Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in A Streetcar Named Desire

Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire

Often when in convocation with another person a generally meaningless comment can have a profound ability to offend someone more than a deliberately vulgar outburst; this is due to the tone in which the person delivers his remake. Tone as described in the “Oxford Dictionary” is ‘the sound of a person’s voice, expressing a feeling or mood,’ and is an essential tool in the way people communicate with each other to express there feelings and experiences. In author “Tennessee Williams” ‘A Street Car Named desire’ a play about two sisters from the south living out there separate lives, meet again in New Orleans during a pivotal moment in each of there journeys; tone is a vital tool in expressing there emotional trials and tribulations within the book. As while reading the book it is not possible to hear the tones in which the characters use to express themselves, it is done through the stage directions. Thought the stage directions do not only evoke the tones of the play, they also foreshadow events ahead through describing symbolic happenings such as music and sound effects.

This is a preview of the whole essay

‘Tennessee Williams’ use of stage directions is one of the many keys to the great success of this play; even the first paragraph is a tribute to that. The first paragraph describes a peaceful image, “Two women, one white the other coloured” talking, which for its time would have seen as being taboo in most areas of the country. The passage continues to describe a peaceful setting where summer seems to be creeping slowly and how people of different colours mingle amongst each other. This sense of tranquility is suddenly halted by the playing of a “blue Piano” simultaneously as the men come back for there bowling match. This indicates that the blue piano is a foreshadow to trouble in the future and when ever it plays it symbolizes a problematic situation arising. This is confirmed further on within the act as when ever the piano is described, a conflict emerges. Whilst Stella and Blanche are reacquainting they start to talk about what happened to there old home the ‘Belle Reve’, when the blue piano starts playing again. In this situation the piano indicate the emotional climax of this scene, when Blanche vividly describes what trials and tribulations she has suffered whilst her sister has been away, and how badly she has come off from them. The tone of the speech is very much linked to the colour of the piano, intending the speech to portray a time of sorrow of Blanches life. The last and probably the most symbolic aspect the image of the “blue piano” withholds is the forthcoming of Stella and Stanley’s new baby. The arrival of the baby mentioned in unison with the play of the “blue piano” foreshadows that the birth or even just the babies being with strike up conflict within the characters in the book and may lead to a rift in there relationships.

Another musical effect portraying tone is the song of the Polka. The song features at the end scene one during a conversation where Blanche and Stanly were flirting. The polka song is meant to symbolize the death of Blanche’s husband; ambiguously the line “The music of the polka rises up, faint in the distance” refers to her husband in a literal sense, as to Blanche, her husbands memory is faint in the distance, from a time long past, but still it faintly lives on within her. The reminder of her husband through song is a reaction of the guilt she feels, guilt for flirting with another man, i.e. her sisters husband Stanly. This guilt uncovers her underlying feelings still for her husband and how she is still trying to grasp hold to her life that she had before her life went into turmoil. The song also foreshadows the starting of a relationship with Stanly will only lead to a negative end for Blanche and potentially suffering a similar downfall as when her husband died.

The final effect of sound used to disclose tone is laughter. Regularly in plays laughter would be used by the author to denote a light hearted or humors moment within the performance; however the appearance of laughter in “A Streetcar Named Desire” marks a moment or presence of tension between characters. Not the first occurrence of laughter used to break tension but probably the most prominent is when Stanley first offers Blanche a drink and uses a sexual metaphor to refer to her drinking. This not only reveals Stanley’s nature as a womanizer but exposes sexual tension between Blanche and her brother in law. The laugh therefore predicts a sexual entwinement between the two characters later on in the book ensuring conflicts to follow. The second important period where a laugh emoting tension occurs is during convocation between Stanly and Stella when they are arguing over whether Blanche is telling the truth about Belle Reve. This is a pivotal moment within the opening scenes for it reveals three things. Firstly that Stella is uncomfortable with her husbands over eagerness to pursue issues that do not relate to him. This makes her insecure for it means she is unable to with hold her own secrets, for if Stanly new she held them he would interrogate her until she told him or worse. The is related to the first, in that Stella feels she has no control over her life for she is forced to do what Stanly wants, which is portrayed in that he does not listen to what Stella want and interrogates Blanche; which against Stella wishes. Thirdly Stella feels Stanly is far to curious of Blanche and feels slightly threatened by her sister as she feels Blanche may steal Stanley away from her.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a play driven upon an emotional rollercoaster colliding with opposing personalities ensuring for furious confrontations. Tennessee Williams use of stage directions to provoke the tone of the characters allows for vivid imagery and powerfully tense moments.

Teacher Reviews

Here's what a teacher thought of this essay

Karen Reader

3rd of Apr 2012

This is a good essay which shows both knowledge of the text and a number of different points in relation to sound and stage direction. More quotes were needed. With better written mechanics and punctuation, it would have achieved 4 stars. ***

Did you find this review helpful? Join our team of reviewers and help other students learn

Peer Reviews

Here's what a star student thought of this essay

groat

5th of Apr 2012

Quality of writing

This essay has a solid structure, having a clear introduction defining music and its significance. I liked this approach as it allows for a focused argument which engages with the question. The conclusion is short, but weaves together the previous points to come to a justified judgement. There are numerous slips in spelling, punctuation and grammar, however. Errors such as "thought" instead of through, and "Stanly" instead of Stanley simply detract from any quality analysis in an essay. A simple proof read can make an essay appear much more sophisticated and in control as errors are ironed out.

Level of analysis

The analysis in this essay is sound, and shows potential at times. When writing about music in A Streetcar Named Desire, it is vital you talk about the blue piano. This essay picks up on this recurring situation, ably explaining how it is linked to Blanche's tragedy. Words such as "foreshadow" are used well, but I just feel this paragraph could've been more sophisticated if it spoke of the blue piano as a motif and then explained why Williams uses this. If this essay had drawn about the effectiveness of the blue piano in contextualising Blanche's tragedy to the audience, this would've gained credit for example. I know it's difficult to analyse language and imagery when the essay is asking specifically about music, but it must be present in a GCSE essay if you want to gain the top marks. If I were answering this question, I would be looking at how Blanche's speech alters when the blue piano is playing, showing how the music symbolises her loss of control evident through her language. What I particularly liked in this essay was the awareness of music being used in pivotal moments, showing how music is used to shape the structure of the play. There needed to be more quotes in the last paragraph detailing this to give some evidence, however.

Response to question

This essay responds well to the task. There is a clear appreciation of the significance of music and sound effects in A Streetcar Named Desire, and drama in general. I was slightly confused as to why they spoke of the stage directions and music enhancing the book when reading, as this shows a misinterpretation of the context. This essay picks up on the main points, but sometimes the analysis is basic. There needed to be some appreciation of dramatic effect on stage, and how the audience respond when they hear the music.

Did you find this review helpful? Join our team of reviewers and help other students learn