Desire and Death: Exploring Themes in A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire Essay Lovedeep Ghotra ENG4U Mrs. Valdez Monday January 5th, 2014 Desire, Death, and the Afterlife The 1951 play A Streetcar Named Desire explores the fate of the principle characters to which desire leads, as indicated in the title. Desire, in reference to sex is displayed as a destructive force by the author Tennessee Williams, which leads to a series of tragic events in the life of Blanche Dubois , the protagonist. She is the character of focus in this play and has an interesting personality as she uses sex as a means to get away from her haunting past and keep her sane in terms of suppressing her guilt about her late husband. In addition to the tragic events that occur in Blanche 's life as a result of her sexual relations, Stanley and Stella Kowalski is a married couple that share a very sexual relationship and is displayed as the root of success in maintaining their healthy relationship. Tennessee Williams uses the sexual relationship of Stanley and Stella Kowalski in comparison to Blanche Dubois to show the duality of sex in the characters lives. Blanche, a character whose personality is driven by desire is a victim of destruction through her own sanity and sexual relations; however, Stanley and Stella's relationship explores the likeness and pleasures of engaging in sex. Their sexual relationship comes into conflict when Blanche, Stella's sister goes to visit her, ultimately disrupting their relationship in terms of their sex life. Early on in the play sex is portrayed Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

A Streetcar Named Desire Streetcar and Students A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is an appropriate study for grade 12 students as it highlights one's need to face reality. In addition, the play shows that the need to face reality inherently affects one's relationship with the world. It also exemplifies how the past has a way of coming back with more fight and fury. For instance, and perhaps most powerfully, this play addresses heavy topics such as abuse and trauma, though most interestingly how the characters cope with such issues. As already alluded to, one's view of the world inherently affects one's relationship with it. The character Stella has seen the world for what it is, she is no longer a sheltered southern belle. Hence, she is aware of what Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire The play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams examines the theme of both death and desire. Williams presents the only options of life as being one of these two options. Either you choose to figuratively die or you succumb to your desires. You must make to choice and life and battle death and go towards desire. These themes are antitheses of one another and are often times intertwined together. Williams uses the characters actions and thoughts as well as contrasts between them to develop this central theme. The theme of death vs desire can clearly be seen in several quotes throughout the play. Early on in scene one is where the theme of death and desire is first presented. When Blanche first arrives she says that she took, "a street–car named Desire, ...show more content... 1). The meaning of this quote is that the streetcar which is named desire led her to Elysian Fields which is the heaven after death. We can see that this quote is explaining that desire led brought her to death. It represents Blanche following her desires sexually to this point in life and was then exiled from her hometown because of it which will now cause her to live in a pagan heaven with Stanley and Stella where she must reflect on her life and view the repercussions of her actions back in Laurel. Another example of desire leading to death in this play is when Blanche is explaining what happened to Belle Reve. She explains that, "improvident grandfathers and father and uncles and brothers exchanged the land for their epic fornications," which eventually led to the loss of the plantation (44; sc. 2). Again we can see the sexual desires of her ancestors was the cause of the loss or death of their plantation. A large driving force for Blanche's actions was the death of her husband which can also be related back to this theme. When Blanche found her husband with another man, her husband, "stuck the revolver into his mouth, and fired–so that the back of his head had been– blown away!" (115; sc. Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is a play about a woman named Blanche Dubois who is in misplaced circumstances. Her life is lived through fantasies, the remembrance of her lost husband and the resentment that she feels for her brother–in–law, Stanley Kowalski. Various moral and ethical lessons arise in this play such as: Lying ultimately gets you nowhere, Abuse is never good, Treat people how you want to be treated, Stay true to yourself and Don't judge a book by its cover. A very important moral lesson that I gained from A Streetcar Named Desire is to always tell the truth. Telling lies ultimately got Blanche Dubois nowhere. She was lonelier than ever at the end of the play. She starts off lying intentionally. For ...show more content... She even tells Mitch that she doesn't tell the truth, she tells what ought to be truth. So Blanche is aware that she is lying and continues to do it, which end the end causes grief for her. Never abuse anyone is another moral and ethical lesson that I discovered in this play. Stanley is very abusive towards Stella. Stella forgives Stanley and she feels as if nothing is wrong with going back to an abusive man. During one of Stanley's poker nights, he is so drunk that when he becomes mad, he charges after Stella. She makes excuses for this act by saying, "He didn't know what he was doing... He was as good as a lamb when I came back and he's really very, very ashamed of himself" (Williams 72). By Stella going back to Stanley every time he abuses her, she will never grow as a person. We learn that this is not the first time this kind of thing has happened when Eunice, their neighbor yells to Stanley, "I hope they do haul you in and turn the fire hose on you, same as the last time" (Williams 66). Stanley is also abusive towards Blanche when he rapes her. Stanley's abusiveness and alcoholism is a major problem, yet it is never cured. Blanche tries to talk to Stella about it the night after he beats her by saying "You're married to a madman", but she just brushes it off (Williams 73). Stella tells Blanche, "I am not in anything that I have a desire to get out of" (Williams 74). The fact that nobody wants to Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

Themes in A Streetcar Named Desire Essay The play A Streetcar Named Desire revolves around Blanche DuBois; therefore, the main theme of the drama concerns her directly. In Blanche is seen the tragedy of an individual caught between two worlds–the world of the past and the world of the present–unwilling to let go of the past and unable, because of her character, to come to any sort of terms with the present. The final result is her destruction. This process began long before her clash with Stanley Kowalski . It started with the death of her young husband, a weak and perverted boy who committed suicide when she taunted him with her disgust at the discovery of his perversion. In retrospect, she knows that he was the only man she had ever loved, and from this early catastrophe ...show more content... It not only threatens, but also breaks through. Betrayed by love once in her life, she nevertheless seeks it in the effort to fill the lonely void; thus, her promiscuity. But to adhere to her tradition and her sense of herself as a lady, she cannot face this sensual part of herself. She associates it with the animalism of Stanley's lovemaking and terms it "brutal desire ". She feels guilt and a sense of sin when she does surrender to it, and yet she does, out of intense loneliness. By viewing sensuality as brutal desire she is able to disassociate it from what she feels is her true self, but only at the price of an intense inner conflict. Since she cannot integrate these conflicting elements of desire and gentility, she tries to reject the one, desire, and live solely by the other. Desperately seeking a haven she looks increasingly to fantasy. Taking refuge in tinsel, fine clothes, and rhinestones, and the illusion that a beau is available whenever she wants him, she seeks tenderness and beauty in a world of her own making. Blanche is not really lost in illusions; rather she uses them as camouflage. She wears them as she wears her clothes and her glass necklaces, as protection from a reality that she finds horrifying. One must not think of Blanche as just a fragile, delicate blossom. There is a fierce desire in her for life at any cost. Her masquerade may Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Film Analysis Of A Streetcar Named Desire Gustavo Martinez 10/3/17 Period 3 Streetcar Film Analysis Elia Kazan directed the film A Streetcar Named Desire and produce by Warner Brothers in 1951. The novel was originally written by Tennessee Williams and promoted as a play in 1947 and turned into a film later through out its success . The awards received were the Pulitzer price award in 1948 and was nominated for best motion picture, best writing and screen play. The novel was basically about a former English school teacher named Blanche Dubois (played by Vivien Leigh), who decided to join her sister at her house, Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter) and her husband Stanley Kowalski ( Marlon Brando ) in New Orleans. During Blanche is at Stanley's and Stella's home, Blanche is trying to ...show more content... Movie acting is different than stage acting because they have to be prepared to cut scenes out and from couple different angles and voice directly into the camera. The actors only learn the lines from the scene they are doing at the time instead of knowing them all. It is also not shot in the order it is seen in because they don't want to be going back and forth from location to location, so they shoot all the scenes that is needed at a certain location. They also have to take more than one shot per scene because maybe they want different angles or someone may have messed up. A perfect example of movie vs. stage acting is the scene where Stanley yells out STELLA! Because he harmed her so she left with Eunice and he goes after her to apologize but has to get her attention by screaming her name out until she came out to talk to him. This scene must have been much easier for the film because the director and actors don't have to worry about messing up they can just retake a scene and they can adjust it to their desire. While stage acting the actors have to deal with an audience watching their every move and if they mess up they don't have another chance. Maybe the actor didn't project their voice enough for everyone to hear them. They also might lose their voice from the very intense screaming. As well as forgetting a line on stage and embarrassing Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire Essay A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams was born as Thomas Lanier Williams on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi. He is the son of Cornelius Coffin Williams and Edwina Dakin Williams. As he grew up, he heard stories about the volunteer work of his father as well as the forty– five men his mother dated before she finally decided to settle down (Forman 1). His parents separated in 1909 before his older sister Rose was born. The separation was caused by Cornelius' problems with womanizing, drinking, and gambling (Forman 3). His mother went to live at her father's rectory in Columbus. He grew very fond of his grandparents, Reverend Walter Dakin and Rose Otte Dakin. Soon, Williams started to dread the days that his father would ...show more content... The play is set in the 1940s during World War II and takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana (Henthorne 1). After the war, many soldiers came home with issues such as "battle fatigue," and "shell shock, known today as post–traumatic stress syndrome (Welsch 26)." Most soldiers sought out doctors who could help them with the symptoms they were experiencing while others had more physical injuries and had to stay at home while their wives worked. "The social order skewed, and gender roles were no longer rigid and fixed as they once were. People were fighting hard to find domestic status quo (Welsh pp. 26–27)." Finding a domestic status quo is a struggle that A Streetcar Named Desire reflects heavily. Displacement is one of the central themes in A Streetcar Named Desire. The play takes place during World War II. "American women went to work in the industrial sector, serving in factories and shipyards, aiding the war effort and supporting their troops, families, and country. Their work was no longer primarily in the domestic sphere with which so many were familiar (Welsch 26)." The women who worked in the industry learned quickly and were soon just as skilled as men. If they weren't doing manual labor, women were knitting sweaters and socks for the Salvation Army to give the soldiers during the harsh winter months. During the war, people were united together as one nation with a common goal. Once the war ended, Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

The Voice In A Streetcar Named Desire Voices: The voices heard at the beginning of the scene are very calm. The actors are enjoying themselves, but are unaware of the shocking events that are about to take place. As soon as the car lands in their path, there is a sudden change in the actors' voices. The voices go from being calm and relaxed, to panicked and terrified. This is amplified even more when one of the girls get shot by the motorcyclist. Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Streetcar Named Desire Essay Curiosity Killed the Cat, not Equality When you go to work, do you love what you do? Equality knows that his invention will be a boon to all mankind, but that isn't what fills him with pride and joy while experimenting. His primary motivation for administering his experiments is pure curiosity. When Equality was at the Home of Students he always learned much faster than the others. His brain works fast, and his intelligence is superior to that of his brothers. It is to the point that his intelligence often caused him to commit transgressions at the Home of Students. This specific one is called the Transgression of Preference. Equality commits this crime because before he was assigned to street sweeping, he would dream of the job he wanted. ...show more content... He lets his curiosity take over, and help him benefit all of mankind. He lives in a society full of "We", and his thought process is the only thing he has to himself. When Equality thinks about his dreams, and experiments no one else has to know. It is his own individual thought, and he doesn't have to share it with anyone. In today's society we are encouraged to share our thoughts on certain topics, but not even being allowed to have individual thoughts is unimaginable. It's okay for him to be curious, and want to broaden his mental capacity. He does it for pure enjoyment, and to help better his society. The thing is, the Scholars don't quite agree. They expect you to feel happiness because you have helped your brothers, and that's what Equality has done. He created a cleaner and brighter light to share with his society, but they shut down the idea all because it was done individually. If all the brothers can't prove it works, then it must not work. It's terrible to think that Equality can't share his thoughts confidently because he was smart enough to come up with it on his own. Thus, the way Equality thinks should always be accepted. People's curiosities should be allowed to be expressed freely and wholeheartedly. If people had the same motivation to do things as Equality, the world would be much Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire Analysis Essay An outcome in the life of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire that is most obvious to the audience is her psychological downfall and her subsequent admittance into a mental asylum; however, the chain reaction of events that occur for her arrive at this outcome are very important to Blanche's behavior in the story and must be examined in great detail. To begin with, Blanche grows up as one of two daughters of a French settler living in the southern state of Louisiana, and happens to be a wealthy plantation owner. Therefore, she was bought up in an aristocratic family and was taught how to live with upper class manners, and as discussed previously, was expected to live according to the Southern Belle figure. By the time she had reached 16 years of age, Blanche had already fulfilled the main goal of a Southern Belle by marrying her young love, Allan Grey. However, this marriage did not last long as through some unfortunate circumstances, she came to find out that he was a homosexual man. Blanche did not take this news well and condemned his behavior and sexual orientation, leading to Allan committing suicide , and leaving a psychological wound in her mind. Following the suicide of Allan, Blanche had to deal with many more unfortunate events such as the many deaths of relatives, including her parents, abandonment by her sister, and poor decisions by her distant family which eventually caused her to lose ownership of the family plantation in the town of Laurel. After all Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

The Use of Language in A Streetcar Named Desire Analyse how Tennessee Williams uses language and dramatic techniques to explore attitudes to identity in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Make close reference Analyse how Tennessee Williams uses language and dramatic techniques to explore attitudes to identity in ' A Streetcar Named Desire '. Make close reference to an extract in the play . Go on to show your understanding of the significance of attitudes to identity in the play as a whole. Williams' play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' has a full variety of attitudes to identity which are demonstrated through the various characters. Attitudes to identity are important in the play as it gives us a background to the character's lives ...show more content... Ideas around the identity of Stanley's character are explored in scene eight. The lexis used in this scene explores how he sees himself and how he is seen by the other characters. The vocative used by Blanche and Stella to address Stanley conveys their, especially Blanche's feelings towards him, 'Mr. Kowalski' they say. This vocative seems quite formal spoken in such an informal setting as their house, and quite out of place, this could show that the women maybe see Stanley as superior, in the way that he is a man and they feel that they should look up to him. As well as presenting attitudes to identity, this could also show attitudes to gender and the differences between the roles of males and females. In this scene, some of Stanley's utterances contain many exclamatories and interrogatives which seem to make firm statements of what he is saying. For example he says 'that's how I'll clear the table! Don't ever talk that way to me!', it seems as though he is shouting these words and this could show his dominating and intimidating character perhaps. Phonology used in Stanley's utterances could also show his dominating male authority that he feels he has over others, he seems to shout at Blanche; 'QUIET IN THERE!', this is intonation of his voice is shown by the use of capital letters. Stella uses a metaphor to describe Stanley's undesirable behaviour and says that he is 'too busy making a pig of himself'; this could show that he is not a Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire: A Short Story "No," he said, a calm to his voice not unlike that at the centre of a storm. Desire, akin to a howling, vengeful wind, raged at the periphery, threatening to break in, eager to corrupt. But his mind, for some reason, wouldn't allow it. And so, bestowed with a remarkably even temper, Marco saw through the trick that had duped him before. The disapproval she wanted to batter him with, thorough as it was, did not exist in the one place where it could have made the most impact. Eva might have wrenched the heat of her core away and lashed at him with unkind sentiments but she had forgotten to let her eyes be apprised of her plans. And so they were excellent mirrors, reflecting an impure, seething intent. With distance now between them, Marco set out to exploit it. He didn't particularly like it, couldn't help but feel it, even though it was truly small enough that most might not even have registered, and so decided to do something about it. And besides, he had just received instruction that his hand needed to go. Fortunately, it didn't include the specifics of where. ...show more content... She can savour freedom, though secretly he hoped it was despised with unmatched fervour. After all, the entire point behind sending him a country or two away was to test his resolve, and upon his return, it had seemed like he had learnt his lesson. He'd defied, and defiled, authority oh so very well. Right up to this very point where his cock had been foraging for the entrance to the most forbidden pussy. And that is where he placed his unwelcome touch now. On her pretty, bare flesh. "Is that better, mummy?" he asked, with a bit of a crude little Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire: Short Essay A Streetcar Named Desire In many modern day relationships between a man and a woman, there is usually a controlling figure that is dominant over the other. It may be women over man, man over women, or in what the true definition of a marriage is an equal partnership. In the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Stanley is clearly the more dominant figure over Stella. Throughout the play there are numerous examples of the power he possesses of her. Williams portrays Stella as a little girl who lives around in Stanley’s world. She does what he wants, takes his abuse yet still loves him. Situations likes these may have occurred in the 1950’s and lasted, but in today’s time this would only end up in a ...show more content... During the last scene of the play (pg. 142) Blanche is being taken away by a doctor. This is an extremely emotional time for Stella. She really needs someone to comfort her. Stanley being insensitive toward her kneels down beside her and reaches under her blouse. He makes no effort to hug or hold her close to him. This demonstrates his lack of sensitivity. The idea of him reaching under blouse cries out I am the one who needs you now focus your intentions on me she is gone. Even in Stella’s time of need Stanley is there only for himself and doesn’t extend himself to his wife. The relationship portrayed by Tennessee Williams is clearly a male dominating over the female. Here Stella is the follower to her husband Stanley. She acts in relation to him and is the one in need at all times. His desires come first and shall not be disrupted by his wife. The idea of both parties giving to each other though the sacrament of marriage is non existent. The barbaric and animal like actions of Stanley would never be tolerated in our society today. Actions like his would be treated with a divorce. But Stella’s never ending love for Stanley kept them together thought the Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire Extract Essay The extract I have chosen is from the play – "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams. It was published in 1947 and is based in New Orleans, LA. Blanche DuBois is the protagonist and Stanley Kowalski is the antagonist. The genre of the play is Psychological Drama. I will be analyzing the opening scene, and present how the characters and their relationships have a social or aesthetic significance. Scene one is vital as it brings the entire play into context and introduces us to the characters, hence giving us an initial impression of them. It also provides a vivid description of the setting that helps the audience understand the lifestyle of the characters. 1947, the time period where women were expected to have delicate angel like ...show more content... Blanche and Stella's exchange in scene one shows Blanche's disapproval for Stella's living choices. Her first comment on the house – "This – can this be – her home?" instantly shows her disbelief and shock. She considers herself to be of a higher standard than Stella's modest accommodation. Although, the situation is ironic since Blanche herself is now broke and living off of promiscuity, but in order to increase her superiority and self–confidence, Blanche constantly puts Stella down. When she says – "Why didn't you let me know", "Why, that you had to live in these conditions!" she assumes Stella is unhappy with her life just because she isn't living a materialistic life like herself. All her life, Blanche has been living an upper–class life, and hence finds the idea of having something even a little less posh as appalling. She also creates the idea of difference in class while interacting with Eunice. She replies to her in a very clipped and impolite manner in order to get rid of her. She could consider herself to be superior to Eunice due to their difference in upbringing. We also see this difference when Eunice describes Belle Reve (The plantation Stella and Blanche grew up at) as ' A great big place with big white columns' – her awe and admiration brings out the class Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire In "A Streetcar Named Desire", Tennessee Williams leaves a large amount of stage direction to the actor and the director. The choices in the performance made by the latter can neither be right nor wrong, as there are so many options open for artistic interpretation. The extract from Scene three is no exception and within the dialogue there are numerous suggestions for explanation of characters, music, setting and forewarning for the audience. "The game is still going on" (page 144). The opening quote of this extract is key in foreshadowing the events of the poker night scene. It refers not only to the game Blanche plays with Stanley by belittling and flirting with him but also makes reference to Scene two ..."Lay...her cards on ...show more content... These differing personalities haul the two characters into a combat of determination, and should be captured by the highly conflicting styles of the two actors. The self–interested and pretentious discussion prior to Stella and Blanche's entry, too foreshadows cultural conflict and chaos. Stella's entrance into her house is done with a new found confidence, one essentially derived from her outing with Blanche, and her time away from Stanley. Immediately as Blanche and Stella enter the room, a gruff atmosphere is imminent, and it feels as though Stella is not welcome, even in her own home. Blanche's comment "Please don't get up" (page 145) is laughable. It is such a prima donna statement to make. If she was in fact as superior to the rest as she insinuates, she would not even bother to be so high and mighty considering the type of people she is dealing with. More often than not, Stanley is the one in total control of the space and the situation. I see him as both taller and stronger than Blanche and Stella. In terms of physicality of the characters, the power arrangement and spatial relationship has switched, and explains some of the confidence that Stella discharged. Blanche and Stella are outnumbered by the men, but it is only Stanley who is involved in the conversation, and he becomes increasingly aggressive. He is seated and involved in his poker game, his dominance is not Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Passion In A Streetcar Named Desire The passion between Stanley and Stella is palpable. That kind of passion that burns hot and intense, makes people weak with desire. These emotions generate the friction that the couple uses to repeat their bad behavior throughout the play. Stanley over indulges and becomes drunk, whereas Stella becomes angry and loud. Stanley then punishes Stella violently, with his fists. Stella retreats to the neighbor's apartment, only to return to Stanley, and thus, the cycle continues. Blanche is Stella's sister who is visiting from Mississippi. Blanche has a mental condition that she is trying to hide from Stanley and Stella. As the story unfolds, Stanley learns several hard truths about Blanche. After investigating, Stanley tells Stella the truth of Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Themes in A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire is a pessimistic work that is the "culmination of a view of life in which evil, or at least undiminished insensitivity, conquers throughout no matter what the protagonistic forces do"(Szeliski 69). In other words, sensitive individuals all meet a similar fate–crushed under the heels of those who lack sensitivity. This play is about Blanche DuBois; therefore, the main themes of the drama concern her directly. In Blanche is seen the tragedy of an individual caught between two worlds –the past world of the Southern gentlewoman and the present world of crudeness and decay–unwilling to let go of the past and unable, because of her character, to come to any sort of terms with ...show more content... She knows she is an anachronism in an alien world and yet she will not compromise. She cannot and will not surrender the dream she has of herself, and even though she wants desperately not to be lonely, it is precisely the clinging to this dream, the airs, mannerisms and sense of herself, which alienate her further. She is trapped in a terrifying contradiction. Her need to be special, to adhere to codes and a tradition no longer valid, creates an intense isolation, while simultaneously her desire to not be alone, to be loved, threatens to break through this isolation. It not only threatens, but does break through. Betrayed by love once in her life, she nevertheless seeks it in the effort to fill the lonely void; thus, her promiscuity. But to adhere to her tradition and her sense of herself as a lady, she cannot face this sensual part of herself. She associates it with the animalism of Stanley's love– making and terms it "brutal desire". She feels guilt and a sense of sinfulness when she does surrender to it, and yet she does, out of intense loneliness. By viewing sensuality as brutal desire she is able to disassociate it from what she feels is her true self, but only at the price of an intense inner conflict. Since she cannot integrate these conflicting elements of desire and gentility, she tries to reject the one, desire, and live solely by the other. Desperately seeking a haven she looks increasingly to fantasy. Taking refuge in tinsel, fine Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Major Themes of A Streetcar Named Desire Essay Major Themes of A Streetcar Named Desire There are 3 major themes in the play A Streetcar Named Desire, the first is the constant battle between fantasy and reality, second we have the relationship between sexuality and death, and lastly the dependence of men plays a major role in this book. One of the first major themes of this book is the constant battle between fantasy and reality. Blanche explains to Mitch that she fibs because she refuses to accept the hand fate has dealt her. Lying to herself and to others allows her to make life appear as it should be rather than as it is. Stanley, a practical man firmly grounded in the physical world, disdains Blanche's fabrications and does everything he can to unravel them. The ...show more content... The next major theme of the book is the relationship between sexuality and death . Blanche's fear of death manifests itself in her fears of aging and of lost beauty. She refuses to tell anyone her true age or to appear in harsh light that will reveal her faded looks. She seems to believe that by continually asserting her sexuality, especially toward men younger than herself, she will be able to avoid death and return to the world of teenage bliss she experienced before her husband's suicide. Blanche's lifelong pursuit of her sexual desires has led to her eviction from Belle Reve, her ostracism from Laurel, and, at the end of the play, her expulsion from society at large. Sex leads to death for others Blanche knows as well. Throughout the play, Blanche is haunted by the deaths of her ancestors, which she attributes to their "epic fornications." Her husband's suicide results from her disapproval of his homosexuality. Lastly the dependence of men plays an extremely large role in this book. Williams uses Blanche's and Stella's dependence on men to expose and critique the treatment of women during the transition from the old to the new South. Both Blanche and Stella see male companions as their only means to achieve happiness, and they depend on men for both their sustenance and their self–image. Blanche recognizes that Stella could be happier without her physically abusive husband, Stanley. Yet, the alternative Blanche Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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In the decades after the WWI there was this concept of the 'American Dream' that most people tried to achieve; having a career, owning your own home, and having a lot of money. The social norms consisted of a family with two parents and a child. Moreover, the father had to be the breadwinner and the mother was a stay–at–home mom. Because of the concept of the 'American Dream' both Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee 's plays criticize the American ideals about relationships and family life. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams criticizes the American way of life. The story is about Blanche who flies her hometown in Laurel, Mississippi to go and live with her sister in New Orleans. There Blanche finds out that her live is far from perfect. One of the critical points is the fact that there was a homosexual character that killed himself, Blanche's late husband. In this period in time homosexuality was a taboo. Blanche was a widow because her husband committed suicide and that is not an ideal of family life. ...show more content... In Tennessee Williams' play it is clear that Blanche is represented as a woman who wants to fit in. She and her late husband did not fit in society and Blanche lost her way when Allan committed suicide. Williams is trying to say that there is a whole hidden world with people who do not fit in, and he is bringing these people forward. On the other hand there is the family of George and Martha, who try to be the perfect family for outsiders but inside they are not so perfect, beginning with the fact that Martha cannot have children. So they can never live up to the dream of the 'perfect family.' There are problems with the 'American Dream,' and both Williams and Albee criticize on the 'real' families. But the difference between the plays is that Williams is criticizing the relationships between individual persons while Albee is more focused on the idea of Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire Analysis Essay On Saturday, May 20th, I attended a production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. This production, put on by the Scottish Ballet at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, offered a simmering story of sexuality and betrayal. Prior to my viewing of the performance, I sat in on the pre lecture where I was enlightened on the background of the story and choreographer. A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the few works to be performed as a play, a movie, and a dance production. The choreographer of this production, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, was discussed as being an accomplished artist whose love of jazz and hip hop influenced her creative decisions. The lecturer also touched upon how Williams' life affected the play. The character Stanley was said to be modelled on his own father. The story of Streetcar is also very much affected by the time in which it is set. Because the story takes place two years following the end of World War II, there is a sense of newfound modernity and resistance to the old ways. Immediately following the pre lecture, I settled into my seat and noticed how anticipatory the audience seemed. All guests were obviously excited to attend and experience the production. The lights dimmed and we were brought into the stately southern home where Blanche Dubois ' story begins. She is garbed in all white and warm, bright lights that gave us a sense of her innocence. We witness her romance and marriage to Alan and his affair with a man who he met at his wedding. Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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A Streetcar Named Desire Essays

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