Illusions In A Streetcar Named Desire

Fantasy and Illusions grant one the ability to escape their reality and live in a world that fulfills only their potential and standards. In this new world time stops and everything ceases to exist, many conclude that it is their imagination and go as far as saying they are insane, but there is a kind of sane in insanity that drives one to the point of imagination, their realism and their reality. Tennessee Williams explores the dominant themes of fantasy, and illusions vs. realities through the main characters Blanche, Stanley, and Stella through the dynamic play a Streetcar Named Desire.

In the beginning of the play one can see Blanche as an intelligent, pure and innocent women, a telling from her attire and equate. Though, as the play

He lives in an illusion of control, yet in reality he is a bully, whom uses physical force to obtain his power. This fact is seen when Stanley roughly grabs Stella’s arm after she voices her option, which Stanley see’s as a threat, “. Don't you ever talk that way to me. 'Pig,' 'Pollack,' 'disgusting,' 'vulgar,' 'greasy.' Those kind of words have been on your tongue and your sister's tongue just too much around here. What do you think you are? A pair of queens? Now just remember what Huey Long said - that every man's a king - and I'm the King around here, and don't you forget it” (Williams, 107). He refers to himself as being the king, and the superior, which fuels his need to be in control. Also, Stanley’s harness towards Blanche deems to show how realistic he is by detailing his destruction of Blanche’s fantasy world with each rude remark, and as the play progressed his claims became more incriminating due to his factual supporting evidence. Stanley goes as far as calling Blanche’s illusions “ [not] a goddam thing but imagination” ( Williams, 127). Blanches fantasy world is brought down by his ruthless jabs, leading to her own insanity and to the fall of fantasy in the ongoing battle between fantasy and reality. She once was perceived as innocent, by her own sister, who defended Blanche until her sister’s claims went against that of her own husband, and by her only chance at entering the real world again, Mitch; but it faded as did her youth when reality hit it in the form of