Blanche Dubois is a complex and tragic character in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire. Throughout the play, Blanche lies to herself and to others in an attempt to escape from her past and present reality. These lies serve as a defense mechanism, allowing her to maintain a façade of refinement and dignity in the face of her own personal and financial ruin. However, as the play progresses, these lies become increasingly destructive, ultimately leading to Blanche's downfall and tragic demise.
One of the first and most significant lies that Blanche tells is about her age. Despite being in her early thirties, Blanche claims to be younger and still a virgin. This lie is meant to enhance her attractiveness and appeal, as well as to preserve her own illusion of youth and innocence. However, this lie is quickly exposed when Stanley discovers the truth about Blanche's past, leading to her loss of credibility and respect.
Another lie that Blanche tells is about her background and social status. Despite being from a wealthy and prominent family, Blanche presents herself as a cultured and refined Southern belle, hiding her true circumstances and financial struggles. This lie is meant to project an image of respectability and refinement, and to distance herself from the working-class neighborhood in which she now lives. However, this lie is also eventually exposed, leading to further loss of credibility and respect.
In addition to lying about her age and background, Blanche also lies about her mental health. She pretends to be fragile and delicate, using her supposed vulnerability as a way to gain sympathy and manipulation those around her. However, this lie is ultimately exposed when Blanche's true nature is revealed, and her instability and delusions become apparent.
Throughout the play, Blanche's lies serve as a way for her to escape from the harsh realities of her past and present. However, these lies ultimately become destructive, leading to the loss of her credibility and respect, and ultimately to her tragic demise. Despite her efforts to maintain a façade of refinement and dignity, Blanche's lies ultimately lead to her downfall, highlighting the dangers of living in denial and attempting to escape from reality.
Blanche Dubois lies. She creates a story of who she is. Explore the effects of her self created story in A Streetcar Named Desire.
This process began long before her clash with Stanley Kowalski. These lies are called life lies-- a falsehood used to rationalize the lifestyle people are living or actions they have committed. This extrct from scene 10 is significant section of the play as it depicts the most important part of the play with the implied rape on Blanche by Stanley. Why Blanche Dubois Is The Most Important Character In A Streetcar Named Desire The story of Blanche sheds light on the concept of reality, which is one of the reasons why she is so important in A Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche Dubois, from A Streetcar Named Desire, carries the heavy burden of her past. Their natures root in primal, animalistic instincts, Stanley like a dirty hog, open and free concerning his sexuality, Blanche like a fox, sly and deceitful.
A Streetcar Named Desire: Blanche's Lies Essay Example
After being portrayed as a helpless woman with an irreversible line of failures, Balance's attempts at concealing her true self made it clear that she was ashamed of the person she had become. Two of the main characters, Blanche and Stanley, have Stereotypes In A Streetcar Named Desire 1245 Words 5 Pages Not only has Tennesse Williams portrayed Stella and Blanche to be seen as delicate and dependent, our own society has created this image but this not only affects how individuals see themselves but affects relationships immensely. But she broke them, and eventually put herself in a state, where she had no job and no house. She used to work as a teacher in Mississippi, however, she was forced to leave after she was caught having an affair with one of the students. Stanley constantly abuses Stella, physically and verbally, throughout the story.
Blanche DuBois: A Tragic Figure Destroyed By Her Own Illusions
Stanley is the most harsh towards Blanche. What Meckler and Ochoa did by turning Streetcar into a ballet was ask us to look at Blanche again, to see this archetypal Southern woman anew, and maybe this time find a few flecks of ourselves in her flickering light. Some people want to be rich, while others want to travel the world and never work a day in their lives. Blanche was a fragile and neurotic woman, desperate for a place to call her own. This is why A Streetcar Named Desire should not be dismissed as a cautionary tale that warns individuals not to embrace desires. With these symbols, Williams creates a pathway into the minds of his character Blanche Dubois. For Blanche's birthday celebration, Stella only says she stopped at twenty-five candles on her cake.
