A Streetcar Named Desire Symbolism Analysis
Kennedi Dodrill
Ms. Albright
Honors English 11
7 March 2016
Characterization Through Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire In the 1940s, modernist plays were in the rise to fame. This is because modernist plays portrayed real life during the time period. One of the most famous modernist plays of this time that portrayed the somewhat harsh reality of the 1940s in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The play is set in New Orleans in the 1940s and it portrays the life of Blanche Du Bois, the main character. The play follows Blanche’s life living with her sister, Stella Kowalski, and Stella’s husband, Stanley. Blanche is a delusional and flirtatious liar who lies to everyone about almost every aspect of the life, especially her past and her age. She was born into an upper class southern family in the South, but due to her somewhat traumatizing past, Blanche moved to New Orleans with her sister to escape and start over. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams characterizes Blanche Du Bois through symbolism by exploiting certain elements relevant to her life. …show more content…
Bathing is a symbol Williams uses to characterize Blanche because it is Blanche’s method of stress relief. Blanche bathes multiple times throughout the play. As Blanche verbally expresses, bathing gives her a “brand new outlook on life” which is a reference to a refreshing and calming sensation (np). For example, Blanche bathes while Stella and Stanley talk about her delusional behavior. At this point, Stanley does not want Blanche living with them anymore. Although Blanche was oblivious to the fact, Williams incorporated the symbol of bathing into this particular scene to emphasize the importance of the impact that bathing has on Blanche psychologically and even
Ms. Albright
Honors English 11
7 March 2016
Characterization Through Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire In the 1940s, modernist plays were in the rise to fame. This is because modernist plays portrayed real life during the time period. One of the most famous modernist plays of this time that portrayed the somewhat harsh reality of the 1940s in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The play is set in New Orleans in the 1940s and it portrays the life of Blanche Du Bois, the main character. The play follows Blanche’s life living with her sister, Stella Kowalski, and Stella’s husband, Stanley. Blanche is a delusional and flirtatious liar who lies to everyone about almost every aspect of the life, especially her past and her age. She was born into an upper class southern family in the South, but due to her somewhat traumatizing past, Blanche moved to New Orleans with her sister to escape and start over. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams characterizes Blanche Du Bois through symbolism by exploiting certain elements relevant to her life. …show more content…
Bathing is a symbol Williams uses to characterize Blanche because it is Blanche’s method of stress relief. Blanche bathes multiple times throughout the play. As Blanche verbally expresses, bathing gives her a “brand new outlook on life” which is a reference to a refreshing and calming sensation (np). For example, Blanche bathes while Stella and Stanley talk about her delusional behavior. At this point, Stanley does not want Blanche living with them anymore. Although Blanche was oblivious to the fact, Williams incorporated the symbol of bathing into this particular scene to emphasize the importance of the impact that bathing has on Blanche psychologically and even