Examples Of Dichotomies In A Streetcar Named Desire
The Amazing Dichotomies of "A Streetcar Named Desire"
Light and dark, kindness and cruelty, realism and fantasy, all of them dichotomies used by Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire. Tennessee Williams uses many dichotomies, clear cut divisions, to illustrate main points. The most prominent dichotomy is the sweet and fragile Blanche opposed to the cruel and savage Stanley. The play also highlights other dichotomies such as strong and delicate, hidden and open, and purity and filth. Basically, Tennessee Williams uses dichotomies to show main points of theme, and Tennessee Williams also use dichotomies to show that viewing life in clear cut options with no grey area is a cause of many problems.
One of the main of the themes shown …show more content…
For instance, the point in the play where Mitch and Blanche are speaking and Mitch abruptly rips off the paper lantern is a perfect example of Blanche's sanity. The light, representing truth in general, is too much for Blanche to handle and she quickly draws back into the shadows. Blanche's example shows how delicate people are incapable of viewing the complete and absolute truth about his or herself, and use the shadows, or lies, to maintain the fine balance of sanity and insanity. Second, yet another theme supported by a dichotomy is the theme of difference of social classes. Blanche is an aristocratic, arrogant woman while Stanley is a common Polish person. The spilt shows that the once rich Blanche is quick to judge and look down on people while Stanley is more likely to give people a chance before judging him or her. For example, Blanche's is proven quick to judge when she states," Well if you forgive me he's common." However, Stanley while not a saint is shown to be more understanding because of his Hispanic friend Pablo. If Stanley were quick to judge like Blanche he surely would not befriend a minority. Getting back to the main point, the dichotomy of class division clearly shows there are differences between the rich and …show more content…
For example, a dichotomy of fragile and sturdy is clearly shown between Blanche and Stanley. Blanche has already been established as a character with weak mental stability and incapable of viewing truth or reality. Stanley is a sturdy character, at least mentally, shown by his realistic attitude and for his ability to think clearly, which Blanche clearly lacks. However, since both characters are on the extreme side of the spectrum of fragility and sturdiness, both are flawed. Blanche is flawed in the fact she is incapable of anything out of her comfort zone, and she is unable to deal with rough people. On the other hand, Stanley is flawed in the fact he is too sturdy, showing no signs of fragility, thus destroying anyone who happens to be fragile, like Stanley did to Blanche. Another dichotomy shown to be bad is the dichotomy of kindness and cruelty, also shown by Blanche and Stanley. Blanche is shown to be kind by a quote by Stella. "Nobody, nobody, was tender and trusting as she was." Stella's quote shows clear admiration of the kindness Blanche has for other people. However, Stanley is proven to be cruel in his actions toward Blanche. Even his wife Stella knows his cruelty, "You needn't have been so cruel to someone alone as she is." The dichotomy shows the need for a middle ground between kindness and cruelty. Blanche, if not so kind and tender, could defend
Light and dark, kindness and cruelty, realism and fantasy, all of them dichotomies used by Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire. Tennessee Williams uses many dichotomies, clear cut divisions, to illustrate main points. The most prominent dichotomy is the sweet and fragile Blanche opposed to the cruel and savage Stanley. The play also highlights other dichotomies such as strong and delicate, hidden and open, and purity and filth. Basically, Tennessee Williams uses dichotomies to show main points of theme, and Tennessee Williams also use dichotomies to show that viewing life in clear cut options with no grey area is a cause of many problems.
One of the main of the themes shown …show more content…
For instance, the point in the play where Mitch and Blanche are speaking and Mitch abruptly rips off the paper lantern is a perfect example of Blanche's sanity. The light, representing truth in general, is too much for Blanche to handle and she quickly draws back into the shadows. Blanche's example shows how delicate people are incapable of viewing the complete and absolute truth about his or herself, and use the shadows, or lies, to maintain the fine balance of sanity and insanity. Second, yet another theme supported by a dichotomy is the theme of difference of social classes. Blanche is an aristocratic, arrogant woman while Stanley is a common Polish person. The spilt shows that the once rich Blanche is quick to judge and look down on people while Stanley is more likely to give people a chance before judging him or her. For example, Blanche's is proven quick to judge when she states," Well if you forgive me he's common." However, Stanley while not a saint is shown to be more understanding because of his Hispanic friend Pablo. If Stanley were quick to judge like Blanche he surely would not befriend a minority. Getting back to the main point, the dichotomy of class division clearly shows there are differences between the rich and …show more content…
For example, a dichotomy of fragile and sturdy is clearly shown between Blanche and Stanley. Blanche has already been established as a character with weak mental stability and incapable of viewing truth or reality. Stanley is a sturdy character, at least mentally, shown by his realistic attitude and for his ability to think clearly, which Blanche clearly lacks. However, since both characters are on the extreme side of the spectrum of fragility and sturdiness, both are flawed. Blanche is flawed in the fact she is incapable of anything out of her comfort zone, and she is unable to deal with rough people. On the other hand, Stanley is flawed in the fact he is too sturdy, showing no signs of fragility, thus destroying anyone who happens to be fragile, like Stanley did to Blanche. Another dichotomy shown to be bad is the dichotomy of kindness and cruelty, also shown by Blanche and Stanley. Blanche is shown to be kind by a quote by Stella. "Nobody, nobody, was tender and trusting as she was." Stella's quote shows clear admiration of the kindness Blanche has for other people. However, Stanley is proven to be cruel in his actions toward Blanche. Even his wife Stella knows his cruelty, "You needn't have been so cruel to someone alone as she is." The dichotomy shows the need for a middle ground between kindness and cruelty. Blanche, if not so kind and tender, could defend