Summary
Summary Streetcar themes
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Summary of 3 pages for the course AS Unit 1 - Prose and Drama at WJEC (.)
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Themes in Streetcar named desire1. Fantasy/illusion
2. Old south/new south
3. Cruelty
4. Primitive and the primal
5. Desire
6. Loneliness
7. Romance vs realism
Comparative themes:
Sexuality
Female sexuality
Powerless women
Death and morality
Violence
Guilt
Madness
Desire + fate
> Streetcar ‘desire’ ‘cemeteries’ metaphor for Blanche’s life – driven by sexual passion and finally
ending up in the ‘living death’ of the asylum. Also streetcar running unswervingly along the
rails/predetermined course to its destination – symbol of inescapability of life. Is the final destination of
Stella shown in Eunice? ‘Haven’t you ever ridden on that streetcar?’ and ‘it brought me here’ - when the
sisters speak of sexual desire using imagery of streetcar. Blanche presents herself as a romantic,
clutching to notions of star-crossed lovers, but when faced with a true love story, she balks. In theory,
Blanche should be supportive of her sisters marriage of an epic love story between the princess and
commoner, but her romanticism is the cover for her true cynicism of one who loves calculatingly, for
money, power and security.
> Promiscuity versus security – Blanch driven from one sexual encounter to the next, incapable of
committing herself to a permanent relationship. When Blanche longs for Mitch to marry her she is not
seeking a permanent sexual relationship, but the material security of a home of her own ‘The poor
man’s Paradise – is a little peace’ . Williams message = to be driven by desire is destructive, but the
victims, whether one of overpowering passion or the thrill of promiscuous encounters are carried along
helplessly, unable to escape eg Blanche’s encounter with the young boy, her elusive and dishonest
drinking – seeming to ensure she will not become the contented housewife she hopes to be. Blanche
says to the young collector ‘You make my mouth water’ – in theory talking about cherry soda but the
sexual innuendo is obvious, suggesting Blanche imagines in a very sensual way what it would be like to
get to know him better. Force of desire drives Stella too, as she has abandoned her luxury life and her
integrity to her passion for Stanley. She chooses sexual passion over loyalty to her sister, but staying
with Stanley also represents the domestic security that Blanche can never leave. Stella talks about her
own passion ‘But there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark – that sort of
make everything else seem – unimportant’
> Roaring locomotive at a dramatic moment (Blanche’s condemnation of Stanley s4, her description of
her husband’s suicide s6, just before rape scene s10). Signify Blanche’s fate is sealed from the
beginning of the play. The lights of the locomotive land on Blanche to signify reality and truth,
suggesting her world of illusion will not continue.
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