In A Street Car Named Desire Tennessee Williams uses music and sound to help symbolise certain themes

Then at the very end of the final scene, when Blanche has gone the drums can not be heard and the trumpet is playing faintly along with the 'blue piano'. This shows that everything has calmed down now that Blanche has gone.

'The luxurious sobbing, the sensual murmur fade away under the swelling music of the 'blue piano' and the muted trumpet.'

This shows that life carriers on and is starting to go back to normal. The music from the 'blue piano' can be heard throughout the play this shows that life always continues no matter what happens.

Another major factor of music in this play is the 'Varsouviana', a type of polka music. Tennessee Williams uses this to symbolise Blanches past and her young husband. This is first shown at the end of scene one when Blanche is reminiscing about her young husband,

'The music of the polka rises up, faint in the background.'

The music is only faint at the moment because we don't know much about her past, but then when Blanche is telling Mitch about her young husband, in

scene six, the polka music is more distinctive,

'Polka music sounds, in a minor key faint with distance.'

Although the music is still only faint it is much more dramatic and clear now it is been played in a minor key. There is still things about her past that we don't yet know. Then when she finishes telling Mitch about her husband the polka music increase and then finally fades away. This could show that although we know everything about her husband we don't know everything about her past.

Then when Stanley confronts Blanche about her past and gives her a ticket back to Laurel The 'Varsouviana' can be heard.

'The 'Varsouviana' music steals in softly and continues.'

The music represents Laurel and it is slowly stealing her back, it is taking her back to her past. Then later on in the evening the tune can be heard much more clearly,

'The rapid, feverish polka tune, the 'Varsouviana' is heard. The music is in her mind; she is drinking to escape it and the sense of disaster closing in on her, and she seems to whisper the word os the song.'

Her past is haunting her, she can't it so she turns to drink.

The last time the 'Varsouviana' can be heard is in the final scene, when Blanche is been collected by the Doctor and Matron. It is faintly playing in the background and eventually is over taken by the 'blue piano'. This shows that Blanches past is all out and we know everything about her husband, she can finally move on and begin a new life.

However the polka music is not he only thing Tennessee Williams uses to help build on the character of Blanche. He also uses the Radio to symbolise Blanche herself. This is shown in scene three, during the poker night. Blanche turns the radio on and Stanley doesn't like this,

'Stanley: Who turned that on in there?'

'Blanche: I did. Do you mind?

'Stanley: Turn it off!'

This could be a metaphor for the way Stanley feels about Blanche, he doesn't like and he doesn't want her around. Then it goes on to say,

'Stanley stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom. He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out of the window.'

This is what Stanley wants to Blanche. Tennessee Williams has also made the look of the radio is very similar to Blanche. It is small and white just like Blanche is.

Tennessee Williams also uses the sound of the L and N tracks to help build up the character of Blanche. The L and N tracks could symbolise the truth that Blanche has been hiding about herself. A good example of this in scene six when Blanche is telling Mitch about her young husband. The stage

directions say,

'A locomotive is heard approaching outside. She clasps her hands to her hands to her ears and crouches over. The headlights of the locomotive glares into the room as it thunders past.'

Blanche is hiding from the noise of the locomotive just like she is hiding from the truth and her past. This builds on the character of Blanche because it shows that she is hiding form the past and that she must be ashamed of her past and therefore this builds atmosphere because we want to know why she is hiding from her past.

In conclusion Tennesse Williams uses the music and sound in the novel "A Streetcar Named Desire" very well as throughout the novel it delivers a sense of atmosphere and helps give us a better understanding of the characters.