A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE Analyze Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire is a short story about a sister coming to visit her sister who moved away after their father died. Problems arise when one of the sisters start acting and commenting on the lifestyle of the other. Both sisters grew up in the Old South but one holds on to the customs of the old ways and the other adapts to the ways of the New South. Tennessee uses each character to symbolize the Old and New South, plus certain aspects of each. While Tennessee Williams seeming idolizes the Old South and criticizes the flaws in the New South, he ultimately exposes illusions and deceptions of the Old South. Williams utilizes the character Stanley to represent the bad side of …show more content…
Stanley’s actions throughout the story are barbaric and greedy, and seem to reflect those of William’s father who was a violent alcoholic. Williams even describes him in way that seems barbaric, “Animal joy in his being implicit in all his movements and attitudes.” Stanley’s actions are even barbaric, when he discovers that Blanche has lost the plantation Stanley is only concerned about the money he thinks he is entitled to. Stanley even resorts to violence on one occasion and Williams implies that another act happened. First occasion is at the guy’s poker night when Stanley hits Stella after she attempts to tell Stanley’s friends to go home. Stanley was drunk and might have seen this …show more content…
Blanche plays the role of an Old South aristocrat who has recently lost her plantation who still holds on to the values of the old South. A big part of being an aristocrat in the Old South was “looking and acting well”; Blanche character when described by Williams is shown wearing elegant clothes and expensive jewelry. “She is daintily dressed in a white suit with fluffy bodice, necklace and earrings of pearl, white gloves, and a hat . . .” (Williams pg. 1779) Form this quote from the story one can see how Blanche is holding on to the values of the Old South by “looking well.” Another quote from the story shows how Blanche speaks “acting well” when kindly asking to be left alone. “If you will excuse me, I’m about to drop.” Blanche lets the person she is talking to infer that she does not want company of another person rather than blatantly tell her to leave. Both of these quotes show how Blanche still sees herself as an old South aristocrat while living in the times of the New South where one does not hold their position for life. This Blanche that is introduced at the beginning of the story Illusion and representation of the Old South; with the illusion of it being an elegant time and was beautiful in all