Mitch

• Unlike the brutish Stanley Kowalski or the fragile Blanche Dubois, Mitch serves as a more nuanced character who embodies the themes of vulnerability, decency, and the often destructive pursuit of romantic idealism.
• His interactions with Blanche and his ultimate disillusionment reflect the broader existential and social conflicts at the heart of the play.
• At first glance, Mitch appears as a kind and gentle soul, providing a stark contrast to Stanley’s aggressive masculinity.
• He is depicted as a sensitive and caring individual, one who tends to his ailing mother and aspires to find a meaningful romantic connection.
• Mitch’s gentleness and sincerity initially make him seem like a potential saviour for Blanche, whose own vulnerabilities and need for protection become apparent.
• His admiration for Blanche’s supposed sophistication and refinement highlights his desire for a relationship that transcends the crude, harsh realities of his world.
• Mitch’s character, therefore can be seen as representing a more traditional, albeit somewhat naive, ideal of masculinity -one that is grounded in decency and earnestness.
• However, Mitch’s vulnerability is also his downfall. His naivety and idealism set him up for a profound disillusionment.
• Throughout the play, Mitch is deceived by Blanche’s fabrications about her past. He is drawn to her because he believes she embodies the virtues and stability he seeks.
• His inability to see through Blanche’s facade until Stanley reveals the truth speaks to his own desperate desire for something pure and beautiful in his life. This desperation binds him to the reality of Blanche’s situation and her own profound vulnerabilities.
• When the truth about Blanche’s past is finally exposed, Mitch’s reaction is one of deep betrayal and anger, showcasing his own fragile sense of self and his dependence on romanticised ideals.
• Mitch’s relationship with Blanche serves as a microcosm of the play’s broader themes of illusion versus reality. Blanche’s who is continuously constructing illusions to escape her traumatic past, finds in Mitch a temporary refuge.
• For Mitch, Blanche represents an escape from the brutal, often disappointing reality of his own life.
• Their relationship is built on a shared illusion, which is ultimately unsustainable. When this illusion shatters, Mitch is left grappling with the harsh truths of Blanche’s past and his own susceptibility to deception.
• This confrontation with reality is devastating for Mitch, who had clung to his idealised image of Blanche as a means of coping with his own insecurities and loneliness.
• His inability to reconcile the Blanche he thought he knew with the reality of her past reflects the broader human struggle to balance idealism with reality.
• Mitch’s rejection of Blanche, driven by a sense of betrayal, underscores his own limitations and the difficulty of maintaining one’s decency and compassion in a world fraught with deception and suffering.
• His character arc from hopeful suitor to disillusioned rejector illustrates the destructive power of unmet expectations and the harshness of reality in contrast to the solace found in illusion.
• Scene 9: “I thought you were straight“


  During a confrontation with Blanche after learning about her past. It reveals his disillusionment and sense of betrayal. Mitch’s direct and blunt accusation shatters the illusions Blanche has been trying to maintain. It also signifies the collapse of their relationship and highlights Mitch’s moral rigidity. In the context of post-WW2 America, it reflects the era’s strict social mores and the harsh judgement faced by those who deviated from accepted norms.
• Scene 6: ”You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be- you and me, Blanche?”


  Mitch expressed his desire for companionship and hints at his loneliness and hope for a future with Blanche. This shows Mitch’s vulnerability and longing for intimacy. It contrasts with Stanley’s brutal realism and provides a softer, more hopeful perspective on relationships. Reflecting the mid-20th century’s societal expectation for individuals to find stability and comfort in traditional relationships.
• Scene 6: “She says to go out, so I go, but I don’t enjoy it. All the while I keep wondering how she is”.


  Mitch talks about his concern for his mother, highlighting his caring and dutiful nature. It paints Mitch as a compassionate and devoted son, providing a sharp contrast to Stanley’s more self-centered character. It helps establish Mitch as a more empathetic figure. Mitch’s devotion to his mother reflects the societal emphasis on family responsibility and the strong familial bonds expected in American culture.
• Scene 9: “You’re not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother”


  Mitch rejects Blanche after discovering her past, revealing his ultimate judgement and disillusionment. This harsh rejection underscores Mitch’s internal conflict between his desire and societal norms. It also marks a turning point in Blanche’s descent into despair. Reflecting the era’s double standards regarding sexual behaviour and the harsh penalties for women who transgressed social norms.
• Scene 3: “Poker shouldn’t be played in a house with women”


  Mitch voices a rare moment of opposition to Stanley’s dominating behaviour. Highlighting Mitch’s more traditional and protective attitudes towards women, contrasting with Stanley’s aggressive and chauvinistic demeanor. Reflects post-war gender dynamics and the shifting expectations of men’s and women’s roles within the domestic sphere.
• Scene 3: “I’m out again. I oughta go home pretty soon.”


  It subtly underscores Mitch’s discomfort in the world of Stanley’s brutish masculinity. Demonstrates Mitch’s underlying unease and desire to distance himself from the toxic environment fostered by Stanley and his friends. Mitch’s discomfort aligns with the broader cultural tensions at the time, as traditional notions of masculinity were increasingly scrutinised and challenged.