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Fantasy Vs. Reality In A Streetcar Named Desire

865 Words4 Pages

John Erman brings the tragic story of Blanche DuBois to life in the 1984 film A Streetcar Named Desire. With his use of music, lighting, decoration, costume, common themes and conflict, the theme of reality versus fantasy is effectively portrayed to the audience.
A Streetcar Named Desire opens with a soft piano tune, despite the harshness of the film later, and the harshness of the actual reasons for Blanche’s arrival. The opening is an example of the music portraying the fantasy, while the actual scene is much heavier in reality. Another example of this is when Blanche recounts to Mitch the story of her and her dead husband. A gentle piano tune once again plays, whimsical and light despite the darkness of the conversation. Music also is used in situations that depict the true nature of a character. At Stanley’s poker game, he is irritated at Blanche’s music, and it and …show more content…

Blanche, having gone to Elysian Fields seeking refuge after tarnishing her reputation, wants to live the fantasy of being a beautiful young woman with no dark secrets to hide, and continuously lies to do so. Stanley seemingly hates lies and anything that distorts reality, as he unveils the truth of all of Blanches lies and tells those close to her (Stella and Mitch) as soon as he knows. Their conflict ultimately leads to the characters knowing of her past, Blanche being driven insane, and taken to a mental facility. If it hadn’t been for Stanley, Blanche’s lies most likely would’ve remained unknown, and her fantasy never crushed.
In John Erman’s adaption of A Streetcar Named Desire, the theme of fantasy versus reality is shown through many devices, such as music, lighting, costumes, other common themes, and the main conflict. Blanche’s struggles with accepting that in her case, reality won over her own fantasy can be a darkly taught lesson that sometimes there is no choice but to accept reality as it is, despite its

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