Blanche Dubois Research Paper

Andrea Hunt

Professor Falco

English 1616W

23 April 2018

A Streetcar Named Illusion The classic tragedy, A Streetcar Named Desire presents the recurring themes of fantasy and illusion to allow one to make life appear as it should be, rather than it is. Through the study of character and tropology, Tennessee Williams portrays the protagonist, Blanche DuBois, as the conflict of reality versus illusion through her world of delusion and fantastical philosophy. Blanche thrives on illusion; fantasy is her primary means of self-defense against both outside threats and against her own demons. Blanche’s main demon, her past life, haunts her every day, yet she clings onto the memory of her past and refuses to let go. Since the loss of her husband, her

The connection between alcohol and a fantasy world – and Blanche’s constant need for both – “establish her as an alcoholic and subject her to moral censure” (Foster 114). Blanche utilizes alcohol as a means of escape, “she [Blanche] uses booze to distract herself from reality and to retreat further into a world of fantasy and cleverly contrived artifice” (Foster 115). Blanche will only admit that her habitual drinking threatens her reputation, but she does not realize that she also uses it to escape her past, and harsh reality of her current situation. She assures Stella, “now don’t get worried, your sister hasn’t turned into a drunkard, she’s just all shaken up and hot and tired and dirty!” (Williams 12). Blanche’s drinking is seen as a problem even in the stage directions in scene nine, “she is drinking to escape the sense of disaster closing in on her” (Williams 139), which confirms that she uses alcohol as a distraction from the reality of her

By mocking her imaginative efforts to transform a corrupt reality, Stanley strips Blanche of all her illusions and tries to reveal them as “lies and conceit and tricks!” (Williams 158). Stanley challenges Blanche’s illusions by trying to get her to admit that “there isn’t no millionaire! And Mitch didn’t come back with roses ’cause I know where he is” (Williams 157). However, even though Blanche is staring directly at her compulsive lies, she still cannot bare to admit the truth to herself, let alone Stanley. During the confrontation, all Blanche can reply to Stanley’s hurtful truth is “oh!” and “oh – God…” (Williams 158). Stanley realizes that words are not enough for Blanche to give up her delusional world when Blanche dials the operator to find Shep Huntleigh. Determined to prove Blanche wrong about the cruise, Williams alludes to Stanley raping Blanche in scene ten, when Stanley physically touches Blanche and ominously exclaims, “we’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!” (Williams 162). Stanley’s alleged rape finally pushes Blanche over the edge, especially when Stella does not believe Blanche’s claim. Stanley finally defeats Blanche with this persistent realism when he physically exerts it onto Blanche; making it impossible for her to not admit the truth. In the last scene of the play,