scenes in the two texts, both authors make use of vocabulary, setting’s and characterization to
show the conflict between the two characters or classes and how one dominates the other
because of their political and social advantage. While the social class issues taken in both texts
are from different eras and different settings, they make potent reflections of social class issues
and racial conflicts.
Conflicts due to social class issues
In both the novels, the social class issues and tensions develop conflicts and suppression.
The authors depict the class difference thorough the mannerisms of the characters or how and
where they live or through their mannerism. The conflicts and tensions develop because of the
differences in social class. For example, in ““A Streetcar Named Desire” Stanley walks in
dressed in a “bowling jacket” and “blue denim work clothes” (Williams 470). Blanche appears
wearing a “fluffy bodice necklace and earrings of pearl” (Williams 470)1. The words like work
1 Rea, Robert. 'Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire,190.

clothes and bowling jacket contrast with the fluffy bodice and pearl. The class difference is
obvious, and Stanley stands for the new industrialized south and the inferior class. Blanche
stands for the aristocratic and sophisticated class. Stanley’s slang, the clothes he wears and his
job at the steel mill place him in the lower class. The language of each character helps in
building ideas of class conflict. While Blanche uses sophisticated language and speaks in a quiet
voice, Stanley yells and uses unsophisticated language. Blanche uses of language reflects
education while Stanley’s speech is more expressive and showy in his likes and dislikes. In
another scene, she describes him to her sister as “He acts like an animal, has an animal's habits!
Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There's even something--sub-human--something
not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something--ape-like about him.” Thus, how Blanche
compares Stanley to an animal and an ape, shows the poor impression she carries about him
In “Kite Runner”, the author points to the class difference based on where the characters
live. “I went past the rosebushes to Baba’s mansion, Hassan to the mud shack where he had been
born” (Hosseini 5). The author is very descriptive when he creates a sense of place. “The
sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows. Intricate mosaic tiles, handpicked by Baba
in Isfahan, covered the floors of the four bathrooms. Gold-‐stitched tapestries, which Baba had
bought in Calcutta, lined the walls; crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling” (Hosseini
3). When he talks about his house built by his father, it is one of the prettiest in all of Kabul.
Amir describes the elaborate design and structure that gives an impression of wealth and status.
The author is very descriptive when he creates a sense of place. The descriptions place the two
characters Amir and Hassan in different class and apart from one another. Although Amir’s and
Hassan’s houses were nearby, at the end of the day, each parted ways and went to their homes.
One was like a mansion while other was a mud shack. When he talks about his house built by his

father, it is one of the prettiest in all of Kabul. Amir describes the elaborate design and structure
that gives an impression of wealth and status. However, when he discusses Hassan and his house,
the readers get a sense of poverty. “it was spare, clean, dimly lit by a pair of kerosene lamps.
There were two mattresses on opposite sides of the room, a worn Herati rug with frayed edges in
between” (Hosseini 5). Thus, the social and caste division are clearly developed by the authors in
both novels with the help of how the characters dress or speak and where they live. Those social
divisions develop the background for tensions and conflicts in the plot of both novels.
Suppression and dominance over the weaker
In both novels, one finds the politically advantaged group dominating the other and
taking advantage of their stronger position. In the play “A Streetcar Named Desire “Blanche
stands out for the old aristocratic upper class of the south who is bound by traditions2.“She finds
herself in an unfamiliar environment that is far from her notions of genteel morality. Stanley
represents the predatory working class persists on its vitality and strength which are lacking in
the working class. Blanche, represents the fragile south which is crushed by Stanley, the new
south3. Stanley is used to dominating his wife and treating women like nothing. He refers to them
as “You hens cut out that conversation in there” (Williams 48). When blanche turns on the radio,
“Stanley crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he
tosses the instrument out the window “(Williams 56). On a societal level, male dominance over
women in a patriarchal world is confirmed in the play” The streetcar named Desire.” Stanley
shows that he has no respect for the women in his life and use of metaphor is seen here as he
2 Brandon Johnson, ‘ A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams’ [2017] Web freebooksummary <
https://freebooksummary.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-by-tennessee-williams-2-41203:> accessed 24 Sep 2018
3 Free book summary. ‘Discuss how class conflict is represented in A Streetcar Named Desire’ [2017]
freebooksummary < https://freebooksummary.com/discuss-how-class-conflict-is-represented-in-a-streetcar-
named-desire-a-streetcar-named-desire-by-tennessee-williams-41246> Accessed 24 September 2018.

calls them hen.Blanche presents herself as a proper female who is vulnerable and prefers to act
like a damsel in distress and looks at Mitch as the knight in shining armour. Blanche’s actions
reveal her as a performer for her gender expression because of her traditional upbringing. Yet,
she is propelled to move forward in her life because of her desires and because of those desires
she feels conflicted. Her interactions with Mitch demand her to be enticing and entertaining4.
Through Blanche and Stella, the author emphasizes their reliance on men for identity. The
women in the play depend on men for their happiness and reputation. Stella relies on her
husband Stanley to fulfil her dreams. Blanche relies on Shep Huntleigh for financial security5.
The domestic homes where they feel safe and secure become a violent playground. Blanche
dislikes Stanley but cannot do much about it because of her situation. When she tells her sister
Stella that “In my opinion? You're married to a madman!”, her sister doesn’t agree with her.
Stanley dominates his wife on every aspects and when angry, he seizes her arm and says “Don’t
ever talk that way to me! "Pig--Polack--disgusting--vulgar--greasy!"--them kind of words have
been on your tongue and your sister's too much around here! What do you two think you are?”
“(Williams 116). Characterization is used here by the authors to bring out the personalities of
different characters. In the above line, the actions and dialogues of Stanley shows his demeanour
and motivation.
In “Kite Runner”, one finds Hassan suppressed because of his class. He is dominated and
bullied by blond, blue-eyed character is of Assef who was born to a German mother and an
Afghan father6. . His word was the law, and he loved to intimidates the other children. His strong
political views and looking at himself as a pure Afghans, not a Flat-Nose, like Hassan. Hassan is
4 Ivana R. Kolaković. ‘Trapped Between Traditional And Modern: 278.
5 Brandon Johnson, ‘ A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams’ [2017] Web freebooksummary <
https://freebooksummary.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-by-tennessee-williams-2-41203:> accessed 24 Sep 2018
6 Khaled Hosseini & Schmitt,’ The Literature Of War’,31

often called “flat nosed” because of his characteristic Hazara Mongoloid features. Hazaras were
Mogul descendants who little like Chinese people. Amir finds a book on Hazaras history, how
they were oppressed by Pashtuns7. Hassan is often shouted at by the soldiers-"You! The Hazara!
Look at me when I’m talking to you!”. Again one can see the sue of characterization here by the
author and how Hassan speaks and his dialogue and actions show his intention to dominate.
The Hazaras were called names like mice eating, load‐carrying donkeys and flat nosed. Hassan
was also called by those names many times by the children in the neighbourhood. Even Amir
was afraid of Assef and if it were not for Hassan, he would have been bullied and beaten by
Assef8. Economic status, religion, and ethnicity between two communities in Afghanistan have
developed tensions and conflicts. Amir states “In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I
was Sunni and he was Shi'a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.” Those words
carry a finality within them about the rigid class systems that are not going toc change, no matter
what. Amir develops his own sense of superiority and a sense of ‘otherness’ of the Hazaras in the
Afghan society9. The conflict concerning the two classes is evident right from the start.
The rape of the weaker
Rape is a symbol of violence and complete suppression in both the literary texts. Rape in
itself is a violent act that shows a complete dominance of the perpetrator over the victim. In both
novels, the stronger rapes the weaker and takes advantage of his position in the society.
Stanley signifies the new industrial youth and the lower class. His society is based on
force and physical strength. No one questions Stanley’s authority, and he prefers to do what suits
him. On a symbolic level, the new industrial age new industrial age South with the rape Blanche
7 Khaled Hosseini & Schmitt,’ The Literature Of War’,23..
8 Khaled Hosseini & Schmitt,’ The Literature Of War’,33
9 Shabangu, M. and Naidu.’ The First World’s Third World, 183.

suffers. Stanley rapes Blanche inside the Kowalski’s home, and the violence on the streets finds
itself within the apartment10. The setting of the rape shows that even home is no longer safe for
women but is a violent space where men can take advantage of them. The rape taking place in
the home add to the emotional trauma of the character. Blanche is not able to protect herself
despite being well aware of his predatory advances. She is broken in her final confrontation with
Stanley and retreats from the world11. When the cathedral bells chime, she says “Those cathedral
bells--they're the only clean thing in the Quarter” (Williams 147). Use of metaphor can be seen
here as cathedral bells are placed here to stand for purity. Those words show that Blanche no
longer feel clean about herself. In the other story, “The Kite Runner”, Hassan gets raped by
Assef. The look and expression of a” lamb” on Hassan's face when he is being raped shows that
he does not want to struggle and has resigned himself to his fate. Personification can be seen here
as Hassan has been compared to a lamb to show his helplessness. He is aware of the stronger
power of Assef over his weaker class and allows him to rape him12.The narrator cannot stop
looking at two things amid the garbage, in his memoirs, one is the blue kite, and the other is
brown corduroy pants that belong to Hassan thrown on a heap of bricks. The blue kite and
brown corduroy pants are used as imagery here to create a reference point for the rape in the
mind of Amir. Those images will always remind him of Hassan’s rape.
Hassan’s rape destroys both Hassan’s and Amir’s while in case of Blanche, she suffers
and is seen as soiled goods by the patriarchal society and ideology. Hassan masks no resistance
to the rape while Blanche does make an effort to face Stanley with a broken bottle end to show
10 Brandon Johnson, ‘ A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams’ [2017] Web freebooksummary <
https://freebooksummary.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-by-tennessee-williams-2-41203:> accessed 24 Sep 2018
11 Ivana R. Kolaković. ‘Trapped Between Traditional And Modern’ 282
12 Khaled Hosseini & Schmitt,’ The Literature Of War,64.

that she is not a weaker sex. The positon between Blanche and Stanley and Amir and Hassan are
comparable as each of those characters is aware of the class differences set by the society
because of their religion, position and economic status. The only difference is that Blanche gets
taken advantage of despite here higher status while Hassan suffers for being a Hazara.
To conclude on the above discussion, there is adequate literary evidence in the above two
texts to express the class conflicts, social tensions, and dominance in the plot. The authors
describe the character, how they speak, where they live and their mannerism to express the
differences in their positions and status.
Reference List
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https://freebooksummary.com/a-streetcar-named-desire-by-tennessee-williams-2-41203:>
accessed 24 Sep 2018
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