Blog Post 3: Topic 3

            The lexical definition for insanity is “extreme foolishness or irrationality” (Webster’s Dictionary). This definition is general and vague. It does not provide context, intent, or reference to mental capacity or intellectual ability. While it is generally understood as an issue of psychology, it is not defined in the DSM V. In legal terms, insanity can be defined as, “a mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior,” (People’s Law Dictionary). The modern technological world holds a negative cultural stigma around insanity. Individuals who are deemed as “insane” are ostracized and excluded for their deviant behaviors. However, a contemporary understanding of the term might also acknowledge the stresses of daily life and interpersonal relationships and their effect on the individual’s state of being. To be insane could mean for something to be unbelievable, highly stressful, or irrational, in addition to its connection with mental illness.

            From the beginning it appears that Blanche is crazy. She shows up unannounced at Stella and Stanley’s apartment with nervous tendencies and scattered thoughts. According to Webster’s definition, these irrational habits of Blanche would make her insane. To calm her nerves, she continues to drink and to bathe. She explains her visit to Stella in vague terms, changing the subject frequently to avoid answering questions. She tells her sister, “I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone! Because – as you must have noticed – I'm not very well…” (23). Blanche acknowledges her instability but is unable to directly ask for help. She is consumed with concern for her physical appearance and her aging looks. She constantly seeks appraisal from Stella and the men who are around her. The legal definition of insanity states that the individual cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy. During her stay in New Orleans, Blanche is never open about the truths of her past. Her crazy tendencies seem to stem from the imaginary world she has created for herself in her mind. Although she has lost everything (money, employment, family), she pretends to have it all. She wears nice clothing and expensive jewelry. It does not seem clear to Blanche that her riches are an illusion.

            Blanche suffers from extreme anxiety and emotional instability as a result of the tragic events in her life. After she caught her husband, gay and cheating, he killed himself that night. She is scarred from the incident and feels ashamed and embarrassed. Her post traumatic stress following the suicide of her husband left Blanche unstable and upset. She attempts to fix herself through men which ultimately cause her to lose her job after an affair with one of her students. In her mind, she repeats the death of her husband and is unable to cope or heal from the tragedy. She has been rejected by her ex-husband as well as by society and has lost her fortune and her estate. The deterioration of her sanity and her self-esteem is exhibited through her neurotic behaviors. While her response to her life tragedies through sexual endeavors and alcoholism may not be logical, they seem reasonable under the circumstances. The dimension of insanity can be shaped by an individual’s life experiences. For Blanche, her stressful history made her into the unstable, emotional wreck that she is and society does not help her. Despite the reasonability of her actions, her institutionalization seems inevitable.