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Such a Beautiful Play: A Streetcar Named Desire Journal Entry

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Such a beautiful play.

Entering the work, along with the reader, is Blanche. The fact that the reader is essentially carried into the story is important as the character with the most emotion is Blanche. She enters the play covered in white, which at this point can be taken in one of two ways. White, obviously, signifies purity. A woman who was still a virgin would dress in white to show off to possible suitors. The description also says “suit"; a suit is generally wore by a man; a suit wore by a woman would be seen as a sign of power, that she was equitable to any man. It could, however, be taken another way; the same reason women wear makeup; a façade. Blanche is a fake woman, someone who is “50% illusion” and in love with “magic.” With…show more content…
The death continues later with the loss of Mitch, her sanity, rape, and institutionalization. It was Elysian Fields where she was supposed to go, not continue the path of death. She left Laurel in a dream, but reality caught up with her. This passage foreshadows the continuance of death, and that she does not belong in this heaven, and will be removed from it soon enough.

“The way it was” is a pattern in so many literary works; seeking the past because it is safe and familiar. Stanley is bewitching Stella in this scene, reminding her of the past and the beauty that it was. The “colored lights” are as dazzling to Stella as shiny metal trinkets are to a magpie. She loves the simple glitz Stanley can provide. “Behind the curtains” lies Blanche, which is both indicative of her obsession with leaving her life concealed behind a veil for fear of shame, and the obvious meaning that they live in such a small home with nothing to hide. Nothing to hide, nothing to hide an Elysian Fields; nothing to hide in heaven, all cards on the table, something Blanche can not possible conform to. She fears the truth, yet it is the truth that would give her pass to a life of perhaps happiness, if only she accepted what cannot be changed. Instead she hides from it, something a plain man like Stanley can not possibly stand for.

Above is laughter, contrast to Blanche’s heavy feelings.

Stella lights the candle, which Blanche opposes for fear of wasting them when a young boy
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