Madness In A Streetcar Named Desire And Blue Jasmine

"How is madness used in both A Streetcar Named Desire and Blue Jasmine"

Blue Jasmine is a modern take on a classic play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Throughout the story of both the film and the novel it was clear that there were many similarities. A Streetcar Named Desire and Blue Jasmine highlights the use of madness from how both characters descended into madness due to their past deceptions, and deal with madness with the usage of intoxicants. On the other hand, a difference they share is that the madness leads to different outcomes.

The main message behind Blue Jasmine and Streetcar is that deception leads to major repercussions, where madness is the ultimate consequence. ‘Let me tell you something, Jeanette, Jasmine,

“She sits down shaking, taking a grateful drink. She holds the glass in both hands and continues to laugh a little.” (page 81, scene 5, Streetcar) These stage directions are given at the point in the plot where Blanche is talking about her past. Correspondingly the memories of her late husband make Blanche recall the feelings that she experienced when she lost him. She deals with this by drinking alcohol when Stella says “You mean you want a shot in it” (scene 6, pg 79) Stella’s reaction shows how she is noticing the amount of alcohol that Blanche has already drunk yet, nevertheless in this case alcohol for Balance lulls her mind into a false sense of security that helps Blanche deal with the madness that faces her. Williams purpose of implementing this reaction to madness impacts Blanche’s choices throughout the play and further exemplifies how madness is being dealt with unwanted and impulsive reactions. Similarly in Blue Jasmine Ginger tells Jasmine ‘You better take more of those pills. You're shot.’ There are many striking similarities being shown here from this quote, just as Stella noticed Blanche drinks alcohol to deal with her vulnerability due madness. For this reason Ginger is also noticing such a thing happening with Jasmine where she takes pills to deal with the madness. Interestingly it can be seen that when compared Stella has a more negative attitude towards her sister using alcohol whereas Ginger has a more assuring one. Both alcohol and pills are types of substances being used to deal with madness by both characters. The structure of the story goes on with this idea unconditionally going to the major ideas of madness that being shown. Henceforth both Allens and Williams choose to put their two main characters to go through madness in which they react impulsively. In effect both Blanche and Jasmine reacting with alcohol and taking pills to submerge their