Streetcar Named Desire Essay, Research Paper

In Tennessee William?s? play A Streetcar Named Desire, a major theme that is

present is reality versus illusion. In the play, Williams clearly tends to favor

the real world of Stanley and Stella Kowalski, than the imaginary world of the

unfortunate Blanche DuBois. He demonstrates that when the two worlds intersect,

reality will smash the artificial world of illusion. The first evidence that

proves Williams alliance with reality, is Blanche?s life before New Orleans,

in Laurel. Blanche had fell in love and married a boy whom she thought of as

perfect in every way. Unfortunately for her he is a homosexual. This intrusion

of reality breaks up her dream image of her husband, and she tells him how he

disgusts her. He then commits suicide, and Blanche forever blames herself. These

unpleasant realities that have invaded her life, make her find refuge in

promiscuous relationships with all kinds of men. She still believes that she is

a refined and respectable woman, but in reality she is nothing but a tramp whom

is forced to leave Laurel. Another instance where the two worlds conflict is the

night of the poker game. When Stanley gets drunk and beats Stella, Blanche is

extremely upset and disgusted. His actions convince her that she must leave with

Stella. She concocts a ridiculous plan to run away with Shep Huntleigh, an

acquaintance she had seen long ago. Stella being more realistic, knows that this

plan has no merit. She knows that Stanley is crude and violent at times but she

knows how to cope. Besides, she is about to have a baby and cannot raise a child

without a father. Stella decides to stay with Stanley, and seems to forget about

the event as if it never happened. Stella has chosen Stanley over Blanche, and

in the process choosing reality over illusion. The two defining incidents in the

play clearly show that Tennessee Williams favors the world of reality. The

moments before Stanley rapes Blanche is the first time where Blanche gets the

brutal reality to her face. Stanley bashes every illusion that Blanche had

believed. When Blanche says that Shep Huntleigh had contacted her, Stanley

immediately recognizes it as a lie, he states ? There isn?t a goddam thing

but imagination! and lies and conceit and tricks!?. Stanley then rapes

Blanche, shattering her world forever. Weeks after the episode, Blanche could

not convince anybody that she was raped, because nobody could believe her, for

she was always basing things around imagination. The world of reality defeats

Blanche when she is hauled off to a mental institution. The final incident that

solidifies Williams? alliance with reality, is the poignant scene where Stella

remains with Stanley after her only sister is removed from the house. Stella

could not let herself believe that Stanley had raped Blanche. Stanley comforts

Stella, implying that things will go back to the way they were. In a dream

world, Stella would have made a dramatic exit from Stanley, however in a real

world people do things that they have to do, rather than what they want to do.

With a child involved Stella, must remain with Stanley. Tennessee Williams has

shown the victory of reality over illusion. In A Streetcar Named Desire ,

Tennessee Williams has demonstrated that when the worlds of reality and

imagination clash, realism will defeat and shatter the dream world that a person

has built for himself. He has clearly allied himself with the forces of reality

rather than illusion.