Tennessee Williams ‘ drama A Street Car Name Desire is a domestic play. There is a movie version of drama which released in 1951 by Elia Kazan. In Tennessee Williams ‘ drama A Street Car Name Desire ; there are many symbols such as, The Elysian Field, The Paper Lantern, and The Varsouviana which are used for character development. Besides them, there are besides some metaphors such as, The Light and The Music.

In this research paper, foremost I will analyze the symbols in the drama and how they used for character development. Particularly, how Blanche ‘s character development is shaped by them. Then, I will analyze the metaphors which are used in the drama. Metaphors ‘ definition and their effects on character development are examined by giving illustration transition from the drama. Last, I will reason with my point of position to these symbols and metaphors ‘ effects on character development.

The Elysian Field is a topographic point that people go to after decease like Eden in Greek Mythology. Blanche lost herself in Laurel ; she comes New Orleans to happen her elysian field. When we look at Blanche ‘s life before coming to New Orleans, we see that she lost her all possessed. She thinks that she will be happy in a new town with her sister. The Elysian Field is a new topographic point for her to bury her yesteryear. I think Blanche could non happen the image of Elysian Field which she imagines because the houses have really hapless manner. They are largely weathered Grey and with rickety outside stars. When she foremost comes to her sister ‘s place, she is shocked. We can see it in the beginning of drama:

Blanche comes around the corner, transporting a valise. She looks at a faux pas of paper, so at the edifice, so once more at faux pas and once more at the edifice. Her look is one of the aghast incredulity. ( Williams 5 )

The Paper Lantern symbolizes Blanche ‘s devastation. Blanche is afraid of the visible radiation. She does non desire anybody to see her existent visual aspect. In bare visible radiation, she seems really old. She wants to be appears as a immature lady but her past and her age do non allow it. When Mitch pulls off the paper lantern from the visible radiation, it causes Blanche ‘s ruin. Mitch wants to larn existent narrative of Blanche because he heard something about Blanche from Stanley. As the paper lantern covers the visible radiation, it covers Blanche ‘s yesteryear as a symbol.

The Varsouviana is the polka music that played the dark of Allan ‘s decease. The music plays when Blanche remembers about Allan. It symbolizes Blanche ‘s loss of artlessness. There is an illustration address in scene six which shows this symbol:

We danced the Varsouviana! Suddenly in the center of the dance the male child I had married broke off from me and ran out of the casino. A few minutes subsequently — — -a shooting! ( Williams 115 )

This music helps Blanche to conceive of her yesteryear while she is speaking about Allan with Mitch. In this common address between Blanche and Mitch, music has different degree harmonizing to character ‘s behaviours. For illustration:

The Polka stops suddenly. Blanche rises stiffly. Then, the Polka sketchs in a major key. Mitch gets up awkwardly and moves toward her a small. The polka music additions. Mitch stands beside her. ( Williams115 )

Stanley throws a bundle of meat to Stella. It symbolizes Stanley ‘s atrocity. This symbol helps us to understand that Stanley is a ill-mannered adult male. Stanley does non give or manus it to Stanley.

He heaves the bundle at her. She cries out in protest but manages to catch it: so she laughs breathlessly. Her hubby and his comrade have already started back around the corner. ( Williams 4 )

The meat besides symbolizes the sexual relationship between Stanley and Stella. The meat gives Stanley sexual pleasance. Stella ‘s catching the meat show her blind love and sexual emotions to Stanley.

The loss of Belle Reve symbolizes Blanche ‘s painful solitariness. There is no topographic point for Blanche to remain except at a hotel. Blanche arrives as a broken adult female in New Orleans. She sold everything. It shows us Blanche ‘s desperation. The loss of Belle Reve causes a struggle between Blanche and Stanley. Stanley wants his married woman ‘s portion from Belle Reve. He does non believe Blanche ‘s doomed of Belle Reve. As it is seen, this symbol affects characters ‘ behaviours to each other.

The immature adult male in scene 5 can be seen as a symbol of Blanche ‘s ain artlessness at one clip that was corrupted by others. “ Blanche lets the immature adult male leave the flat eventually, his artlessness integral ( except for a buss ) , as, it could be said, she would wish her ain artlessness left integral. ”[ 1 ]The immature adult male reminds the high school male child in Laurel who caused Blanche to lose her instructor occupation. Blanche ‘s ain artlessness was corrupted by others. As Stella says to Stanley, “ You did n’t cognize Blanche as a miss. Cipher, cipher, was stamp and trusting as she was. But people like you abused her, and forced her to alter. ” ( Williams 136 )

Allan Grey is a symbolic character. The memory of him symbolizes sometimes bad sometimes good memories. Blanche loves him really much. But he betrays her with a adult male. The decease of Allan Grey causes Blanche ‘s mental unwellness. As I before reference, Allen killed himself as they are dancing.

Playing Poker shows Stanley ‘s power over his married woman and Blanche. While Blanche is taken off, he wins the game at the same clip. As Daniel Brooks reference,

Significantly, the game reflects the kineticss of the drama ‘s four chief charA­acters. Like the turned-up wild card, Blanche DuBois turns up at Elysian Fields and instantly impacts the lives of Stanley, Mitch, and Stella. They each stand to derive something if things go their manner, so they “ play ” Blanche to their best advantage, as if she were a wild card in a fire hook game.[ 2 ]

Stanley loses his control when he plays fire hook with his friends. When adult females come to place, he gets angry. If we look the game from Mitch ‘s point of position, we can state that he comes to play for a different intent. After he meets with Blanche, he comes to see her.

In some scenes, Blanche drinks intoxicant. Alcohol helps her get rid of bad memories. When she drinks a glass of intoxicant, she feels herself good.

Mexican adult female can be seen as a symbol of decease. She sells flowers for the dead. When Blanche hears and sees her, she is afraid of decease. This adult female affects Blanche by the manner of reminding decease.

When bitty expression at the metaphors in the drama, they help to develop character development. The Light is used as a metaphor for truth. Blanche uses visible radiations for showing her feelings. She is afraid of daytime. She thinks that daytime shows her age. Light symbolizes the world. Blanche escapes from world. She is afraid of looking old. She wants to populate her imaginativeness universe. As Blanche says to Mitch,

I do n’t desire pragmatism. I want charming. Yes, yes, charming. I try to give that people. I misrepresent things to them. I do n’t state truth, I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is iniquitous, so allow me damned for it! — – Do n’t turn the visible radiation on! ( Williams 145 )

Blanche sees Allan Grey her bright visible radiation. After his self-destruction, she thinks that she lost her vivid visible radiation. Bright visible radiation express her lovely feelings with Allan Grey. Besides light express her desire to semblance over world. Blanche is a victim of her ain self-delusions. She wants to protect her self-importance. She lies to people as covering herself with dim visible radiation. Dim light reflects her fragile. In the beginning of the drama, there is an account, “ Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong visible radiation. There is something about her unsure manneraˆ¦ ” ( Williams 5 )

Williams uses bath as a metaphor for many conditions. For Stanley, Stella and Blanche, it has different significances. For illustration ; Bath is good for unagitated down nervous for Blanche. She besides goes bath to rinse away her wickednesss. We can state that these baths show us Blanche wants to acquire rid of her ugly yesteryear.

Bath has besides same significance for Stanley. After he argues with Stella, he goes to bath for his nervous composures down. At the fire hook dark, his friends take away his to bath. Stanley realizes that he beats his married woman while he is under the H2O.

In Tennessee Williams ‘ drama A Street Car Name Desire ; there are many symbols such as, The Elysian Field, The Paper Lantern, and The Varsouviana which are used for character development. These symbols and metaphors largely affect Blanche ‘s word picture. Every symbol and metaphor shows Blanche ‘s different desires to us.