The clear theme of “A Streetcar Named Desire” is alcoholism and insanity. Throughout the book many hints are thrown at readers such as myself that Blanche’s mental state is not very well. It seems that Stanley saw through her right from the start. She lies repetitively and she openly stated it to Mitch. “I don’t want realism. I want magic!...Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people, I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell the truth, I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it!” (Pg. 117). Also, when she becomes inebriated, she sees, says and makes up things. “[Lurid reflections appear on the wall around Blanche. The shadows are of a grotesque and menacing form. She catches her breath, crosses to the phone and jiggles the hook]” (Pg. 128)
Symbolism also plays a key role in this story. In Scene Nine when Mitch comes over Stan’s apartment for the last time to see Blanche, he openly realizes that he had never seen Blanche in the light before. “I don’t think I ever seen you in the light. That’s a fact!...I’ve never seen you in the afternoon…you always make and excuse. You never want to out till after six and then it’s always some place that’s not lighted much” (Pg. 116) The archetypal significance of the night or dark is fear, society out of control, the witching hour or femininity. In which case, Blanche is afraid of her age, and rejection by men. Even when she is being taken away to a mental institution she finds comfort in the male doctor and lets him take her away rather than the Matron, who was a female. The witching hour can be associated with lies which Blanche is highly capable of.
I really liked this story. While I was reading it I tried deciphering the eight pictures in the middle. I only really figured out what they were about at the end where she is detained. There were many surprises during the whole read which intrigued me and reeled me in to only want to read more. Tennessee Williams is a spectacular writer and I wouldn’t mind reading another one of his pieces.
I also wouldn't mind reading another of Williams' literary pieces. It's great that you mentioned symbolism because i also noticed that there were symbols through out the book, like the polka music that's always playing. The thing that shocked me toward the end of the book was that Stanley had the nerve to rape Blanche. Can you believe that?
ReplyDeleteI know! That really made me mad. I couldn't believe it. Because he did that he made Blanche even more right about his brute chauvinistic nature. I was rooting for him to do the right thing throughout the whole book but he only disappointed me constantly.
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