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Title: A Streetcar Named Desire (A level) - character and symbol analysis
Description: A brief summary of how motifs and symbols are used in A Streetcar Named Desire and some analysis of Stanley and Blanche as well as the atmosphere that the 'blue piano' creates. Aimed at A level English Literature and English Lang/Lit students.
Description: A brief summary of how motifs and symbols are used in A Streetcar Named Desire and some analysis of Stanley and Blanche as well as the atmosphere that the 'blue piano' creates. Aimed at A level English Literature and English Lang/Lit students.
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A Streetcar Named Desire - Motifs and symbols
Summary:
The article shows that there are a multitude of symbols in the play and this more expressionistic side to it is
used to strong dramatic effect by Williams
...
Colour also plays a role: for Stanley and Stella, the
‘coloured lights’ symbolise their sex life
...
Sound is also key
...
The music accompanies the descent away from peace, showing us the mental
elements which can’t easily be shown on stage
...
The poker
night is presented as stereotypically masculine; the hostility that Stanley shows Stella and Blanche presents
a stark divide between the men and women in this scene and the characters’ attitudes
...
Key points
- Blanche is lost in a fantasy world
...
However, this is more than just her being maliciously dishonest: at times when alone, she is heard talking to
people who aren’t there, like she thinks she’s in another world
...
- ‘The blue piano gives a somewhat melancholy atmosphere from the beginning of the play
...
As the play progresses, it’s made clear that the blue piano is being used to symbolise
sadness and loss, to signal when something bad is happening
...
I don’t think that this creates a melancholy atmosphere,
but instead reinforces the description of ‘raffish’, i
...
that there’s something strangely attractive about it
despite it being a disreputable place
...
- Stanley sees Blanche as a threat, particularly to his relationship with Stella, but the poker night is
when that threat is realised
...
When Stanley confided in Stella over his suspicions of Blanche, Stella was largely
dismissive and even insulting - ‘
...
’ From this, Stanley can see that he’s
beginning to lose his wife to his sister
...
He then witnesses Mitch abandon the poker game - something we can tell is hugely
important for him - to talk to Blanche
...
The poker night is clearly the
point at which he snaps; and as both Stella and Mitch flout Stanley’s demands, leading to the outburst, it
would be fair to suggest that Stanley is seeing this potential threat quickly come to reality
...
’
I agree with this point also
Title: A Streetcar Named Desire (A level) - character and symbol analysis
Description: A brief summary of how motifs and symbols are used in A Streetcar Named Desire and some analysis of Stanley and Blanche as well as the atmosphere that the 'blue piano' creates. Aimed at A level English Literature and English Lang/Lit students.
Description: A brief summary of how motifs and symbols are used in A Streetcar Named Desire and some analysis of Stanley and Blanche as well as the atmosphere that the 'blue piano' creates. Aimed at A level English Literature and English Lang/Lit students.