The symbol of the moth in the play is used to represent Blanche’s, and her class’, vulnerability in the modern world of New Orleans. From the first stage directions, Williams presents us with this image, of ‘white clothes that suggest a moth’. Her ‘delicate beauty’ must avoid ‘strong light’. This is referring to both her age and again reinforces the moth like imagery. Another symbol depicting blanches nature is that of the paper lantern and how she cannot ‘stand a naked light bulb’. This has a double meaning, typical to Williams’ style. Blanche hates her aging beauty, and wishes to hide it. But, on a greater scale, she wishes to avoid the ‘harsh light of truth’, the reality of her life. In later scenes the audience fully understands the extent of her delusions, but foreshadowing is present from the very beginning.
Blanch adopts many personas during this play, in reaction to different aims or situations. She attempts to be a perfect sister figure to Stella, adopting what she thinks is the correct attitude, patronisingly commenting on ‘Stella for star’s ‘pretty mouth’. When interacting with Mitch, and the ‘Young Man’, Blanche seems to be a glamorous seductress. Williams directs the actress to ‘slip on’ a ‘dark red satin’ wrapper when with Mitch, which is suggestive, and symbolic of romance and passion. When talking to the young man, she adopts an exotic turn of phrase, calling him a ‘young prince’ out of the ‘Arabian Nights’, and stating that her ‘makes (her) mouth water’. After Blanche gets what she wants, the thrill of having power over a man, and someone’s complete attention, she dismisses him, telling him to ‘run along’.
A recurring theme found in A Streetcar Named Desire is a constant conflict between reality and fantasy, actual and ideal. Blanche says "I don't want realism, I want magic." This recurring theme is read most strongly in Williams' characterization of Blanche DuBois and the physical tropes that she employs in her pursuit of what is magical and idealized: the paper lampshade she employs to cover the harsh white light bulb in the living room, her chronically deceptive recounting of her last years in Belle Reve, the misleading letters she presumes to write to Shep Huntleigh, and a pronounced tendency toward excess consumption of . As one critic writes, "Blanche spins a cocoon linguistically for protection. Blanche creates her own fantasy world through the characters she plays, such as the damsel, southern belle or school teacher. She wears her costumes creating a façade to hide behind, concealing her secrets and attempting to reach her former glory, and illustrating her narcissism and inability to relate to others in a "normal" sense. Really she is living a lie.