Essay
Illusion plan
An 'A' essay plan for the question: 'Explore Williams’s presentation of illusion and reality in A Streetcar Named Desire'. Includes a written intro as well as other possible arguments.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
Explore Williams’s presentation of illusion and reality in AStreetcar Named Desire
Possible Arguments:
techniques the playwright uses by referencing uncovered and shaded
lights to convey: the contrast between transparency and secrecy, truth
and denial, reality and pretence
• Blanche prefers illusion to facing up to the reality of her life: past
failures and the shame and fear of a degraded, poverty-stricken future
• how the play compares and contrast the two sisters with regard to the
theme of reality and illusion
• extent to which Stella is a realist. Her inability to face up to the truth of
what her husband has done to Blanche; her need for an illusion for her
marriage to survive and her future to be secure
• Mitch’s illusions and disillusionment with Blanche; is he able to accept
her failings, to have a realistic view of her as a flawed character who is to
be pitied rather than condemned?
• techniques the playwright uses to convey the complexity of the cost of
Stanley’s ‘realist’ approach to life
• how the final scene is structured so as to create ambiguity in the way
the audience reacts to Blanche and whether she is ‘mad’ or not
Intro:
Tennessee Williams uses the constant battle between illusion and reality as
a theme throughout his play A Streetcar Named Desire. Characters use
illusions to escape the reality in which they are living. Each character is
shown to live their life in some degree of illusion. Blanche, the protagonist,
is the most susceptible to illusions of grandeur due to her shame of her
promiscuous past and mental instability. Stella, her sister, initially seems
like a realist but in the final scene ultimately choses illusion over reality,
condemning her sister by choosing to believe Stanley. It is notable that the
inability to face reality has subsequent, tragic consequences in order to
reveal the humanity of Williams’ characters, who are just like the
playwright himself, marred by depression and loneliness.
Para 1:
paper moon” sung “contrapuntally” to Stanley exposing truth
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller izzyalicia09. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
72042 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now