Discuss the theme of illusion and reality in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Ali Llewellyn K

Corrigan has said that “the conflict between Blanche and Stanley is an externalisation of the conflict that goes on within Blanche between illusion and reality.” Discuss the theme of illusion and reality in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Blanche and Stanley are the two protagonists in A Streetcar Named Desire, and their views are polarised. Stanley represents complete realism and Blanche is fantastical and idealistic, the schism between the two clearly shows the struggle between reality and illusion in the play. Stanley’s aim is to obliterate the nostalgic and fantastical reverie that dominates Blanche’s mindset. The title of the play suggests a struggle between reality and illusion as the mundane concreteness of “streetcar” and the abstract quality of aspiration evoked in “desire” point to the juxtaposition of conflicting themes of realism and dreams.

Blanche lives in a dream world, her reference to a “Barnum and Bailey world” in scene seven exposes the “phony” world she has created in her mind. Blanche’s singing is juxtaposed with Stanley’s exposition of the lies she has told; it suggests that subconsciously Blanche is admitting that she is aware that underneath her fantasies are half-truths and lies. Blanche’s caprices often show that in her subconscious she is always cognisant of her past behaviour. She calls Mitch “Samson” and this makes her Delilah, showing her to be capable of betraying and destroying men. In addition, when she tells Mitch that she has “old-fashioned ideals” she “rolls her eyes, knowing he cannot see her face”. She even admits to Stella that she has knowingly lied to her as she talks of putting “on soft colours”, creating “temporary magic” to attract men.

However, later in the play after she has been unmasked and abused by Stanley, she has almost completely retreated into her fantasies as she confuses her admittance to a hospital with a trip to the Caribbean with Shep Huntleigh. Even though she realises that the doctor is “not the gentleman [she] was expecting”, Blanche goes with him anyway because she cannot cope with the physical reality that was imposed on her by Staley when he rapes her, remarking that she has “always depended on the kindness of strangers”.

It appears that Blanche does not see the illusions she creates as ...

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It appears that Blanche does not see the illusions she creates as morally wayward, she sees it as purely a mode for survival. Her lies make her “soft and attractive” and will secure her “protection”. Light is used by Williams to emphasise the differences in people’s approaches to life. Being able to face a “naked light bulb” means the ability to confront life directly and with honour. It shows an ability to face the truth, however bitter it may be. Blanche cannot stand bright light. She has made the mistake of being “deluded” by Allan’s entry into her life; a “blinding light”. His suicide left her in desolation and darkness as the “searchlight on the world” was extinguished. Ever since his death, she has avoided light, the symbol of truth. Light is an enemy to her, for she knows it can destroy her illusions. When Mitch pulls her into the light to expose the truth of her appearance and age, Blanche’s dream world is destroyed. She is left with no hope and no future. The headlight of the locomotive frequently passing outside also brings on the same fear of exposure.

Stanley aims to ruin Blanche’s dreams. He is obsessed with unmasking her lies and wants pure, harsh realism to prevail. He tells Blanche of how his disapproves of women who put on airs and graces and who “give themselves credit for more than they’ve got”. He is “simple, straightforward and honest” and is fanatical about rooting out Blanche’s dreams and aspirations because he is obsessed with frankness and candour. Interestingly, this is the quality that will secure Stanley success in the new American society; he is not vain but instead has an animalistic “drive”. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Willy Loman naively believes that if a person is attractive and popular, the entire world opens up for him, guaranteeing success and answering the American Dream. Unfortunately, Willy confers his philosophies to his sons. As a result, Biff. A star football player in high school feels like he can get by in life on his looks and personality. Like Blanche, Willy and Biff are deluded because they believe “attractiveness” will bring success. Even though Willy begins to believe this is no longer true as he becomes a reject of society, he continues to fool himself because he cannot continue without his illusions; they are his security. Similarly, even after blanche has been unmasked, she continues to fuss over her appearance, it is the only way she knows how to live and she cannot change and survive in the prevailing Darwinian society becoming evident in America.

Stanley tries to silence Blanche as he finds her loquacious nature irritating and thinks of it as a waste of time, shouting “cut the rebop” as she digresses from the point. Stanley sees Blanche as the biggest threat; she is his nemesis because her values are the complete opposite of his. He destroys her completely as he dismantles her dream world. Exposing her as a fraud and finally obliterating her sustaining belief that she could find safety and “protection” in men by raping her. Blanche’s ideals become so confused that she cannot face reality at all; Stanley has only pushed her further into her dreams.

Reality and illusion come into conflict in the play under the guise of these two characters, however, neither wins as Blanche becomes completely deluded and bewildered and Stanley has not managed to make her face reality, as he desperately wanted to do. Ironically, there is a strong sense at the close of the play that Stanley will come under threat from the reality and honesty he tries so hard to uphold; the sense that his marriage will suffer as Stella carries the enduring doubt as to whether Stanley is innocent. Blanche constantly faces reality and then retreats into her dream world in A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley is the brutal adversary who desperately tries to suppress Blanche’s imagination, and instead only pushes her away as she retreats completely into fantasia.