A discussion on the notion of change and conflictong values with reference to Tennesse Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire?.
The following paper is a short analytical and interpretive essay of the views and values of “A Streetcar Named Desire” in terms of the ideas, conventions and beliefs that the text appears to explore, endorse, challenge or leave unquestioned. Themes that are touched on in this paper are– truth versus fiction, reality verses fantasy, ambition verses imagination, and lust verses love. The way in which Williams uses symbolism to parallel the conflict within a character and between characters, to the conflict in American society’s views and values, invites the reader to draw their own conclusions from the text.
The rape seems to signify the final destruction of Blanche’s fantasy world. As Stanley acknowledges, the two were on a collision course from the beginning. Blanche is neither adaptable nor one of the strong. Blanche enters entirely into her world of self-deception. Fate is cruel, and human desire often leads to death. Everything that Blanche wants from life seems to crumble in front of her. She fights to save her Old Southern roots and the family mansion, but loses them both. She fights to regain her self-respect and Stanley destroy all attempts at this. She fights to hold on to her sanity amidst mounting disasters, but loses that battle as well.