How does Williams present conflict in A Streetcar Named Desire?

feel validated. When she first sees Stella she egotistically shows off her figure for her sister, “I want you to look at my figure! I haven’t put on one ounce in ten years”. As well as blatantly prompting Stanley “I was fishing for a compliment”. This demonstrates her insecurity underneath a facade of confidence as well as narcissistic tendencies. This “awful vanity” often appeared amongst Southern Belles as their luxurious lifestyles encouraged them to focus on little more than their looks to find a husband and retain respect in their communities, for example covering themselves with gloves and parasols in order to prevent a working-class tan. Blanche fits this stereotype perfectly with her “incongruous” appearance, “looking as if she were arriving to a summer tea or cocktail party.” However, although Blanche’s social standing has drastically changed and now all of her belongings fit into one single trunk, she demonstrates an air of superiority around her, especially when talking to people she deems as being socially inferior compared to her. This is shown in Scene Two when she describes Stanley as being “a little bit on the primitive side I should think”. By using the adjective “primitive”, she subtly infers that he is unsophisticated and simple which therefore shows how she feels she is above him socially and intellectually. Her artful dig also goes unrecognised, which perhaps supports her point that she is better educated. Stanley is much more direct which becomes especially clear in Scene Two when he questions Blanche on the loss of Belle Reve and in particular the “papers” and finances, something that someone of the upper socioeconomic class may find vulgar or crass. He becomes easily frustrated with her when she doesn’t answer him frankly and says he doesn’t “want no ifs, ands, or buts! What’s all the rest of them papers?”. In addition to speaking about sensitive matters very bluntly, Williams uses poor grammar in comparison to Blanche’s and a heavy use of colloquialism. Blanche’s language is sophisticated, showing the audience that she is well educated, unlike Stanley who has a narrow range of vocabulary. The difference between the way in which they speak to each other, Blanche being subtle and refined compared to Stanley being straightforward and comfortable, shows the difference in their upbringing and thus their societies. Blanche was taught that manners are important above all else, even when insulting people and Stanley demonstrating a lack of “proper” decorum that someone like Blanche might expect. Williams uses the societal differences between Blanche and Stanley to convey the inevitable conflict that is being caused by the rise of a new social order, and these two characters serve as devices for Williams to present the contemporaneous societal changes through World War II, the American civil war and in turn the abolition of slavery meant that there was great hierarchal change in the Southern states. Although slavery was abolished in 1865, segregation was still legal for a long time and plantations relied on cheap black labour. This, combined with World War II and the Great Depression, meant that liberal and progressive attitudes were becoming more common in the Deep South and this threatened the way of life of plantation owners. A sense of bitterness remained in the South long after the civil war and it isolated itself from the North, blaming racial minorities and the lower class for causing the disruption and upsetting the power balance. In Scene One, the description of Elysian Fields could represent the conflict between the upper and working class. The “white frame, weathered grey” and “faded white stairs” represents what’s happening to Blanche and the people with the same colonial background as her; they are slowly losing their supposed virtuousness. The colour “white” has connotations of purity and innocence, which perhaps could show how the South was once seen as innocent in terms of slavery, and since its abolition and people are starting to realise how horrific it was, the South is becoming tainted “grey” with guilt. The period of prosperity it once had is starting to fade and their freedom from blame goes with it. The “dim white building” shows that the purity and whiteness is fading, and it could be symbolising the already fading old American society being engulfed by the sky, that’s a “peculiar tender blue”, representing the new South. This indicates that the old southern American values are being subdued by the new American values. Alternatively, this description of the setting could be foreshadowing Blanche’s mental deterioration. Elysian Fields is a heaven for heroes in Greek mythology, and the stairs are reminiscent of a staircase leading to heaven which develops the idea that this place will lead to Blanche’s demise.