Streetcar Named Desire

Good literature makes us think about the world. Tennessee Williams demonstrates this through “a street car named desire” by having themes that are contemporary, and allowing readers to see the different perspectives of these themes. The themes throughout this play include desire leading to death, alcoholism and gender roles which are all strongly present in the world today and Williams encourages discussion about these topics through the text
To be called good literature books and texts need to deal with issues that are relevant to the audiences. ‘A streetcar named desire” deals with the issue that desire leads to death through its use of several techniques such as metaphors and symbols and repetition. The issue of desire leading to death

is present throughout the text. In scene 1 the issue is addressed when Blanche is making her way to her sister Stella’s house. Blanche catches a streetcar name named desires then cemeteries to arrive at a place called elysian fields which is the land of the dead in Greek mythology . Williams used this metaphor to represent the trajectory of blanches life. It demonstrates that Blanches lifelong pursuit of sexual desires has led it to her death through the eviction of Belle Reve and ostracism from laurel.
Another example of desire leading to death is the death of blanches husband. Blanche caught her husband cheating on her with a man. After she caught her husband all 3 of them went to a pub where she said to her husband “you disgust me” after this he runs out and shots himself. Blanche only tells this story once but the repetition of varsovonia this was the music that was playing when her husband died. This technique is a symbol that desire can lead to death and is heard in many scenes throughout the play.
Williams makes the audience think about the world within this theme. In today’s society we are shown the horrific consequences of committing any form of sexual assault. A person who cannot control their desires becomes an outcast in society. It allows us to think deeper into certain aspects within the world we live in.
Gender roles are an issue that is strongly present in today society and is one of the main themes in ‘a streetcar named desire’.

Williams uses techniques such as characters, plot and dialogue to address this issue in throughout the text. Williams demonstrates the theme of gender roles through the character Stanley. Stanley was a misogynist male at the centre of a male world and was described as “a rickly feathered male bird among hens” in the stage directions of scene 1. This theme continues throughout the plot of the play. Stanley is the most dominant male throughout the play. His decision are final and he has control over Stella and his mates .Stanley make the comment “I am a king around here” in scene 8. He treats everyone like they’re below him and don’t deserve the respect he does and his tantrums make him look childish.
Williams makes the audience think about the world about throughout this issue in the play. The audience is exposed to the grim reality on how woman were treated. It demonstrates how far society has come in respecting woman. The topic of woman being treated fairly is always in the media, and Williams uses this contemporary issue to show a different perspective of this topic allowing the audience to go into deep discussion about an issue happening in our world at this present

time
Alcoholism is when a person has a dependency on alcohol. The issue of alcoholism is present witrh this play through the characters Stanley and Blanche. Williams demonstrates the theme of alcoholism in two completely different within this play. Stanley is shown to drink on a social basis. He embraces alcoho0l when he is hanging out with his friends. Blanches drinking is the complete opposite. She keeps a secret and is able to escape reality when in a drunken state. Being in a drunken state leads to destructive behaviours. The severity of these behaviours can vary. In this play Stanley’s drinking has lead him to commit domestic violence. In scene 3 Stanley punches his wife Stella and in scene 10 sexually assaults Blanche. Stanley’s drunken state never lasts that long unlike blanches. Blanches drinking has been constant throughout the whole play. It has led her to live in her imagination and causes her to go insane.
Alcohol is a heavily present in today’s society. Many crimes and accidents occur while a person is intoxicated. It is a topic that is heavily discussed in schools and the media. With Williams using this theme in the play it is more relevant t to the audience. Williams links alcohol with domestic violence an issue that is heavily involved in the media at this present moment. Discussion about this topic is needed to reduce the rates of domestic violence and Williams encourages this. This topic does make us think about the world.
‘A street car named desire’ is a marvellous piece of literature. With the use of many techniques Williams deliveries a text that makes us think about different aspects of the world we live in. Because this play contains contempary techniques which include desiring leading to death, gender roles and alcoholism this play encourages discussions on these topics and is a text that will have a wide range of readers. It is demonstrated that Good literature makes us think about the world throughout Tennessee William Play ‘A streetcar named desire’