Form and Structure of ‘ A Streetcar Named Desire’.

Form and Structure of ' A Streetcar Named Desire' According to a 18th century French dramatists definition of 'A well made play', a tragedy should sequentially follow these points - 1.) Exposition (introduction of characters and situations) 2.) Conflict (a huge problem is bought to the surface) 3.) Complications (the problem develops) 4.) Climax (the most dramatic, and tension filled part of the play) 5.) Dénouement (the resolution) From studying 'A Streetcar Named Desire' it is possible to recognise that this play follows the plot formation points from the definition above. The exposition, occurs right at the beginning, when the main characters Stanley, Stella, Mitch are introduced, before they leave for the 'Four Deuces' (the local bowling alley). Following that, Blanche lands herself in front of Stella and Stanley's apartment engaging in polite conversation with Eunice (the lady who lives with her husband Steve directly above Stella and Stanley) and the Negro woman as to where she can find her sister Stella. It is not then until the Poker night in scene three when Stanley's friends Steve - Eunice's husband from upstairs and Pablo) are introduced The conflict relates to when Blanche arrives unexpectedly, there is obvious tension between Stanley and Blanche, as he is very wary of any ulterior motives she might have. This leads to tensions between Stanley and

  • Word count: 1802
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How is Blanche Dubois rendered a sympathetic character? 'A Streetcar named Desire'

How is Blanche Dubois rendered a sympathetic character? The three-act play 'A Streetcar named Desire' develops character and theme. The social and historical content reveal the character symbolically along with the narrative technique and idiolect. The text is written more like a novel then a drama, and has to be read to be fully appreciated. Blanches fear of light is put to use both literally and figuratively emphasising her need to escape reality. Her introduction describes her as a moth. The comparison of Blanche to this creature creates the idea of Blanche bringing about self-destruction, like the moth that is attracted to the light that destroys it. The light is a source of realism, a quality Blanche rejects for her fantasy world. "I wont be looked at in this merciless glare!" Blanche prefers things to be kept in the dark, where they can be kept secret to make life bearable. Blanche tries to escape her past as she does reality, but the unjust society and her own guilt prevent this and trap her in the past, replaying over and over in her mind. "There now, the shot! It always stops after that!" Blanche has authorial narrative, she realises the symbolism of the candle and the train illustrating her tragic background and uses it to dramatise her story in order to deceive Mitch. "Never for one moment...kitchen candle." Alan deceived Blanche and now Blanche is

  • Word count: 1082
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Do Tennessee Williams and F Scott Fitzgerald celebrate or condemn the American Way?

Do Tennessee Williams and F Scott Fitzgerald celebrate or condemn the American Way? According to the Americans, the American Way is an ideal way of living. It is free of the persecution and prejudice that the Pilgrim Fathers fled from in the seventeenth century. They escaped to America absconding religious persecution. They were Puritans, and so believed themselves to be "God's chosen people". This became a self-fulfilling prophecy, which lead them to aspire to build an ideal society, which would become an aspiration to other nations. The American Way meant that members of the American society would live in a meritocracy, were people work hard, competitively, honestly and in a spirit of Christian decency. " Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door." This is the poem imprinted on the Statue of Liberty in America. It approves of the American Way and believes that it will undoubtedly lead to success. In the eighteenth century, a sense of self-reliance was introduced. Benjamin Franklin's famous quote "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise" inspired members of the society to work hard in the industrialised society in order to achieve successes. This re-highlights the meritocracy in the American

  • Word count: 1309
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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"Stanley has little option but to destroy Blanche" With close reference to the characters and their motives, to what extent do you agree with this statement?

Will Higgins "Stanley has little option but to destroy Blanche" With close reference to the characters and their motives, to what extent do you agree with this statement? I feel that I am in strong agreement with this statement. Blanche interfered with Stanley's lifestyle, and he had little choice but to remove her from his world The most obvious difference between Blanche and Stanley is one of social background. Whereas Blanche comes from an old Southern family and was raised to see herself as socially elite, Stanley comes from an immigrant family and is a proud member of the working class. They meet one another in the socially turbulent postwar period in New Orleans, one of America's most diverse cities, and the facts point towards a turbulent relationship will occur between the two. Each represents values that are antagonistic to the other's chance at success in the modern world. Blanche invades Stanley's territory and is a threat to his lifestyle. He has little option but to destroy her. Within the play, Stella's loyalty serves as a symbol of that societal success. Throughout the play Blanche tries to deter Stella from Stanley, "There's even something - sub-human - something not quite to the stage of humanity yet!", "He's common!" and "There's something downright - bestial - about him!" These are some examples of this. Blanche attempts to convince Stella to leave

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Writing from the perspective of a director, about to brief the production team for"the glass menagerie", explain in detail your initial ideas for the interpretation of the playwright's stated intentions for the creation of "memory" play.

WRITING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A DIRECTOR, ABOUT TO BRIEF THE PRODUCTION TEAM FOR "THE GLASS MENAGERIE", EXPLAIN IN DETAIL YOUR INITIAL IDEAS FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PLAYWRIGHT'S STATED INTENTIONS FOR THE CREATION OF "MEMORY" PLAY, BASED CLOSELY UPON THE MATERIAL PRINTED IN THIS PAPER. In my briefing of a production team for "The Glass Menagerie" I would try to explain how I want to emphasize the fact that is a memory play. This would be done through mostly technical devices. The set should clearly convey the fact that the audience are watching a memory. I want this achieved through a non-naturalistic set. The set should be distorted as a memory often is. I want this done most through proportion. I would want things like the dinning room table and other props to be of a larger than life size; this is to emphasize how small Laura feels in comparison to the world around her. This relates to some productions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" when the would is made to appear larger than life to give a feeling of intimidation towards the character's and to highlight the lovers and mechanicals are in a different world; the world of the fairies. It also accentuates Laura's feelings of lack of control over her mother when Amanda forces her to stay seated at the table. Laura's chair should be smaller than Amanda and Tom's as they do not lack in confidence and this creates a

  • Word count: 823
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The Attitude to and Treatment of Women in A Streetcar Named Desire.

The Attitude to and Treatment of Women in A Streetcar Named Desire. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams has a great deal to say about the rôle of, the function of and the attitude towards women, which tend to reflect not only the thoughts of people in Williams' society, but modern attitudes as well. Blanche and Stella are highly detailed characters, and one can sort Williams' development of them into six categories: their clothes and appearances; their personalities, including their flaws and weaknesses; the language used by the two women and how it differs from that of other characters; the treatment of the two women by the men in the play; their treatment of each other; and finally the conflicts that each of the women gets involved in. The last three categories may be examined as one, since the treatment of the women and their conflicts are almost the same thing. To start with, the most obvious way in which the women are portrayed is their appearance. This is perhaps the most important and effective method, at least early on, of establishing the personalities of characters in a play. Williams certainly seems to believe this: the stage directions for Blanche's entrance are explicit, and several fitting adjectives and adverbs are used: "delicate", "fluffy", and "daintily" are examples. With her pearl earrings, and her gloves, her whole person conjures the image

  • Word count: 2347
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Scene VI in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar named Desire is very important to the view that the audience have of Blanche DuBois.

Scene 6 Prep Scene VI in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar named Desire is very important to the view that the audience have of Blanche DuBois. The scene shows the side of her character that may detract from the sympathy that the audience have for her but also an incredibly touching account of the death of her husband which creates a great deal of pity from the audience. Williams utilises the light and polka music to create a degree of sympathy but also the dramatic manner in which Blanche expresses her feelings can portray to the audience what she has been through and create an air of sympathy for her. The main item in scene VI that creates sympathy for Blanche is the account of the death of her husband. At the beginning of the description, the audience will know that Blanche will have difficulty expressing what she is trying to say due to the fact that she cannot make eye contact with Mitch whom she is talking to; "[She crosses to the window and sits on the sill, looking out.]" This creates a more reflective atmosphere in the scene and immediately changes the way the audience sees Blanche as opposed to earlier in the play where sympathy for her is limited due to the spoilt manner in which she behaves, especially towards Stella; "Run to the drug store and get me a lemon coke with plenty of chipped ice in it!" This perhaps catches the audience's attention to make them take

  • Word count: 1549
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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With an examination of this scene as you starting point, explore the ways in which Williams presents and uses the relationship of Blanche and Mitch in the play as a whole.

Mitch Says to Blanche at the end of Scene 6: "You need somebody. And I need somebody too. Could it be you and me, Blanche?" With an examination of this scene as you starting point, explore the ways in which Williams presents and uses the relationship of Blanche and Mitch in the play as a whole. Blanche and Mitch open scene six in a depressing and downbeat mood. The evening had failed and they are downhearted by their meagreness. They discuss their past relationships and through this we see a likeness between them. Mitch thinks he has been dull and hasn't been "entertaining" - "I'm afraid you haven't gotten much fun out of this evening." Blanche attempts to lighten the atmosphere as she pretends they are in French café, however this fails and this emphasises her inability to cope with reality as she is isolated in her imagination. Blanche laughs and says, "Is that streetcar named desire still grinding along at this hour." This metaphor also stresses her desire to escape the real world, as she grinds on in this dreary life. This want to escape is present throughout the play, as we see Williams constantly make Blanche bathe and drink. These are two ways in which Williams presents Blanche's guilt of her promiscuous past. Her guilt is escapable for Blanche and two things she frequently indulges in, - play a part in this distraction from the remorse. Blanche is seen drinking a

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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What impression of Blanche is created in the first scene of A Streetcar named disire?

What impression of Blanche is created in the first scene? Blanche is an extremely volatile, and is physically and emotionally insecure character to say the least. Her instabilities range from excessive vanity, to a need for alcohol, and a need to find unconditional love. Indeed, one could say that Blanche was a brought up as a prim and proper lady, yet in reality, like the white she is often referred to, time has tainted her. Prior to Blanches introduction, an atmosphere is set that is greatly linked to Blanche, while set in "Elysian fields" the setting is quite different to its name. Primarily, the houses have a white frame, weathered gray implying innocence lost. This idea is set many times throughout the course of this play in relation to Blanche. Even in the introduction, this idea is used a number of times with phrases like; "faded white stairs", & "the dim white building". An "atmosphere of decay" is depicted through out the play with the colour "brown". Be it the "brown river", or even the whiskey Blanche relies on, brown tends to symbolize negative facts. This taps into another idea, one could also say that colour plays a big part for blanche, as it does not only coincide with her love of fashion, but the book lets it, and music display emotions felt in specific parts of scenes. This is evident especially by the music playing in the background, "the blue piano".

  • Word count: 1827
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Williams use Imagery and Symbolism to good Dramatic Effect

How does Williams use Imagery and Symbolism to good Dramatic Effect Throughout the play symbolism is used to capture attention and to appeal to viewers' emotions. It is expressed through music, colour and imagery all of which help to heighten tension and reflect the atmosphere created by an impending force. The actions involved in the development of imagery and symbolism in the characters are, for example, Blanche's sitting, her whisky drinking, her jumping, etc, actions which show her nervous personality of a stressed woman. "Blanche sits in a chair very stiffly with her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed together...as if she were quite cold..." (page 6). Then her falling or slumping may show, apart from her stress, her insecurity and unpredictability. Then Stanley's throwing of the meat to Stella shows the male dominance of those times, the little respect towards women. Playing poker gives reference to gambling and therefore risk, maybe the risk of Stanley losing Stella due to his treatment towards her, the risk of Blanche being discovered about her lies, or the risk of Blanche ending up having sex with Mitch or Stanley. When Stanley undresses in front of Blanche, Williams suggests sexual intentions and the same happens when Blanche asks Stanley to help her dressing up. This is imagery intended to make the viewers see that there is more behind these simple

  • Word count: 1524
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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