Blanche Dubois In A Streetcar Named Desire

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In A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Blanche Dubois is regarded as an immoral person because of her need to lie to everyone who loves her. She is dishonest, putting herself into prostitution and engaging in several impersonal affairs, not to mention she had sex with a seventeen-year-old boy she had taught. Even though Blanche’s actions are deplorable, William’s sympathy lies with her because she is portrayed as an injured, innocent women victimized by her surroundings. From the beginning of the play, Blanche’s flaws are seen through her interactions with others. When she first meets Mitch, Blanche introduces herself as an English teacher taking a sabbatical just to visit Stella, keeping the reality of her recent past to herself; she lost her job after a parent exposed her for having sex with one of her students. The lies she tells are intended to maintain her old school maiden image. More so, deprived of any income, she attempts to retain her position as an elite member of society by wearing “gaudy clothing” and speaking down to others. She insults Stanley time and time again, calling him greasy, Polack, and swine. …show more content…

After the foreclosure of Belle Reve (her forefathers paid for their fornication with land), Blanche lived in a run down hotel known as the Flamingo. She was notorious for bringing random men into her room and having impersonal relations with them, until she was forced to leave. She was no longer welcome in Laurel because her reputation was tarnished; she was a prostitute. Even though these actions alone should be reason enough to mark Blanche as a terrible human being, there are parts of her life story that helps the reader sympathize with her

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