A StreetCar named Desire

Sorry Sis

Have you ever desired something so much you would do anything for it? How far would you go to get what you desired? Desire is an extremely passionate word. With extreme passion comes extreme action. In Tennessee Williams play, A Street Car named Desire, a girl loses her job, home, parents and even her husband and is in a straight downfall looking for something to hang on too. Her only option is to move to New Orleans and live with her sister. Her sister is happy that she is moving in but maybe her husband is even happier? Williams through out his play uses symbolism, Motif and his unique technique to hide his hidden message.
Blanche realizes she is not appreciated right away by Stanley, when aggressively grabs the bags out of the cab. Stanley symbolizes brutality, power, dominance and attractiveness. Blanche is instantly attracted to Stanley right from the beginning. Stanley is attracted to her too. To prove this point, Stanley says “ My clothes are stickin’ to me. Do you mind if I make myself comfortable?“ Blanche answers “ Please, please do”. Stanley then goes on to say “ Being comfortable is my motto”. Blanche then says “ It’s mine, too. It’s hard to stay looking fresh. I havent washed or even powdered my face yet”. Power is a magnet, it can sense other power when its near and can not help but be attracted to another power.
Throughout the play, Stanley strongly disapproves of Blanche wearing fancy furs and clothing. He is always questioning Blanche. Stanley asks Blanche “Where’s the papers?“ Blanche answers “Everything I own is in the trunk”. Blanche says she keeps her papers in a tin box. Stanley then spots a piece of paper and says “I’ll have a look at them first”. Blanche quickly responds “The touch of your hands will insult them”. Blanche says papers are just love letters from a boy. Blanche knows what aggravates Stanley and she purposely continues to do it. When someone is afraid of someone they normally wouldn’t do something that aggravates them. This is what Blanche does, she know how to upset Stanley but she angers him anyway because she loves attention from men especially strong, manly men.
Another equally important Motif is the Varsouviana polka music. Its not polka music she is repeatedly hearing during the play it is a specific kind, Varsouviana, This exact tune was being played at Blanche and her husband’s wedding. Not only was polka music being played at their wedding but right before her husband committed suicide. The music symbolizes her husband and her sanity. The music symbolizes that her mental stability is declining. Blanche hears the music occasionally in the beginning but as the story progresses she hears the polka music more often. The Varsouviana polka music makes Blanche think about her husband and how she misses having a man in her life. Blanche believes she can only truly be happy with a man. She wants to be happy with a man the opposite of her husband someone more like her.
Stanley and Blanche are similar. They both like to have power and drink. Their similarities attract each other. Blanche is always hiding her love for drinking. For example, Stanley says “Liquor goes fast in hot weather. Have a Shot?” Blanche replies “ No, I rarely touch it”. Stanley can not control Blanche. She just doesn’t listen to him and he likes a woman who sticks up for herself. Stella is quite the contrary of Blanche; Stella does everything Stanley says and even allows him to act like a savage. “Couldn’t you call it quits after one more hand? (Stanley gives a loud whack on her thigh.) That’s not fun, Stanley. It makes me so mad when he does that in front of people” Stella makes it clear that Stanley smacking her on the thigh only makes her mad when he does it in front of people. Saying that, Stella is intending she normally accepts it and it doesn’t make her angry. Symbols are obvious and give the reader a clear understanding of what he or she wants them to know. Williams uses Motifs to get the readers imagination jogging.
Tennessee Williams uses symbolizes to clearly show the reader what he wants them to know. Williams uses Motifs to hide messages. One important Motif is light. Light reveals the truth. When Blanche moves into Stella’s apartment, the first thing she does in her room is put a piece of paper over the light to dim the room. Blanche is afraid of aging because she is afraid she is losing her beauty. Blanche meets Stanley’s friend Mitch and is “attracted” to him. Blanche’s attraction to Mitch is deceiving. She is using Mitch to make Stanley jealous. Mitch never gets to see Blanche in the light. She will only go out with him at night time. She wont go out with him during the day because the light will reveal not only her age but her true feelings. “ Mitch: (rooting in her purse) This it? Blanche: No, honey, that’s the key to my trunk which I must soon be packing. Mitch: You mean your leaving soon? Blanche: I’ve outstayed my welcome”. Blanche lies to Mitch by saying she is leaving soon. Blanche not only lies to Mitch but the scene before she kisses the paper boy.
Bathing is another clever Motif used by Williams. People bathe to purify and clean themselves. Blanche bathes more than the average person and for a reason. Blanche is always bathing to constantly purify herself but when she bathes she has a different intention than just to physically clean herself. Blanche is cleaning her soul because she know she wants Stanley but he is married to her sister who is pregnant. Blanche has been through a lot, she probably suffered severe depression which is expected for anyone who loses everything in their life like she has. Her thought process is scrambled so what seems wrong is actually right for her. Blanche just wants a man in her life and the man she wants just happens to be her sisters’ husband. Williams uses bathing and light as a Motif to reveal who Blanche really is. The climax of the play is when Stanley gets what he has been desiring the whole time, Blanche. Stanley rapes Blanche but maybe it wasn’t really rape. Blanche didn’t report the incident to anybody which makes me believe she wanted to have intercourse with him. Stanley’s quote right before he rapes Blanche is “We’ve had this date from the very beginning”. Stanley has been wanting and planning this since he met Blanche. Stella is in the hospital with Stanley’s child and even something that serious doesn’t alter his actions. Blanche wants Stella to leave Stanley not because he abuses her but for her own happiness. Blanche clearly doesn’t care about Stella’s happiness. She would have never visited her if not for her misfortune. Stanley is Blanche’s key to happiness.
Tennessee Williams uses symbols and Motifs to screen the real message. The hidden theme and message in the play is desire. Williams portrays Blanche as living in the past because she desires live her old lifestyle but her old lifestyle had a man. Williams is trying to show how desire can make people do crazy things. Blanche’s desire for a man is making her lose her sanity. Stanley’s desire for Blanche makes him commit adultery. Williams shows through Blanche that while trying to obtain what you desire you have to lose your sanity even if she has to destroy what is left of her family.