Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire gives an insight into the conflict between the Old South and the New South in America in the late 1940s. At that time, the aristocratic class of the Old South was slowly fading in the eyes of the industrial working class. In the play, this conflict is emphasized through Blanche’s character. She arrives in New Orleans with illusions of the past and with the inability to handle the modern world in which her sister lives. Contrastingly, Stanley represents the social expansion of the South in which the old aristocracy has no place. Blanche’s first description when she comes on stage implies that she is lost and shocked by her sister’s new lifestyle. Moreover, her appearance is described as incongruous to the setting and the way she is dressed reveals different aspects of her personality. She always wears white clothes to show that she still belongs to Belle Reve and that she will never belong to a place such as New Orleans. Blanche constantly reminds the other characters how well-educated she is through her use of French words. For instance, she proudly states that her name means white …show more content…
Again, she is hiding from the truth by refusing to reveal her real age to Mitch. She never agrees to meet him during the day because she does not want to be seen clearly. Moreover, she avoids strong lights by covering them with paper lanterns or by staying in dim rooms. Blanche is not only hiding from light but also from the harsh reality that society represents. This constant fear of growing older is emphasized in Scene 5 when she kisses the young man. Blanche’s attempt to feel attractive through her flirtations with the young boy reflects her desire to re-experience the teenage years she had spent with her dead husband. However, Mitch destroys all her illusions by tearing the paper lantern apart in Scene 9 and making her realize that she cannot take refuge in the past