Blanche Dubois Character Traits

Unlike character, characterization can be defined as methods an author uses to create the characters. Two examples an author can use are direct characterization where a character is directly described by the author, and indirect characterization where the character is revealed by their actions, reactions of other characters, thought, and speech. There are a few scenes in the play where the author directly describes a character. One example of major direct characterization comes from scene one in which Stanley is first introduced and described. Tennessee Williams writes, “Branching out from this complete and satisfying center are all the auxiliary channels of his life, such as his heartiness with men, his appreciation of rough humor, his love of good drink and food and games, his car, his radio, everything that is his emblem of the gaudy seed-bearer.” (Williams 84). His description of Stanley gives the reader a picture of how he acts and how he will act throughout the rest of the story. Much of the indirect characterization of the play can also be centered around the heated topic of sensuality. Blanche is an important character whose characterization heavily relies on her actions related to sensuality, and other’s reactions to her actions. “Blanche waltzes to the music with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear.” (Williams 97). This quote shows the relationship between Blanche and Mitch, a potential love interest, after she

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams uses setting to illustrate various themes and messages as they pertain to the events of the play. The setting plays a crucial role in the story line and the outcome of the play.

Throughout Tennessee William’s play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Blanche Dubois exemplified several tragic flaws. She suffered from her haunting past; her inability to overcome; her desire to be someone else; and from the cruel, animalistic treatment she received from Stanley. Sadly, her sister Stella also played a role in her downfall. All of these factors ultimately led to Blanche’s tragic breakdown in the end.

“Stella has embraced him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche.” (Williams 73) A Streetcar Named Desire written by Tennessee Williams exemplifies the theme of a struggle to attain happiness. The play not only portrays this theme in its characters and setting, but through the literary devices of Foil, Imagery, and Intertextuality. Williams took great care in applying each of these literary device techniques to the theme as he presents an intriguing contrast between Blanche and Stanley, vivid images both animalistic and broken, and imploring the use of the Odyssey to further

I would like to analyze a tragic heroine Blanche DuBois appearing in a play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) written by Tennessee Williams. My intention is to concentrate on the most significant features of her nature and behaviour and also on various external aspects influencing her life and resulting in her nervous breakdown. I would like to discuss many themes related to this character, such as loss, desire and longing for happiness, beauty and youth, pretension, lies and imagination, dependence on men and alcoholism.

Ultimately Blanche is portrayed as a tragic character but not as a tragic heroine. Although she may think she is morally sin free on the inside as she tells Mitch; “Never inside, I didn’t lie in my heart”, she does not fit the criteria for a heroine, she fails to save herself and whilst reading the play the reader feels as though she gets what is coming to her, and that she brought it all on

Tennessee Williams was an American writer known for short stories and poems in the mid 1950’s. His more famous writing was A Streetcar Named Desire. His writings influenced many other writers such as August Strindberg and Hart Crane. His writings A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie was adopted to films and A Streetcar Named Desire earned him his first Pulitzer prize. In A Streetcar Named Desire there is many elements that build the plot and story line. The story is about a girl who is drove crazy by his sister’s husband and eventually sent to the mental hospital. The main plot is towards the end of the story when Blanche Dubois is blackmailed by her sister’s husband and raped by him. Everything takes its toll on her until she begins drinking heavily and is thought to have gone crazy and placed in a mental hospital. In this story, many things play affect in the contrast of the writing such as Blanche arriving at her sister’s house, seeing her sister’s husbands attitude, the poker game, Blanche getting raped. These events make Blanche an easy victim. In Tennessee Williams, a street car named desire, the start of kindness turns to tragedy and pain.

Tennessee Williams has also made use of symbols - and his consistency in using them is very helpful to the audience to grasp the ideas he is putting across. The very names of the characters and places are symbolic. The famous streetcar that brings Blanche to her sister’s house is called ‘Desire’ - desire being one of the main themes in the play. Interestingly, it is the superintendent of the school in Laurel - Mr. Graves - who is one of the main causes for Blanche having to make this journey, from a streetcar named ‘Desire’ to one called ‘Cemeteries’ and finally to her sister’s house, situated in Elysian Fields - the Elysian Fields being the dwelling place of virtuous people after death (in Greek mythology). Blanche DuBois itself means ‘white woods’ as she tells Mitch - which implies something virginal and unsullied - both of which she is not. Stella means star: “Stella, oh Stella, Stella! Stella for Star!” as Blanche cries wildly, yet Stella burns not with the intensity of Blanche. Her passions are different, and she is extremely unlike her namesake. Even the home of the DuBois - Belle Reve - means ‘beautiful dream’, symbolic of the past that has gone forever, and Blanche’s inability to rouse herself from her dreamworld of illusions and magic. This use of irony is

Like many people in the world, the characters in Tennessee William’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire, are troubled by anxiety and insecurities. Life in New Orleans during the 1940s was characterized by the incredible variety of music, lively and bright atmosphere, and diverse population, while in the midst of the ongoing World War II. Culture was rich and fruitful because the city developed into a “melting pot” of people from all over the world. Due to the wide-range in population, the people of New Orleans adopted an identity like no other. Instead of their identity being entirely pieced together, almost like a puzzle, the people took on one that was shared by the entire community. However, with this being said, people had the ability to use this to their advantage and mask their true selves. This idea translates well into the play A Streetcar Named Desire, and is exhibited through the character Blanche. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses the theme of vanity to reveal the importance of appearance, and the insecurities of Blanche and how they influence her actions.

When looking at the conflict between Miss. Dubois and Mr. Kowalski we the see it is sexual and being from different social classes. They are from different classes because of the way they were raised. Mr. Kowalski was born in to a poor or middle class family whereas Miss. Dubois was born in to a family with money because her and her families owning Belle Reve and many acres, but after all the deaths she lost her family home and money. Which is one of the reasons she goes to visit her sister. Which is when the conflicts start’s. I believe another reason for the conflict is because of their world views Miss. Dubois believes she should be viewed as royalty where as Mr. Kowalski knows he’s polack and common as dirt. Mr. Kowaslski does not believe Miss. Dubois is as fragile as moth and not so different from him which is why he treats her the way he does. Miss. Dubois believes this is an insult to her and her appearance even though she hides her appearance because she does not want Mitch to see her for what she is an old women and a liar. This is another reason Mr. Kowalski has so much conflict with Miss Dubois. If Miss. Dubois would have just told the truth about why she was visiting and why she had to leave Laurel. Then most of the conflict could have been avoid. The only thing Miss. Dubois does not lie about is that she was an English teacher I believe she does not lie about it because it is the one thing in her life that she had complete control of. I also believe her

Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader or audience’s views. Avoid plot summary.

Men: The ones worthy of praise whereas women are just accessories to be flaunted then left in the closet when not worn. Tennessee Williams reinforces this idea throughout the course of the play by the use of the characters Stella, Blanche, Stanley, Steve and Eunice; and their relationships with each other.

The streetcar name desire: two contrasting Tennessee Williams productions show the need to respect the text

Tennessee Williams was one of the most successful playwright at his time. In one of his play, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize as well as many other awards “A Streetcar Named Desire” takes place in New Orleans during the mid-1940s. This incredible play explores numerous of important themes and conflict between the characters. The story takes us to the lives of three main characters, Blanche DuBois, Stanley Kowalski, and Stella Kowalski, who have different ways of living and managing with their environment in which they live in. The story start off with Blanche, who comes to visit her sister, Stella, but end up in an unexpected situations. From the time Blanche got to Elysium Fields, she and Stanley are constantly scolding each other because Stanley and Blanche wants Stella to be on their side and neither one of them will give her up. They will not let this through, if one of them is to win and other leaving defeated.

Music and literature in collaborative form allow authors to expand elements of themes, plot, and characters in a way accessible to readers. Although the book, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, is essentially the dialogue and stage directions for the adorned Broadway play, reading it allows for insight into Williams’ reasoning in constructing the story and its characters. Truly, Williams’ particular choice of music not only fits the setting of the story, but also allows him to construct complex characters and establish the mood for the scenes of the play.