A Streetcar Named Desire Light Analysis

In Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, there is a constant battle between fantasy and reality. Blanche represents the desire to escape reality and her adversary, Stanley, represents the harsh reality of life. The battle between these two forces is revealed to the audience through the symbolic use of light and darkness in the play.
Blanche is so traumatized and burdened by the reality of her life that her only way to cope is to retreat into a fantasy world. She comes to stay with her sister, Stella, as a last resort to keep her delusions alive. Blanche is greatly disturbed when she arrives at Stella’s place and sees no remnants of their past wealthy life that she is fighting so hard to preserve. In Scene one, the audience learns of
In Scene five before the young paper boy appears, it is stated that there is a glimmer of lightning about the building. This is a clue to the audience that they are about to witness a glimmer of the true Blanche. After Blanche practically sexually harasses the young boy, it makes the rumors about her seem believable because it is clear that she is caught up in her fantasy world. Blanche herself even discusses light in the context of losing her husband, “And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned off again and never for one moment since has there been any light that’s stronger than this—kitchen—candle…” In this admission it becomes clear, not that the light is gone from Blanche’s life, but that she no longer has the will to face it. In conclusion, “A Streetcar Named Desire” pits reality and fantasy against each other. Blanche’s internal battle between these two forces is intensified when she meets Stanley. Stanley’s goal is to make Blanche face reality. However, in the end Stanley’s cruelty causes Blanche to withdrawal into her fantasy world