Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire Analysis

Submitted By
Words 1491
Pages 6
It has been said that any movement is a rebellion against the norms of the previous movement. The violence of the first world war paved the way for Modernism to emerge as a new way of expression, a way that was untraditional in every aspect. Customary literary structure was not suited for this new era of violence; hence modern art surfaced. The globalization of war created anxiety and uncertainty, which permeated this new age with questions such as “what is our place in this world?” This manifested itself into the modern creation of works that unveil basic psychological truths by bringing up these questions and exploring their answers. By employing unresolved endings and depicting emotionally extreme characters, modern works convey the unsettling …show more content…
When Blanche is fed up with Stanley’s accusations, Williams’ directions state she “sprays herself with her atomizer; then playfully sprays him with it. He seizes the atomizer and slams it down on the dresser” (Williams 41). Stanley is repulsed by Blanche’s facade. His hyper-masculine temperament propels him to violently reject the perfume because of its feminine scent; he finds wearing it would pollute a fundamental facet of his character. Stanley’s aggressive manliness makes sense in the context of the time period. The nation had suffered through an unprecedented war, and it was reverting back to the old-fashioned values of family and home. Stanley has just come back from the war as a decorated soldier, and after proving his masculinity on the battlefield, he is ready to display his manhood within the home. Throughout the play, Blanche continues to shield herself from reveal, hiding from the light and playing up her backstory. Conflict arises when her love interest, Stanley’s friend Mitch, insists on taking a look at her “good and plain”. Blanche is flustered, “Of course you don’t really mean to be insulting!” to which Mitch replies “No, just realistic” (144). Blanche’s greatest fear—reality. She admits to her allure: “I don’t want realism. I want

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire Deception Analysis

...Lying. Deception. Deceit. These words sum up what everyone experiences on a daily basis, as people lie in order to protect their relationships and get through the day. While this sin is commonly committed by everyone, it can be detrimental when committed by those who are idolized in society and have influence over others. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams, the author, incorporates symbols and imagery to demonstrate Blanche's and Stanley's inability to always tell the unadulterated truth. However, he exemplifies that deception is dangerous when committed by those who influence and have control of other people's lives, such as Stanley. In Scene 4, Stella flashes back to her "wedding night" when Stanley "snatched off one of [her] slippers and rushed about the place smashing the light-bulbs with it." (Williams, 97) Here, Williams utilized the "light-bulbs" as a symbol for truth, challenging the reader to assume that Stanley's desire for darkness was, in fact, a hint at his complacency for deception. Williams furthers this insinuation when Stanley reminded Stella of the "colored...

Words: 630 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire: Play Analysis

...Who am I this time takes place in a small town called North Crawlford. In this town community theater is a big deal and George Johnson was named the new director by Doris Sawyer. The play George is putting on is called A Streetcar Named Desire. Georges already has in mind who he wants for the play, but theres still a few position that needs to be filled. So George decides to hold auditions, On the day of auditions George runs into this women named Helene Shaw who he thinks will be perfect for lead women role. George tells Helene about the auditions and strongly advises her to go. Helene travels from town to town because of her job, so she usually doesn't get involved with community activates. Helene is hesitate to go to the audition but she...

Words: 438 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Streetcar Named Desire Adaption Analysis

..."In A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams seeks to portray the nature and effects of sexuality." How effectively does the film capture this central concern? Elia Kazan’s 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee William’s 1947 play, A Streetcar Named Desire was forced to dilute the primary concern of sexuality to make it more suitable for a broader American audience. Due to anticipated and unanticipated interjections of the conservative Production Code Administration (PCA) of America, headed by strict Roman Catholic Joseph Breen, Kazan was not allowed to remain strictly faithful to William’s original portrayal of sexuality. Kazan instead employed creative cinematography solutions, to address Breen’s objections while at the same time, preserving the artistic integrity of the film. Yet due to these restraints, Kazan both succeeded and failed when seeking to replicate William’s complex portrayal of the nature and effects of sexuality. The film fails to demonstrate the manipulative potential of female sexuality; however Kazan accurately portrays raw, masculine sexuality. The film’s direction concerning the interaction of sexuality with religion is modified to line up with religious ideals and the film’s forced nebulousness on homosexuality changes the narrative’s overall portrayal of sexuality. The film is limited in its portrayal of women using their bodies to control men through sexuality. In the play, it is clear that Blanche wants to ‘make [Mitch] want [her],‘ not because Blanche...

Words: 1456 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Character Analysis: A Streetcar Named Desire

...These sorts of internal conflicts are created and fought within our minds. It is a battle inside one’s head. A person may experience a dilemma and wrestle with feelings of guilt or shame about a past wrongdoing. A character in the novel A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee William named Blanche DuBois faces a dilemma. After, her husband, Allan, shot himself, she continued censuring herself that he died because of her. She revealed to him that she knew he was gay and she was disgusted by him. Since then, she attempts to maintain a strategic distance to avoid the guilt she feels for her husband’s death by having intimacies with strangers to fill her empty heart. She also attempts to avoid realism and prefers “magic” by saying “what ought to be the truth” (9. 145) rather than the truth...

Words: 1886 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 4 Analysis

...Scene four is an important part of the play. During this scene, the main characters involved are Blanche and Stella with an entrance made by Stanley towards the end. The author reveals Blanche’s true colors to the audience all while Stella remains unmoved by anything said. The author makes the audience aware that Stella’s character is quite content and happy in her present situation. This scene takes place in the Kowalski apartment, the morning following the conflict of the night before during the poker game between Stanley and Stella. The time of day is relevant because just the other night Blanche witnessed Stanley’s drunken behavior, and now during this scene, Blanche rushes into Stella’s bedroom hysterically and can’t understand how her sister could return to him after such an unsettling act. Blanche attempts to convince Stella how wrong Stanley is for her. In this scene, Blanche tries to prove to Stella that she deserves much better than Stanley and that she should not settle for how he treats her. Blanche confesses her true feelings and shares how she would react if she were in Stella’s situation. She’s simply horrified and holds nothing back, these emotions intensify more throughout the scene. But, regardless of everything Blanche attempts to persuade Stella of, Stella seems indifferent and simply tells her sister she has witnessed Stanley at his worst. During the scene, Stella continues to reassure Blanche that everything she is bothered by is not as alarming as she...

Words: 978 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire Stage Directions Analysis

...Initially it can be assumed these relationships are supposed to be in contrast to one another, but notably they are quite similar: Scene 3, after Stanley assaulted Stella, “…they come together with low, animal moans. He falls on his knees on the steps” their relationship revolves around primitive instincts and desires – “low, animal moans”, Stanley kneels before Stella, a position of forgiveness, their relationship is very physical and animalistic, which is the imagery frequently associated with Stanley, “STELLL-AHHHHH!” he roars with a “heaven-splitting violence”, Williams portrays Stanley as what we can presume is a typical “man” at the time, all he understands/ wants is sex and to be in control, and yet only the audience can clearly see this whilst “[Stella’s] eyes go blind with tenderness; Stella is choosing to ignore this incident, she is surrendering herself to him and ignorantly choosing to accept him for what he is. She is happy to let him “[Lift] her off her feet and [bear] into the dark flat”, language such as “bear” and “dark”, give the impression...

Words: 645 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A Streetcar Named Desire Character Analysis Essay

...Blanche really cares about her appearance and how she look because she believes that good-looking will attract men. She always has make-up on. In the luggage that she brings to Stella’s house; it contains a lot of nice clothes, make-up, and jewelry. The first time she met Stella, she said, "but don't you look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till later, not till I've bathed and rested" (Williams 11). Throughout the play, we can see how sensitive Blanche is. She is a symbol of innocent. Blanche’s always wear dresses and look beautiful. Blanche afraid that her beauty will fade away soon, so she trying to make herself appear younger to others. Early in her life; she married to a young boy named Allan Grey, who she described as, “softness and tenderness...

Words: 409 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

A Conflict as a Poker Game

...Mélanie Urvoy English 102-005 13 February 2012 Research paper A Conflict as a Poker Game In the early twentieth century, women were still dependent on men. It was difficult for a woman to have a job and be financially independent. In addition, at this time, women had to keep their virginity to have a chance to get married. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is placed in the picturesque French Quarter in New Orleans. The play starts when Blanche DuBois comes in New Orleans to visit her sister Stella after she lost the family plantation Belle-Reve because of money problems. She then meets her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski, a World War II veteran. As soon as they meet each other, a mistrustful rivalry starts between them. A Streetcar Named Desire depicts the conflict between two opposing views as a poker game between Blanche and Stanley for control. From the beginning of the play, Williams starts distinguishing Stanley and Blanche by their mentalities. In fact, Blanche has the Old South mentality. She grew up in a plantation where she learnt how to behave as an aristocrat whereas her brother-in-law is an industrial and a Polish immigrant representing the New South. Blanche is described as delicate and fragile whereas Stanley is rude and violent. Blanche lives in a world of illusion. She acts as a queen and wants the men to treat her like it. Unlike Blanche, Stanley lives in a rude world, a world where if a person are strong enough physically and mentally, he...

Words: 2039 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Miscommunication In A Streetcar Named Desire

...A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is about a woman named Blanche, who is fading, fragile and desperate woman. Completely destitute, Blanche travels to New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella, and her sister’s husband, Stanley. Although she is very unhappy there, Blanche stays with her family despite the unusual and abusive relationship between Stella and Stanley. When Stanley discovers Blanche’s secret of having lost the family estate and then later providing many men with sexual favors, he attempts to send her back to where she came from. Stella goes into labor soon after, forcing other issues aside. When Stanley comes back from the hospital, but before Stella has the baby, he and a very drunk Blanche are left alone at the...

Words: 833 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Comparison of Streetcar Named Desire the Play and the Movie

...Janet Ng Professor Faunce WRT 102 7 March 2012 Textual Analysis of A Streetcar Named Desire Based on Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Elia Kazan creates an award winning movie that helps readers visualize Stanley’s primal masculinity, the inner torments of the Kowalski women and the clash of the other characters’ problems which create a chaotic mess. Using stage directions in the play, William hints that Blanche is not who she appears to be while the movie subtly sheds light on Blanche’s strange little habits that suggests a bigger issue. The movie also censors many of the main themes in Williams’ play but makes up for it by having its actors flawlessly portray the characters’ emotions, allowing the readers to see the conflict at its full magnitude. Both the movie and the play sympathize with the powerless women by underlining the important theme of women’s dependence on men. Blanche is an insecure, miserable older woman who masks herself as a rich, upper class lady. She continues to shy from reality and seduce men as she cannot comprehend that her reliance on men will ultimately lead to her downfall. “Now run along, now, quickly! It would be nice to keep you, but I’ve got to be good-and keep my hands off children.” (Williams, pg 99) This isn’t the first time that Blanche has put moves on a kid as made evident when she states “I’ve got to be good and keep my hands off children.” She clearly hasn’t learned her lesson after losing her job. The scene is even more...

Words: 1838 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Ds Sda Dsd Asf Asfasf Safasf

...Analysis of Blanche tragic life Abstract : As one of the most important play writers of America after the World War Ⅱ, Tennessee Williams won lots of theatrical awards for his masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire. As a result, Blanche, the heroine in the play, had been the focus point of the critics. This thesis tries to analyze profoundly the cause of the tragedy of Blanche from several aspects .As Williams T concluded, ‘The heroine Blanche was struggling between reality and fantasy, finally, her spirit was broken drastically under the beat of ruthless reality. She was the typical weak woman and victim in the patriarchal society. Her tragedy shows that the woman can’t escape the control of the typical patriarchal society in any case of resistances.’(Williams, 2).Some of William’s points will be elaborated in this paper which includes four parts. Chapter one serves as an “introduction”, which gives a general review of main characters in the novel. Chapter two, “Character of Blanche” ,Blanche’s being trapped by the conventionality; Blanche’s illusion about men; Blanche’s illusion about herself; her husband’s suicide; Stanley’s rude behavior and sense of dominance; Stella’s betrayal; Mitch’s desertion and the cold realistic world. In conclusion, it is the Blanche’s illusion about men ,herself and cruelty of Stanley that mainly causes her tragedy. Keywords: tragedy conventionality illusion 1.Introduction 1.1 Review of the protagonist In Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar...

Words: 4562 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Sexualtiy in a Patriarchal Society

...strict puritanical code of behavior than men ever have”. Throughout history, women have often been viewed as the “weaker” gender and have been expected to behave a certain way. Women are seen as submissive and docile because of societal expectations, these expectations eventually became the societal norm. This “norm”, according to Sigmund Freud, is the repression of several archaic and primitive desires. Females have often had to repress these desires more than males. Males have been the dominating species throughout history and have expected women to repress their nature. For the most part, females kept their place in society and played their role but there were some who broke the norm. There have been serious consequences for females who have attempted to liberate themselves, especially when they attempt to do so sexually. Females have the ability to achieve their sexual liberation despite the patriarchal societies in which they live. Two females which have attempted to achieve sexual liberation are Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter and Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar named Desire. Both Hester Prynne and Blanche Dubois’s attempts to achieve sexual liberation were hindered by the patriarchal societies in which they lived in; making only one of them successful. The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850, takes place in the late 17th century in Massachusetts. At this time Massachusetts is a Puritan colony. A Puritan, according to Oxford Dictionaries, is a member of a group of English...

Words: 4249 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Nothing

...allowed women to compete in the same spheres as men, resulting in a blurring of the once distinct boundaries between the male and female worlds. This intersection of the sexes had two effects: first, because women were no longer confined to domestic work, they had less incentives to remain in dominantly female circles; second, because women could operate in the male world as individuals, they had to learn to mirror male patterns of dominance or portray the traditional role of women. These combined effects resulted in the breakdown of sisterhood as women distanced themselves from female bonds in order to gain power in the male world. This fall of sisterhood is evident in literature, which I will convey through an analysis of three selections: A Streetcar Named Desire, a play by Tennessee Williams; “Recitatif,” a short story by Toni Morrison; and “Everyday Use,” a short story by Alice Walker. First, I will...

Words: 1739 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

What Does The Paper Lantern Symbolize Blanche Dubois

...towards light. As to why she bought the lantern Blanche states, "I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or vulgar action" (Williams 60). With negative word choice of 'rude', 'vulgar' and 'naked', she emphasizes her distaste of being exposed in the light and into reality. The paper lantern that Blanche brings into their home symbolizes her desire to cover up anything and make it appear tantalizing. Her life mirrors that of the lightbulb and the lantern, as she hides her faults and insecurities and reinvents herself. While the lantern solidifies Blanche as a symbol of illusion, it is the interaction between Stanley and the lantern that solidifies the theme of illusion and reality....

Words: 580 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Tire

...PROCESS ANALYSIS ESSAY Example: How to make money from your blog: 3 tips Many people who write blogs today simply want to share their opinion on something. But then there are the business-minded folks, who have found a way to use blogs, or Web logs, to bring in a little extra cash too. If you're interested in taking it further — blogging for bucks, if you will — here are five strategies that could turn your blog into a money maker. Sell advertising. This is likely the most common means of leveraging a blog to generate income. If yours happens to become a well-known blog, or one that is well-received in a particular niche, it's always possible to sell ad space on your own. For Bing Blogs and services such as Google's AdSense or BlogAds, bloggers can establish ad programs. AdSense's — which lets you select several ads that are consistent with the content of your blog — pays you based on how many readers click on the ads for further information. Even better, it's free. BlogAds, on the other hand, hooks bloggers up with would-be advertisers and levies a commission in return for any ad placements that result. "The nice thing, too, is that the ads are relatively unobtrusive," says Scott Allen, co-author of The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online. Help sell others' products.Here is another click-through opportunity. Affiliate programs enable your blog to serve as a conduit between readers and online sites offering various goods and services. One popular choice...

Words: 457 - Pages: 2