A Streetcar Named Desire Dreams Vs Reality

Reality vs. Dreams: In A Streetcar Named Desire, the idea of reality vs. dreams is seen throughout the play through the perspective of Blanche. When Stanley berates Blanche in their final encounter, he says, “And look at yourself! Take a look at yourself in that worn out Mardi outfit, rented for fifty cents from some ragpicker! And With the crazy crown on! What queen do you think you are?” (127). Throughout the play, Blanche dreams of being a high class rich lady. She aspires to marry a millionaire tycoon from Texas and walks around the Kowalski house like she is the queen. Her desire is to be on top. Stanley, however, reveals that Blanche really is not anything close to being the starlet of her dreams. Blanche’s actual reality is that she becomes destitute and uses prostitution to get by,

As Blanche reveals that she is actually a financial failure to Stella, Blanche says, “He has them, all over Texas. Texas is literally spouting gold in his pockets” (67). In Blanche’s eyes, wealth is considered to be what success is and is the driving force to recover from failure. Blanche goes as far as trying to see if a rich millionaire from Texas will take her into his arms. Blanche’s failure, in terms of the play, is reclaiming her wealth and getting rid of her scarred past by using the desire for wealth as a driving force to success. The idea of success and failure can also be applied to Stanley. Stanley’s idea of success is reclaiming the throne as alpha male after Blanche steals it from him with her fake act. Stanley’s ultimate failure is him losing his grasp over the household after Blanche arrives and puts on the act of an upper class lady. Likewise, Stanley does everything he can to get rid of Blanche and finally does so, earning his place at the top of the household, which shows how Stanley’s desire for power is his driving force towards ultimate