...The Importance of Light in A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche’s relation to light is quite obvious because she tries to avoid bright light of any kind. Her reaction to light can be regarded as an attempt to hide her true nature as well as her vanishing beauty and youth. By hiding from the light, she tries to escape reality. She covers the naked light bulb with a Chinese paper lantern, saying, “I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action” (Sc.3 p. 2093). This remark shows that Blanche would rather hide behind polite phrases than accept truth and reality. The paper lantern is not very stable, though, and it can easily be destroyed, just like her illusions. In scene six, she takes Mitch home with her and says, “Let’s leave the lights off” (Sc.6 p. 2309). Blanche thinks of Mitch as a future husband, and therefore she does not want him to know her past or her true age, and the best way to hide her age is to stay out of bright light where he could possibly see her wrinkles and fading youth in her face. Later in that scene, Blanche tells Mitch about her husband Allan: “When I was sixteen, I made the discovery – love. All at once and much, much too completely. It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow, that’s how it struck the world for me” (Sc. 6 p. 2113). In her past, light used to represent love, but now it represents something destructive...
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...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
...Many plays and books have been adapted into a movie. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, is one of the plays who have been made into a movie. It takes place in the 1940s in New Orleans. The main character in the movie is Blanche DuBois, a women with a questionable behavior. In A streetcar Named Desire, Blanche DuBois is described in detail through symbolism by drunkenness, light, and music. Drunkenness is one of the most obvious symbolisms in the movie. It represents escape for Blanche when things go wrong or she feels uncomfortable. When she firsts arrives to New Orleans, she finds herself at a bowling alley, and orders drinks so she can explain where she believes she has been. The same thing occurred when Mitch confronts Blanche...
Words: 427 - Pages: 2
...Hop On the Superego Express “Ok class, raise your hand if you want to meet Barney in person right now!” says the high school teacher. “I love Barney! But I can’t raise my hand in front of everybody. They will think it is strange to like Barney if you are in high school.” thinks the student to himself. Have you ever made decisions, or not made decisions, based on the pressures of society? A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is a story about a woman named Blanche, who is an extreme example of the people in this world that live their lives the way society dictates. She has a young, predetermined wedding, feels pressured to take over responsibility for a farm, and develops personal/mental problems in the process and is ostracized from her hometown. She desperately goes to her sister for help far from home, but things are not much different for her there, as most people here also judge and live based on society or “peer pressure.” She begins to find hope in a newfound relationship with her sister, a chance for love with her new boyfriend, and a chance for happiness to start over; however, all these dreams are quickly crushed by the menacing forces of people’s fear of not fitting in and doing what’s accepted, as well as Stanley, the main person who is opposite of all this. In this world, most of the characters, mainly Blanche, made the mistake of living and making decisions the way society would expect them to, meaning Freud’s third part of the subconscious, the element...
Words: 1218 - Pages: 5
...are the savage and brutal forces of society.” Compare and contrast how masculinity is explored in two texts you have studied in light of this comment. In A Streetcar Named Desire, the men are seen as cruel and bitter due to their harsh use of force to achieve what they want. Whereas in All New People, the men are perceived as the victims of society rather than its actual driving force. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley fulfils the duty of carrying the traditional patriarchal role of the breadwinner in the society of the 1950’s era. He is represented as masculine through the use of his dominance in the household, control over Stella and being the prime influence in his social group of friends, as they see him as someone they want to be. However, this is contrasted in the modern day text of All New People, as Charlie conforms to the image of the ‘new man’ by emphasising the different types of masculine forms in society and how they are widely accepted. He expresses this through the use of showing emotion and being more considerate of other people’s feelings, while being aware of his own. Tennessee Williams makes it prominent that in 1950’s post war America, men and women each had specific gender roles that they had to attain and carry out. Stanley’s physical sovereignty is embedded throughout the play due to way he behaves and his innermost desire to control everyone around him. “Well, you can hear me and I said to hush up!” “[yelling]: Sit down!” Stanley demonstrates his supremacy...
Words: 2374 - Pages: 10
...and A Streetcar Named Desire, several characters suffer by lying and by being unaware of reality. Both plays demonstrate and signify the themes of illusion vs. reality and mendacity through past trauma, alcohol abuse, and through strained family and marital relationships. In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick is an example to all of these factors through his past with his friend skipper, his abuse of alcohol, and the lack of love he shows for his wife, while in A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche encounters similar problems as Brick with her past trauma and her alcohol problem. The two plays share many similarities in terms of themes but at the same time also share significant difference. In the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick is troubled with his past memories that he tries to keep a secret. He mourns the death of his best friend Skipper and the death pushes Brick into a world of imagination and mendacity. He avoids talking about Skipper and when his wife Margaret who is been trying to fix her relationship with Brick brings up the memory of his friend Skipper. Brick gets upset and says, “One man has one great good true thing in his life. One great good thing which is true! – I had a friendship with Skipper. – You are naming it dirty!” (Williams 44) Brick is furious with Margaret as he threatens her with physical abuse before he mentions the one greatest thing that values the most to him in his life is his friend Skipper which is an insult to Margaret. While in A Streetcar Named Desire...
Words: 1690 - Pages: 7
...How does Tennessee Williams present the character of Blanche in Scene 1 of the play? In scene 1 of the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Tennessee Williams presents Blanche as a dependent character who relies on the company of others but attempts to keep this insecurity hidden. Although Blanche may appear to be dominant and outspoken, she secretly fears to be alone. The command ‘You hear me? I said stand up!’ establishes Blanche’s authority and gives the impression of dominance however this highly contrasts with Blanche’s statement ‘I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can’t be alone!’ The contrast of these two statements highlights the dynamics of their relationship as it suggests Blanche is more reliant on Stella than she makes out to be. Williams has done this in order to reveal Blanche’s true character to the audience by illustrating her fears of being ‘alone’ which clearly establishes how dependant she is on her sister. Tennessee Williams depicts Blanche’s jealousy of her sister’s marriage and appearance which illustrates her as an envious and insecure character. This is evident after Blanche confesses the loss of Belle Reve and how she was forced t o deal with the unfortunate situation alone. Blanche questions Stella ‘Where were you! In bed with your – Polack!’ to defend herself and place blame on Stella. This illustrates Blanche’s jealousy over how Stella was able to escape and start off a new life in New Orleans and find security in a marriage while she has...
Words: 702 - Pages: 3
...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
...Orlando Davies-Vannelli Tennessee Williams maintained that he couldn't write any story unless, "there is at least one character in it for whom I have a physical dewire." In the light of this comment, discuss the role of desire in the play. There are many moments in the play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' where Blanche DuBois and desire are inextricably linked. Indeed, she arrives in Elysian Fields after taking a streetcar named desire. One critic has said that the journey which Blanche takes to get to her sisters apartment on a streetcar named Desire and and then changing to a streetcar named Cemetries reflects her overall journey through life. For example, in her youth she rode on her desires and during as well as after the play takes place, she changes to a morbid route, described as "Cemetries". In some sense, her quest for desire was as short lived as her tram ride. Another moment where the idea of desire is evident is when Stanley tells Stella that "I (he) am the king around here, so don't forget it." which reflecs his desire to have power and control over everyone in his 'domain'. This is one moment in the play where Stanley's true controlling ideas are shown to the audience. Through Stanley, Williams presents us with the idea that he is one who has achieved his desrie of being unnapposed in his society. An example of this is at the end of the play where Stanley isn't held accountable for a crime he has committed (the rape of Blanche) and his life goes back to how it was...
Words: 786 - Pages: 4
...Blue Jasmine, movie by Woody Allen is a successful adaptation of the play “Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams. Blue Jasmine presents Jasmine, main character, living in an entitled world who falls into nothingness due to the affair and the investment scheme of her husband. She, therefore, moves into her adopted sister, Ginger’s apartment situated in the downscale San Francisco. In hopes of starting a fresh life, Jasmine enters a job in a Dentist Office; however, she encounters frustration from the patients and harassment from her boss, Dr. Flickr. Jasmine finally quits the job, and instead seeks to find a man for a peace in her life. Although she finds a man, Dwight, she loses him due to her false reality and lies just like Blanche,...
Words: 1466 - Pages: 6
...Thomas Lanier Williams was born on March 26th, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. Williams wrote fiction and motion picture screenplays but is recognized for his plays. Thomas was the first son and second child of Cornelius Coffin and Edwina Dakin Williams. He was named after his grandfather and he insisted on being called Tom by the age of ten. His siblings include an older sister named Rose and a younger brother named Dakin. Williams spent a great deal of time with his sister Rose because she was not very stable, emotionally or mentally. Daryl E. Haley once said that Rose "was emotionally disturbed and destined to spend most of her life in mental institutions." His mother raised Tom because his father was a traveling shoe salesman. Edwina Dakin Williams was the daughter of a minister and very over protective of Thomas. She began to be over protective after he caught Diphtheria when he was five years old. His mother was also an aggressive woman caught up in her fantasies of genteel southern living. Amanda Wingfield, a character in his play The Glass Menagerie, was modeled after Williams' mother. Cornelius Coffin Williams, Tom's father, spent most of his time on the road. Cornelius came from a very prestigious family that included Mississippi's very first governor and senator. Mr. Haley also states that Tom's father was "at turns distant and abusive," that is, when he was actually around. Toms father also repeatedly favored his younger brother Dakin over both of his older children...
Words: 1541 - Pages: 7
...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
...Character comparisons; Comparing two characters, one from Streetcar Named Desire and another from Death of a Salesman Streetcar Named Desire Blanche Du Bois In the Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche Dubois is first introduced having dressed in white and symbolizing chastity and innocence. As sensitive, aristocratic, and refined as it is, the beauty depicts an appearance resembling a moth. Blanche comes from a background that is aristocratic. Her job, as an English teacher, as well as her home are all lost and in turn, she comes to stay in her sister’s house for a while, Stella, who stays with her husband Stanley, a coarse polish. Her lover passed away and since then she has changed her life completely. Blanche is seen to be a misfit in the apartment of Kowalski due to her nervous and refined nature. Blanche has spent the rest of her life in Laurel with her family that had aristocratic roots and from which she learned the finer things and issues in life. She is incapable of coping with the life outside Laurel, a life that gives her a lesson on how a tragic event can participate in ruining the future. She is flighty and unrealistic because she refuses to move out of the time warp and hence get used to the real world. As young as sixteen, she slobbers in love with a sensitive boy, whom she worships and elopes with. According to her understanding and believe, life with Allan had turned sheer bliss. However, her faith turns fully shattered as she realizes that he was bisexual degenerate...
Words: 1887 - Pages: 8
...A Streetcar named Desire The point of my paper is to describe the different examples of motifs throughout the play. The first example would be the use of alcohol. Alcohol is referenced and used all throughout the play, and mostly by Blanche and Stanley. It’s kind of ironic that they both hate each other but love to drink alcohol. Blanche drinks to try and solve her problems, but drinking will not solve them. Stanley drinks when he’s with his friends, when he’s at the bar, and when his child is born. You could say that they are both alcoholics but they don’t even know it. One motif that is kind of hard to tell but it’s light. Whenever Blanche is present in the play, she isn’t ever in much light. Which is because she wants to think that she is still a beautiful young teenager, and doesn’t want her age to be known. She even doesn’t respond to Mitch when he tells her that his mother asked how old she was. Light is also dark whenever Stanley is around, and that indicates that he is a bad man. Violence in relationships is probably the biggest motif in the entire play. Simply because it stands out the most. In the first part of the play we can see Stanley’s violence and anger start to come out. Stanley even beats his wife while his friends are over playing poker, and that forces Stella to leave and...
Words: 514 - Pages: 3
...Characters Blanche DeBois: * Around the age of 30 * from Mississippi, an aging southern belle(panics about her fading beauty) * lost Belle Reve(DeBpis family home) and her young husband(gay, she announced her disgust at his homosexuality suicide marks the end of Blanche’s sexual innocence) * drinking problem * Stella’s older sister * moves into the Kowalski home in New Orleans * destitute * has had many lovers (strong sexual urges) self-esteem depends on many for happiness * avoids reality(snobbery hide her poverty and indignity) * throughout the play her self-image and sanity crumble End: Stanley rapes her(destroys rest of mental and sexual esteem) and commits her to an asylum Stella Kowalski: * Around the age of 25 * Blanche’s younger sister * Mild character * Married to Stanley Kowalski (robust sexual relationship violent and renewing) and pregnant * Torn between her sister and her husband (stands by Stanley in the end) Stanley Kowalski: * Stella’s husband * Working-class * Example of vital force * Loyal to friends (Steve, Pablo, Mitch), passionate to Stella, cruel to Blanche * Polish ancestry( represents new heterogeneous America Blanche doesn’t belong to them, she is from an old social hierachy) * Fought in WW2 * Wishes to destroy Blanche’s social life * Beats his wife and rapes Blanche (BUT no remorse and still the proud family man) * Doesn’t like Blanche because...
Words: 904 - Pages: 4
