Blanche's world is often contrasted to the world of Stanley and Stella. Blanche firmly states the kind of world she wants: "I don't want realism...I'll tell you what i want. Magic!" In what way is Blanche's world an illusion?
Blanche's world is often contrasted to the world of Stanley and Stella. Blanche firmly states the kind of world she wants: "I don't want realism...I'll tell you what i want. Magic!" In what way is Blanche's world an illusion? We first meet Blanche in Scene 1 as she travels to her sister's flat in Elysian fields, New Orleans. Elysian Fields, being a mythological place, naturally leads Blanche to have high expectations and considering her sister's former residence of Belle Reve, Blanche is expecting something more grande than a two room flat in a less than respectable area but even when she sees it is not what she was anticipating she manages to almost romanticise it by relating it to something from an Edgar Allen Poe story ("Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar Allen Poe! - could do it justice!) Stella has adapted to the new way of life in New Orleans. She has lowered her standards and married "a different species" and in doing so she has maintained a grasp on reality. Blanche, by contrast, stayed in Belle Reve amidst the pretence that all was well, living in an ignorant bliss started generations back, of which she was the last survivor. She is one in a long line of people lost in illusion; her ancestors let Belle Reve get lost while they ignored the state of the deep South and their diminishing finances, instead favouring "epic fornications". Blanche continued this legacy, paying not only
Assess the view that Tennessee Williams use of symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire enhances the audiences understanding of the characters and themes in the play.
Assess the view that Tennessee Williams' use of symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire enhances the audiences understanding of the characters and themes in the play. Tennessee Williams' uses many literary techniques in A Streetcar Named Desire but the most valuable in constructing the plot and evoking understanding into the audience would be the technique of symbolism. The use of symbolism is effective in the due to the fact that it generates thoughts in the readers mind through a non-verbal narrative. The thoughts produced make it easier for the interpreter to form imagery and relate to the story. Williams use of symbolism help the audience to comprehend the themes and characters. One way in which symbolism is used is through the medium of light. In the beginning of the play when we learn more about the protagonist, Blanche DeBois, we find that she is not keen on the glare of a "naked light". Some may interpret this as Blanches' vain nature present as she fears people will see her faded looks. Her faded looks suggest that she is growing old and maybe the fear is less based on her vanity and in fact that she fears of being forgotten, like her ancestors and Belle Reeve which are both lost. This is further supported by her grasping for attention throughout the play and through conversations, for example when Blanche speaks to Stella she explains that men "...don't even admit
Blanche and Mitch's relationship in "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams.
English Coursework Essay - Blanche and Mitch's relationship Text studied: "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams Blanche and Mitch are two very different characters but in spite of this they connect instantly. Mitch is one of Stanley's oldest friends, and Blanche is Stella's sister. The first time they meet, they both notice a unique quality to each other. Blanche detects an awkwardness around Mitch, that makes him different from the rest of the other, boisterous boys. Mitch is curious about Blanche. She is different to all the other girls he has known, and in his eyes, she is romantic, and graceful. They share common ground because they have both lost someone they loved and they understand each other's feelings when it comes to death. I think they are drawn together because they see something in each other that they both need. Mitch needs Blanche because his mother is dying and she wants to see him settled down before she dies. Also, I think when she dies Mitch needs someone to take her place. Mitch also likes Blanche because he knows his mother would approve of her charm, intelligence and sophistication. Blanche feels she is "played out" meaning her youth is over, and her looks are fading. Instead of becoming a lonely spinster, she would rather put up with Mitch. Because of these reasons, I think that the something they see in each other is loneliness.
Explore Dramatic Tension in Scene One.
Explore Dramatic Tension in Scene One In scene one the tension doesn't really start to build until Eunice, finally, leaves Blanche alone in the flat. Blanche is physically tense herself, she sits 'stiffly' in her chair, with her legs 'pressed close together' and 'clutching her purse as if she were quite cold'. She's so nervous and for a while does nothing, the silence really builds up tension as she sits with a 'blind' look in her eyes, as if she's dazed and can't really take everything in. When the cat screeches it catches the audience off hand as they wait in anticipation for Blanche to do something. The screech adds to the tension as Blanche is even more rattled by it, and her 'startled gesture' clearly shows she's on edge. As Blanche makes and drinks a glass of whisky, it shows that she may have hidden problems. The tossing down of the drink shows she is an experienced drinker, and drinking it at this moment, when she is uncomfortable with her surroundings, maybe means she uses it as an escape to calm her nerves. Blanch clarifies this by saying 'I've got to keep a hold of myself!' to herself. Something is obviously troubling her. The tension is finally relieved after Stella returns. For a brief moment the two girls stare at each other, causing the audience to wonder how Stella will react to the unexpected guest, but they then both embrace lovingly. Once they start
Examine the Presentation of America in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
Examine the Presentation of America in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. In the first scene of the play, one of the central protagonists, Blanche DuBois, is seen arriving at Stella's (her sister) home in Elysian Fields, where 'her appearance looks incongruous to the setting'. The contrast of the character to her setting, and her conflicts with the other characters is a motif used throughout the play to explore the social and cultural changes occurring in America when the play was originally published. We are introduced to the setting of the play in scene one, a street called Elysian Fields in a run-down quarter of New Orleans. The name Elysian Fields is ironic since, in classical mythology, it is meant to be paradise; the stage directions indicate the street is anything but! The area is described as poor, and the atmosphere is one of decay. Nevertheless, the playwright reveals some affection for the place referring to its 'raffish charm' and his lyrical images of the colours the sky imparts on the buildings in the evenings. Stella's apartment is cramped and not to Blanche's taste, she sarcastically remarks that only Edgar Allen Poe, renowned for his macabre poems, could justifiably describe it and surmises that New Orleans must be the "ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir". Williams provides a more realistic portrait of an urban area through the descriptions of the noises and smells,
An Interpretation of a Streetcar Named Desire.
Vanessa Mendez Eng102.5817 Prof. Rosenblitt An Interpretation of a Streetcar Named Desire In a Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, jealousy is displayed in the character of Stanley Kowalski who was one of the protagonists of the play. Stanley Kowalski was a very arrogant man who believed everything had to go his way. Everything started when Blanche Dubois goes to visit her sister Stella Kowalski and her husband Stanley. Stanley was never nice to Blanche from the time they spent together and on. He was very disrespectful and always spoke to her with indirect statements. Stanley shows his brutality throughout the play displaying the feeling of jealousy. The first time was when he threw the radio out of the window, the second was when he hit Stella and the third was when he raped Blanche. My interpretation is that Stanley felt jealous towards Blanche because he believed that she was going to ruin his relationship with Stella. The first incident in which Stanley shows his brutality was at poker night. Poor Blanche turns on the radio in the other room; Stanley then hears the music and demands her to turn it off. When Blanche refuses he comes into the room and turns off the radio in bad manner. Then one of Stanley's friends named Mitch goes into the room and joins Blanche in a conversation. Blanche once again turns the radio on and this time she starts prancing around
The six texts represented and compared here are Macbeth, A Streetcar Named Desire, 'Enter Without So Much As Knocking,' 'Katrina,' The Collector and The Great Gatsby.
Year 11 English Literarure By Bonnie Ansems Long Essay Assignment Similarities in texts are often present and can be linked in many ways allowing readers to make comparisons. Although each text is unique in its construction there are similarities in theme, character and setting. The six texts represented and compared here are Macbeth, A Streetcar Named Desire, 'Enter Without So Much As Knocking,' 'Katrina,' The Collector and The Great Gatsby. Representations of men and women in each text will be discussed highlighting their similarities and differences as well as the relationships men and women have with each other. The challenging and reinforcing on my own notions of gender will also be discussed. Macbeth Gender is a major issue in the play Macbeth by Shakespeare representing the different roles portrayed by both men and women. Women during this medieval time were not allowed an education and played a domestic role in the home. The man however was the king of the family with absolute control. In Macbeth the female role of Lady Macbeth demonstrated the opposite of the reader's expectations of a woman in this era. She is portrayed to the reader as very assertive and plays an active and dominant role in her marriage and the plot of the play, not the traditional role of the subjugated wife. As Lady Macbeth drives her husband toward committing Duncan's murder, she indicates
Explore Williams use of dramatic symbolism in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'- English Lit
English Literature Whole text essay- Explore Williams use of dramatic symbolism in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' Tennessee Williams, once quoted as saying, "Symbols are nothing but the natural speech of drama...the purest language of plays", uses symbolism very effectively in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. This play reflects on the story of a woman's fall from grace having used her sexuality for almost all her life. Blanche is the protagonist of the play, alongside Stanley, and Williams constantly emphasises the recurring theme of these two opposing forces throughout the play. Symbolism plays an important role in the play as it allows the readers to link certain scenes of the play to the themes that Williams presents within the play. Colour is an extremely important symbol throughout the play. The description given of blanche in scene one refers to a lot of colour. "She is daintily dressed in a white suit... necklace and ear-rings of pearl, white gloves and a hat" The fact that Blanche is dressed in all white could symbolise her purity and her class. This can also be seen as ironic because as the plot develops we as readers realise that Blanche isn't as pure and innocent as she made out to be. Her appearance contrasts with the surroundings of New Orleans, "The houses are white frame...with rickety outside stairs", which immediately makes it clear that she is an outcast, and
In what ways can 'A Streetcar Named Desire' be seen as a modern tragedy?
In what ways can 'A Streetcar Named Desire' be seen as a modern tragedy? The ways in which 'A Streetcar Named Desire' by Tennessee Williams can be seen as a modern tragedy, or indeed as any tragedy is a subject of much contention. The answer lies in one's interpretation of the characters in the context of the genre; the tragedy is made or discarded depending on whether the audience's sympathy lies with Blanche or Stanley. In order to explore these interpretations one must define the features of modern tragedy as opposed to the ancient Aristotelian definition. The two share some features, such as the violation of the 'natural order' of social or personal relationships (i.e. Oedipus' incestuous relationship with his mother), and the focus on a tragic hero's fall from status, respect, and in classical tragedies from power and wealth. However, there are also stark differences in modern tragedy where (especially in Williams' plays) the hero is more likely to be feminine. Although this is not exclusive to modern tragedies - in Sophocles' 'Antigone' the protagonist is female - it is certainly a feature. Social issues are also treated more personally as the epic scale of civil unrest present in most Aristotelian tragedies is discarded in favor of a focus on a single family unit as a microcosm of social behaviour. As a result, the characters themselves become far more complex - a far
Holes-Why is it a good novel for teenagers?
Holes-Why is it a good novel for teenagers? In this essay I intend to look at why the book 'Holes', is a good novel for teenagers to read. Written by Louis Sachar in 1998, it is a modern novel telling readers a story about the life experiences of a young boy called Stanley. The story revolves around Stanley being unfairly acquitted for a crime leading to him being faced to cope with life at a juvenile detention centre. Along with this main plot, there are several other underlying smaller plots that contribute towards the success of the story as a whole. I will examine the various reasons for why this book would appeal to teenagers. There are three simultaneous plots, which creates more excitement and suspense for the reader. But the main theme is how young Stanley Yelnats IV comes to redeem the curse which was visited upon his great-great-grandfather and all the Yelnats family, through the generations, by Madame Zeroni. Stanley, the main character in the story, is falsely accused of stealing a pair of trainers, which had been donated to help raise money for the homeless shelter. These trainers weren't any ordinary trainers; they had belonged to the most famous baseball player in history, Clyde Livingstone. Stanley isn't too disheartened when he is sent away from his family to a juvenile delinquent's camp (Camp Green Lake) for a crime he did not commit, due to his
