FREE ESSAY ON A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

While it can be argued that all of the characters in Tennese Williams' play, A Streetcar
Named Desire are living in an illusion, I do not think that all the characters are living
an unreal existence, however some are, in particular Blanche, Stella and Stanley. 
Blanch, to some extent, is living in her own fantasy world plagued with delusions and
outbursts. It is quite obvious that she is living an illusion. Stella is living an unreal
existence in regards to the way in which she likes to pretend she is living in a happy
home. Stanley is also, however to a much lesser extent, living an unreal existence. He is
very self-centered and towards the end he seems to be living a life nearly devoted to
breaking down Blanche. We can see why and in what way these characters are living an
unreal existence through exploring the major themes of this play and their relation to
the characters in regards to living in a world that is not reality. These themes include
reality versus illusion, confronting reality, male domination and truth versus lies.
Reality versus illusion is one of, if not the major theme of the play. It also has the
most relevance to the way in which Blanche, Stanley, and Stella are living in their own
fantasy world. Perhaps the reason Blanche chose illusion rather than reality is because
of her somewhat troubled past. When Blanche was 16 she married Alan who was 17. The
impression we get of Alan is that of an attractive, gentle and kind young man. However,
he had a somewhat feminine quality about him. Blanche soon finds out that he is involved
in a homosexual relationship by catching him in the act. Blanche expresses her disgust
and soon after Alan commits suicide by shooting himself. Already traumatized, the
situation grew quickly worse when Blanche looses Belle Reve, the family estate. This
proves only to worsen Blanche's mental state to an all new low. This coupled with other
events led Blanche to living with her sister Stella and her husband Stanley. Perhaps the
events which had occurred led her to the edge of insanity which she was resting on during
her time living with Stanley and Stella. It was easier for her to create her own fantasy
world rather than to face up to reality. This however proved to have dire consequences
resulting in Blanch becoming even further away from reality, pushed over the edge by
Stanley's constant harassment and finally by his ultimate act of indecency raping her.
This climaxed with Blanch having to be taken to a mental institution, this decision
backed by even her own sister Stella. 
While living a much more real existence Stella also in some situations chooses illusions
rather than accept reality. This can be seen when Blanch chooses to believe Stanley
rather than Blanch in regards to the rape. Despite heavy suspicions that Stanley did rape
Blanch, she gives Stanley the benefit of the doubt simply because it is easier that way.
Like Blanch in this situation she chooses illusion rather than to except reality. Despite
this, Stella is much more in tune with reality than her sister Blanch.
Stanley, while not exactly living in his own fantasy world, does have certain elements of
choosing illusion rather than reality. Rather than create illusions he simply ignores
things which may not please him. He seems to be living in a bubble which inside only
holds a section for his poker buddies, Stella and the cracking down of Blanche. He is
somewhat obsessed with being the head of his home and so when Blanche comes to stay with
him and Stella he obviously feels threatened by the way in which she changes things. The
cracking down of Blanche becomes an obsession, it is almost as if he has to prove himself
as the head. 
Blanche and Stella find it hard to confront the reality in which they live. Perhaps this
is because they are not living the lives which they had planned when they lived in Belle
Reve. Blanche in particular finds it difficult to accept the fact that she is aging and
that things aren't turning out exactly to plan. It would no doubt be easier for Blanche
to confront reality and take a serious look at the direction that her life is heading.
But I believe that it would greatly benefit her in the long run. Also I think in the long
run it would greatly benefit Stella to confront reality and have a serious think about
her relationship with Stanley.
Male domination is one of the major themes of the book and in a way it too relates to the
way in which the characters are to some extent living an unreal existence. In the time
that the play was written obviously different values were upheld relating to women's
rights and male domination. All the same however Stanley's actions cannot be justified.
Blanche's judgement of Stanley in the first scene He is like an animal proves to be quite
an accurate description. Stanley's actions prove only to push Blanche further and further
into her illusional world in which she is already firmly planted.
Throughout the play the theme of truth versus lies is quite dominant. The play leaves the
reader wondering how the lives of the main characters would differ if they chose to tell
the truth and believe the truth rather than tell and accept lies. Blanche to some degree
is a compulsive liar, driven by her desire to be viewed as a young upper-class lady she
tells lie after lie after lie. While these lies appear to no more than white lies when
you add up each lie she tells you start to see that not only is she telling lies but she
is living a lie. The image which she tries to project is nothing more than fake. What she
appears not to realize it is clear that by projecting this image she is only digging a
hole for herself which in the end turned out to be way to deep to get her way out of.
As we can see through studying the major themes of the play and looking at their relation
to the characters we can see that not all but some of the characters in A Streetcar Named
Desire are to some extent living an unreal existence. Not only does living in this unreal
existence achieve nothing it proves to end up a burden to the main characters of this
play.