In what ways and to what effect do at least two plays you have studied explore the idea of change and/or transformation?

“A Streetcar Named Desire” & “Master Harold… and the Boys” Question May 2012 “In what ways and to what effect do at least two plays you have studied explore the idea of change and/or transformation?” Change & transformation Character development Plot development Cultural change “A Streetcar Named Desire” & “Master Harold… and the Boys”

Introduction The idea of change and transformation is a key element of both Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”, and Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold and the Boys”. The type of change explored in these two plays is extremely similar, with both plays exploring the idea of changing characters and changing cultures. However the ways in which the idea of change is explored in each of these plays is slightly different. While the idea of change is, in ‘Streetcar’, explored largely through the plot structure and Williams’ use of sound, in ‘Master Harold’, change is an idea that is explored through stage directions, setting and external characters. However there are several similarities between the two plays in terms of the way in which the idea of change is explored, namely through the dramatists’ use of symbolism. The two plays are also similar in terms of the effect that the idea of change has. In both plays, the idea of change is used to develop the themes of the plays and to create conflict.

Master Harold… and the ‘Boys’ A Streetcar Named Desire Similarities/differences in the ways in which the idea of change is explored Master Harold… and the ‘Boys’ A Streetcar Named Desire Theme: Apartheid - Setting - Microcosm of SA - Forces conflict - Symbols: - Kite - Ballroom Dancing - Contrast - Father vs Sam Theme: Old vs. New America - Symbols: - Names (Kowalski vs Du Bois) - Places (Belle Reve vs New Orleans) - Music (sound): - Jazz (blue piano) Cultural Change - Symbols Blanche: - Deteriorating mental state - Music (sound) - Blue piano, Radio, Train noise - Symbols: - Light (paper lantern - Bathing - Plot structure - Each scene has its own climax etc. Character Development Hally: - Struggles with father and racism - Dialogue - Theme: Education -School conversation with Sam - Stage directions - Splitting on Sam Mitch: - Polite to violent -Symbolism - Paper lantern

Similarities/differences in effect of the idea of change Master Harold… and the ‘Boys’ A Streetcar Named Desire Plot Development - Drives plot forward Apartheid - Changing view in SA Education: - Character development of Hally Rites of Passage - Hally growing up Old vs New America - Changing America - Contrast Development of Themes Blanche vs Stanley - Caused slightly by Blanche’s changing mentality Hally vs Sam Hally vs Father Creation of conflict

Master Harold and the Boys A Streetcar Named Desire Drama/Literary Techniques/Examples Master Harold and the Boys Blanche: “You are the one that abandoned Belle Reve not I! I stayed and fought for it, almost died for it!” Stella is part of New America, Blanche held on to Old America. Cultural change Symbolism Sam: “None of us knows the steps and there’s no music playing.” Ballroom metaphor for South Africa. World is full of conflict. Highlight the cultural change in South Africa Blanche: “I’m looking for my sister, Stella DuBois – I mean, Mrs Stanley Kowalski.” Shows the contrast between the DuBois of Old America and the Kowalski’s of New America. Blanch is abandoned by her sister to hang on to her fantasy of Old America alone. Hally: “What the hell does a black man know about flying a kite?” Kit is a symbol of racial equality. Shows the ignorance that is being confronted by Sam. Also links to oppression. Sam: “You don’t have to sit up there by yourself. You know what that bench means now, and you can leave it any time you choose” Clear reference to racial equality and social change in South Africa. Bench being used as a metaphor for SA.

Blanche: “That – music again….” Mitch: “What music?” Highlights Blanche’s deteriorating mental state, hears music that is not playing, then has a memory of Allen. Character Development Sound (He tears the paper lantern off the light-bulb. She utters a frightened gasp.) Light is a symbol of truth. Blanch is afraid of what the light reveals due to her mental state and obsession with youth. Ripping the paper lantern off the light shows the similarity between Stanley and Mitch, it completes Mitch’s transformation. Character development Stage directions (Sam stops and looks expectantly at the boy. Hally spits in his face.) Harsh and brutal portrayal of reality. Shows Hally’s similarity with his father. Extremely powerful as it can’t be faked-

Conclusion In conclusion, the idea of change is an important element of both Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” and Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold and the Boys”. Both play explore similar ideas of change: cultural change and the transformation of characters. Both plays also use symbolism to do this. However, where “A Streetcar Named Desire” also largely uses sound and music to explore the idea of change, “Master Harold and the Boys” relies more on setting and stage directions. Finally, both plays explore the idea of change to similar effects: the development of plot, the creation of conflict, and the development of key themes of the play.