A Streetcar Named Desire Symbolism Essay

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A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, is a southern gothic play that was written in 1947. The play follows a middle aged troubled and distraught lady; Blanche. A well-known southern belle born and raised in Mississippi, that soon finds herself in a predicament. Blanche finds herself living in New Orleans with her sister Stella and Stella’s husband Stanley. Feuds and tensions rise in the Kowalski household causing psychotic and mental break downs. As well as forcing the end to many relationships and to possibly the life of one. Throughout the play Tennessee Williams uses symbolisms to enhance tension and to add a dramatic impact. (Thomières, p. 4) One of the main symbolisms used in the play are flowers. The symbolism of flowers is …show more content…
– Lily Tomlin” The poem uses lillies to represent the positives of a person’s life and to show the beauty of one. In another sense lillies can represent that the soul of a departed has received its innocence after death. (Dandridge, pg.1) In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley uses a lily as a reference to Blanche not being pure or innocent. Throughout the play Blanche is seen as “pure” and “untouched.” The truth slowly starts to reveal itself. Stanley shortly after hears stories from locals about Blanche’s affairs. When Stella is confronted about her sister’s actions she is naive and does not believe the truth; which is in front of her. “Stanley: She thought he had never been more than kissed by a fellow! But sister, Blanche is no lily! Ha-ha! Some lily she is!” (Williams, p119) In this scene Stella believes her sister is a “true southern belle.” One who is pure and not touched, but Stanley believes differently. He knowns the truth to Blanche’s past. The lily flower is used to show two meanings, two different symbolisms. A lily is used to help describe Blanche as a person; her character as a whole through the entire
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