Williams' Use of Imagery and Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire

Williams uses figurative language in his lengthy stage directions to

convey to the reader a deeper, more intense picture than a description
alone could express. In the opening stage direction Williams

illustrates the area around Elysian Fields. He uses personification to

describe "the warm breath of the brown river" (P1). I think this
creates an atmosphere that is decaying yet at the same time welcoming
and affectionate. This is contrasted by Williams' depiction of the
"tender blue" (P1) sky and the "weathered grey" (P1) houses,
suggesting a tension hanging over Elysian Fields. Symbolically Elysian
Fields, where Stella and Stanley live is the name of the place in
Greek mythology where heroes went after death. They were able to
return at any time to Earth if they wished but few wished to return
and relinquish the pleasure they had found there. I think Williams
uses this to reflect Stella's life in Elysian Fields. Stella lives in
her own kind of paradise which Blanche is unable to see and she has no
desire to return to her old life.

Williams in the opening stage directions, introduces the music of the

"Blue Piano" (P1). He describes the music as "a tinny piano being
played with the infatuated fluency of brown fingers" (P1). This
metaphor expresses the proficiency of the pianist and his devotion to
his music. Williams states that the "Blue Piano expresses the spirit
of the life which goes on [in Elysian Fields]" (P1) and uses this
symbolically throughout the play. "The music of the 'blue piano' grows
louder" (P13) as Blanche informs Stella of the loss of Belle Reve. I
think this emphasises that life in Elysian Fields is the only option
left for Blanche and also "sounds louder" (P29) as Stanley enlightens
Blanche about Stella's pregnancy. The music is symbolic of typical
life for the inhabitants of that part of the city and "plays for a
brief interval" (P43) following Stanley's violent attack on Stella,
reinforcing to the audience that Stanley's violence is part of the way
of life in Elysian Fields. It also returns at the end of scene ten
when Stanley rapes Blanche.

The symbolism Williams uses in the opening scene of A Streetcar Named

Desire gives the reader more insight into the main characters of the
play, makes them more vivid and also hints at the outcome for these
characters. Stanley as he enters scene one, "carries … a red stained
package from a butcher's" (P20). I think Williams uses this symbol to
illustrate Stanley's character as an aggressive hunter, he "heaves the
package at [Stella]" showing his attitude to his wife. Williams uses
animal imagery associated with Stanley to emphasise Stanley's basic,
animal like, territorial character. Stanley is "bellowing" (P2) to
Stella, which creates an image of a bull and intensifies the picture
of an aggressive animal with "animal joy in his being… implicit in all
his movements and attitudes" (P16). Williams uses the metaphor of "a
richly feathered male bird among hens" (P16) and a "gaudy seed bearer"
in his stage directions to describe Stanley as he enters his
apartment. I think this presents the image of a peacock, proud and
showy strutting around his territory. The animal imagery associated
with Stanley I believe, suggests that he is extremely territorial and
will do everything he can to protect his territory from an intruder. I
think Williams uses this as an indication of Stanley's future reaction
to Blanche.

Williams uses the symbolism of a moth to introduce the character of

Blanche in scene one. "Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light.
There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white
clothes, that suggest a moth." (P4). In scene five Blanche tells
Stella that she "[has had to] be seductive - put on soft colours, the
colours of butterfly wings"(P60) highlighting with this metaphor the
imagery of a moth. I think Williams uses the symbolism of a moth to
demonstrate Blanche's fragility, her difficulty to settle and
indicates her outcome. A moth is attracted to a light bulb, which
destroys it, as Blanche is attracted to men, which in the end will
destroy her.

Blanche describes her journey to Elysian Fields in scene one. "They

told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one
called Cemeteries and ride six blocks." (P4). As more is learnt of
Blanche's life the symbolism of sex and death in the names of the
streetcars can be understood. In scene four Blanche acknowledges that
"[a streetcar named Desire] brought me here…where I'm not wanted and
where I'm ashamed to be"(P53). I think Williams uses the streetcar
"Desire" as a symbol for the sexual part of Blanche's life, which has
ruined her. This takes her on to one named "Cemeteries", which will
transport Blanche to Elysian Fields and the end of her free life.
Symbolically in Laurel, it was "Mr Graves…the high school
superintendent" (P9) who forced Blanche to leave and therefore onto
her impending end. The streetcar names are also symbolic of the sexual
lives of Allan, Blanche's husband who committed suicide when his
homosexuality was discovered and Stella, whose desire for Stanley
traps her into the committal of her sister and a life where violence
is accepted. I think Williams is expressing a view that to be driven
by desire is self-destructive.

Blanche throughout the play is constantly bathing which becomes

another source of irritation for Stanley. Her bathing makes her "feel
so good and cool and - rested" (P86) but has to be repeated often.
Symbolically Williams uses her bathing as a way for Blanche to cleanse
herself of her past and her guilt of Allan's suicide, but as she
cannot rid herself of her past her bathing is never over. The coke
that is spilled "right onto [her] pretty white skirt" (P62) in scene
five is also symbolic of Blanche's blemished past. She "gives a
piercing cry"(P62) which I think symbolises her intense need to appear
unblemished.

Williams uses symbolism also in his choice of names for the DuBois
women and their family home. Blanche DuBois ironically means white of
the woods, which contrasts with her lost purity but supports the
illusion she tries to create of her respectability. "Stella, Stella
for Star!" (P30) is the star from the woods. The symbolism Williams is
using I think means that Stella is the star who has come out of the
woods from her old life into a new one in a new America. Symbolically
the family home of Belle Reve meaning beautiful dream has been lost,
as have Blanche's dreams and is no longer the reality.

The blue piano is used by Williams to represent the life in Elysian

Fields but he contrasts this with polka music that represents death,
the suicide of Allan. Only Blanche and the audience are aware of the
polka, which gives the audience an insight into the complex mind of
Blanche unlike the other characters in the play. The polka is heard at
times when Blanche remembers the suicide of her husband and at times
of looming danger for Blanche. "The Varsouviana music steals in softly
and continues playing" (P92) as Stanley gives Blanche a Greyhound
ticket. I think Williams uses this music to emphasise the terror in
Blanche's mind. It also plays in scene nine as Mitch arrives to
confront her about her past. "The music is in her mind; she is
drinking to escape it and the sense of disaster closing in on her."
(P95)

Williams uses music again in scene seven to symbolise the conflict

between Blanche's philosophy of living an illusion and Stanley's
desire for truth. As Stanley reveals to Stella the past he has
discovered about Blanche, Williams increases the tension is by
Blanche's singing of, "it wouldn't be make believe if you believed in
me" (P80) and Stella is forced to hear the two confronting ideals.

Light is used metaphorically by Williams to represent truth in A

Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche demands that Stella should "turn that
over-light off…I won't be looked at in this merciless glare!" (P7)
Blanche has much to hide and does not want it illuminating. Blanche
says that she has to "put a paper lantern over the light" (P61) a
metaphor Williams uses for camouflaging reality. This also relates to
Williams' symbolic use of a moth to represent Blanche, as the truth
will damage Blanche as a light can damage a moth. As Mitch ends his
relationship with Blanche "he tears the paper lantern off the light"
(P99) illuminating Blanche. She tells Mitch that she doesn't "want
realism" (P99), symbolically the paper lantern expressed Blanche's
need for illusion not reality.

Williams also uses the characters in A Streetcar Named Desire

themselves as symbols. I think he uses Blanche to represent the old
days in America of plantation culture entrenched in slavery. She
represents a life that is disappearing, as have Blanches dreams,
illusions and the family home. In comparison Stanley is symbolic of
the new emerging America where immigrants are part of a vibrant,
"raffish"(P1) multi cultural community. Stella is able to survive and
become part of the future along with her baby. She gave up the old
world to be with Stanley who represents the new America.

The game of poker figures significantly throughout A Streetcar Named

Desire and is symbolic of the relationships within the play. Blanche
is operating a good bluff up to scene five as Mitch "thinks [she is]
sort of - prim and proper" (P63). I think that Williams uses the game
of poker to represent the bluffing and tensions, which occur between
Stanley and Blanche. Stanley warns Blanche "to interest [him] a woman
would have to - lay…her cards on the table" (P25). At the end of the
play as Blanche leaves Elysian Fields "Eunice descends to Stella and
places the child in her arms" (P124) and Steve declares, "This game is
seven-card stud". Williams uses the poker game to show that Stanley
has finished the game with the best hand and won the pot. Stanley has
his wife, child, home and friends and Blanche leaves with nothing.

Bibliography
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Williams, Tennessee (1947). A Streetcar Named Desire, Oxford,

Heinemann Eduactional Publishers