Themes within 'A Streetcar Named Desire': Illusion v Reality pt 1

?
View mindmap
  • A Streetcar Named Desire: Tension Between Illusion and Reality
    • 'white suit'
      • Technique:Colour imagery
      • Analysis: introduction of Southern Belle façade
        • Innocence, chastity, moral purity, affluence
    • 'Yes?...Yes...Yes.'
      • Monosyllabic replies
        • Evasive, hiding her dark and promiscuous past from Eunice
          • Attempt to start a new life in her Southern Belle façade
    • 'rhinestone tiara she wore to a costume ball'
      • Antithetical images
        • Symbolic of Blanche's façade of affluence, depicts her nostalgia of a wealthier life, which she is haunted by and can't let go
    • 'coloured paper lantern'
      • Stagecraft/motif
        • Throughout the play, remains a symbol of fear of exposure and Blanche's deep-rooted fear of reality
    • 'I can't stand a naked lightbulb'
      • Photophobia
        • Naked bulb signifies lack of wealth/lack of care for rich decoration, implies Blanche's insecurity about hiding her impurity and impoverished state
    • 'Shep Huntleigh'
      • Motif
        • Functions as Blanche's fantasy of a chivalric Southern gentelmansaviour
          • Clings onto in order to keep herself grounded and hopeful of escape
            • Significant that she remains reliant on a man for help
    • '[without waiting for him to accept] + 'My Rosenkavalier!'
      • Allusion to opera and skilful juxtaposition
        • Opera - 'the knight with the roses
          • Emphasises Blanche's desire to be bourgeoisie by affiliating herself with middle and upper class leisure activities
          • Forcing Mitch to conform to chivalric Southern gentleman figure whilst she had previously been preying on a young boy
            • Reality = predatory, promiscuous woman
    • '[Blanche is singing in the bathroom a saccharine popular ballad which is used contrapuntally with Stanley's speech]'
      • Juxtaposition in stagecraft
        • The tension between illusion and reality, an unveiling of her façade
          • Dramatic irony is catalysed by Blanche's maintenance of her façade in the bathroom, which is contrasted by Stanley  destroying her façade
    • 'Say,its only a paper moon'
      • Juxtaposition
        • Optimistic tone, wish for Mitch's trust, blissful ignorance
    • 'scarlet satin robe'
      • Colour imagery
        • Comparison to white, seductive - façade is crumbling
    • '[he tears the paper later off the light-bulb'
      • Violent verb
        • Literally and metaphorically tears Blanche's façade down
          • Fear of reality/exposure removal from blissful ignorance,defenceless
    • '[moves in awkward imitation, like a dancing bear]'
      • Zoomorphic simile
        • Comical, absurd, and animalistic image
          • The zoomorphic image 'bear' implies that Mitch can be primate and dangerous just like Stanley
            • Portraying Mitch's attempt to conform to the Old Southern gentleman stereotypeand to Blanche's chivalric Old Southern gentleman saviour figure fantasy

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar English Literature resources:

See all English Literature resources »See all A Streetcare Named Desire resources »