Interpreting Tennessee Williams:
A Streetcar Named Desire - Grade 11
In this study, students will work closely with Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire. There are two primary goals in this unit: First, to provide students with a close encounter—marked by complete cycles of comprehension and interpretive work—with a major American play. At the end of the unit, students will be familiar with the story, and they will have participated in a round of interpretive work designed to deepen their understanding of the play. Second, students will have an opportunity to think about the work of interpreting a “source text” like Williams’ play.
Table of Contents
Text Audio
Writing Tasks
Title: S-7: The First Interpretive Assignment Writing About Kazan’s A Streetcar Named Desire
Session 7
Title: S-12: The Final Interpretive Assignment Comparing Kazan and Jordan
Session 12
Charts for Discussion
Title: S-10: Scene 3: Kazan vs. Jordan
Session 10
Title: S-11: Kazan’s Choices: Effects
Session 11
Title: S-11: Jordan’s Choices: Effects
Session 11
Forms and Graphic Organizers
Title: S-1-5: Tracking Kazan’s A Streetcar Named Desire
Session 1-5
Title: S-8: Criteria for a Good Discussion
Session 8