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How Did Tennessee Williams Influence A Streetcar Named Desire

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The Author, Tennessee Williams, shows many influences in his work, “A Streetcar Named Desire.” My memories of Tennessee Williams are expressed in his stories, from his struggles with depression, alcoholism, and loneliness. Streetcar named desire also paints what it is like to be in New Orleans at the time, with real historical areas that no longer exist.
Tennessee Williams lived in New Orleans, in the same time period that Streetcar named desire was written. The address of the streetcar is 632 Elysian Fields Avenue, “running between the L & N [railroad] tracks and the [Mississippi] River,” adjacent to the French Quarter. This French Quarter is where Tennessee Williams lived as he wrote the streetcar named desire. This is where the name and …show more content…

The entirety of the play is also set in an apartment in the French Quarter (also known as the Vieux Carré). All of this influence is shown when Blanche says, “They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!” So this quote is a direct reference to the actual streetcar line, Desire.
Tennessee Williams brought the art and cultural diversity that he saw during his times in the french quarter, into his works. The French quarter had all types of people living there, and it was not racially segregated as other parts of the world and Louisiana was at the time. In the streetcar named desire, it is also shown that there is always blues and jazz being played, which is also correct with the time period and the place. In the beginning of the streetcar named Desire, two minor female characters are chatting, One woman is Black and the other White. You can tell from the way that they communicate that they are at ease with each other. This goes to show that …show more content…

It is well known that Tennessee Williams would often lie about his age, exactly like how Blanche does all throughout the play. “I don't want realism… I want magic” – Blanche's need to escape reality. “I call her little despite the fact she is somewhat older than I.” Tennessee also had difficulties with alcoholism and depression, both in which Blanche had. However Blanche usually lies about her alcoholism while still secretly taking shots. “No, one's my limit” – Blanche. Lastly Williams' himself claims, "I am blanche DuBois" and has identified with her, particularly in terms of shared

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