A Streetcar Named Desire Rhetorical Analysis
I believe the primary theme of A Streetcar Named Desire is madness as the result of a disconnect between idealism and reality. The main character of the play, Blanche DuBois, refuses to face reality, keeping her past mistakes and losses hidden from those around her by hiding in the shadows of madness and deception. She wishes nothing more than to escape from who she is, avoiding the interrogation lamp of life at all costs to conceal her depressing past and frightening present. In doing so, she falls more and more away from what was genuine as she wanted to live in a world of magic where none existed, forcing her into a pit of insanity and depression as her past finally catches up with her. A significant rhetorical strategy employed by Tennessee
Williams is the allusion of the song, “It’s Only a Paper Moon” by Harold Arlen. The song speaks on how love becomes an overwhelming aspect people’s lives, causing dependency as it morphs their reality to fantasy: “It’s only a paper moon, just as phony as it can be— But it wouldn’t be make-believe If you believed in me!” (Williams 120-122). The song alludes to the illusory world she lives in and the desire for someone to join in on it through love as she slowly descends into madness, relying heavily on others to fuel her delusions. In the end, though the book began at a considerably slow pace, it manifested into a magnificent work of art, sufficiently grabbing the audience’s attention as it spirals through a rainbow of emotions. The book battles through many controversial topics, evoking strong and sympathetic emotions towards select characters and anger toward others, happiness in certain situations and downright bafflement in others. All in all, it was pure, an all-around amazing story as it most certainly engages the audience, tugging on their emotions and pulling them into the storyline by walking side-by-side each character as they make their way on stage.
Williams is the allusion of the song, “It’s Only a Paper Moon” by Harold Arlen. The song speaks on how love becomes an overwhelming aspect people’s lives, causing dependency as it morphs their reality to fantasy: “It’s only a paper moon, just as phony as it can be— But it wouldn’t be make-believe If you believed in me!” (Williams 120-122). The song alludes to the illusory world she lives in and the desire for someone to join in on it through love as she slowly descends into madness, relying heavily on others to fuel her delusions. In the end, though the book began at a considerably slow pace, it manifested into a magnificent work of art, sufficiently grabbing the audience’s attention as it spirals through a rainbow of emotions. The book battles through many controversial topics, evoking strong and sympathetic emotions towards select characters and anger toward others, happiness in certain situations and downright bafflement in others. All in all, it was pure, an all-around amazing story as it most certainly engages the audience, tugging on their emotions and pulling them into the storyline by walking side-by-side each character as they make their way on stage.