Motifs
and symbols are generally recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices
that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes and represent various concepts in which the
author is conveying. Symbolism and motif are extremely important in any piece
of literature and truly define the underlying details and meaning of the piece.
A Streetcar Named Desire is arguably
Tennessee Williams’ most notable piece of work and the symbols/motifs
throughout the play transmit several illusions through the characters of
Blanche, Stella, and Stanley to hide fallacies in their lives. Throughout A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses several of these symbols
and motifs in the play to express insightful ideas not explicitly seen by just
reading. These recurring literary devices not only portray illusion, but also focus
on the Varsouviana Polka and “Paper Doll” music, flowers, light, and bathing to
illustrate social realism. All of these
mentioned by Tennessee Williams are vital to the construction of the play and
play a very paramount role in the execution of literary elements.
Williams uses illusion throughout
this play to impart numerous different symbols for the reader to unconsciously interpret
what is being stated. A prime example of illusion in this play is the
Varsouviana Polka and “Paper Doll” music. The Varsouviana Polka is a melody
that Blanche and her late husband Allen Grey were last dancing to when Allen was
alive. Allen commits suicide by shooting himself in the head because Blanche
told him that she was “disgusted” by him. During the play at different times,
the Polka music seems to play when Blanche is feeling a sense of repentance for
Allen’s death. In scene one where Stanley initially meets Blanche and asks
about her husband, the music begins to play. Stanley says, “Stella’s spoke of
you a good deal. You were married once, weren’t you?” (Williams 1176). The
music of the Polka then begins to faintly rise up when Allen is mentioned,
demonstrating Blanche’s remorse and regret for her late husband. Moreover in
Scene 7, Blanche begins to sing the “Paper Moon” music and says, “Say, it’s
only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea/-but it wouldn’t be make-believe
if you believed in me!” (Williams 1213). These lyrics dictate Blanche’s
approach to life; she believes that her illusion is her way of enjoying a
better life and is essentially harmless. From these motifs, Williams is
illustrating Blanche’s life living in the “make-believe” world instead of her
true reality.
A
very commonly used symbol in Williams’ play is the persistent flowers used to
exemplify desire as well as death. Toward the end of Scene 5, Mitch brings
Blanche roses out of pure lust for her. While Mitch approaches Blanche, Blanche
says, “Look who’s coming! My Rosenkavalier! Bow to me first… now present them! Ahhhh-Merciiii!” (Williams 1205). The
stage directions then inform the reader that Mitch appears around the corner
with a bunch of roses. Shortly after Mitch’s flower delivery, in Scene 9, a
Mexican woman comes around selling flores
para los muertos, or flowers of the dead. Once the Mexican woman announces
that she is selling flowers, Blanche says, “No, no! Not now!” (Williams 1225).
The Polka music then fades in, reminding Blanche of her late husband once again. Between these
two different scenes, we went from desire and lust to death and despair just by
the use of one symbol. The flowers are a powerful symbol in this play and can
relate back to Williams’ technique, in which he is portraying life and
happiness, then ironically depicting bereavement.
Williams uses light as a recurring
motif throughout A Streetcar Named Desire
to illustrate Blanche’s insecurities with her own appearance and her sexual
innocence along with her sexual maturity and disillusionment. In Scene 9, Mitch
says to Blanche how he has never seen her in the light, and it seems like she
is always making up excuses and beating around the bush when he confronts her
about her constant avoidance of light. Mitch says, “I don’t think I ever seen
you in the light. That’s a fact!” (Williams 1223). The narration then directs
to the reader that Mitch has torn the paper lantern off the light bulb, and
Blanche utters a gasp. Mitch then coerces Blanche to stand under the direct
light. Mitch’s main concern is not her age, but is the fact that she is being
deceitful. She believes that magic, rather than reality, represents life in its
fullest. In addition, another example of light used by Williams is when Blanche
is talking to Mitch about her late husband Allen and her sexual experiences. Blanche
tells Mitch in Scene 6 that when she was in love with her husband, it was as if
the world was revealed in bright, dazzling light. Ever since Allen’s suicide,
the light has not been present. All through Blanche’s sexual experiences with
other men subsequent to Allen’s death, she claims the light has been dim, and
the reader can infer through William’s use of this motif that the vivid light represents
true love.
Blanche’s
constant need for bathing herself is another commonly used motif occurring
throughout the play. Her sexual experiences have
molded her into a frenzied woman, but these baths, as she says, calm her
nerves. In a sense, they are a way to wash away her profligate past. Blanche
says in Scene 6, “Oh, I feel so good after my long, hot bath, I feel so good
and cool and-rested.”(Williams 192). Blanche’s
numerous baths and time spent in the bathroom throughout the play are her attempts
at cleansing herself of her past sexual misbehavior and her way of escaping
everyone and everything and having time to herself in private. Moreover, another
sound example of this is present in Scene 2, when Blanche states, “I
think I will bathe again…My nerves are in knots” (Williams 1182). Blanche is stressed
out over Stanley along with her recurring thoughts of her prior sexual ordeals with
other men. Although Blanche is living in a fantasy, no matter how hard she
tries to hide it, her sexual experiences keep popping into her head repeatedly
to haunt her, ultimately causing her demented personality and frequent bathing.
With the use of motif, Tennessee Williams is able to demonstrate Blanche’s
intimate and promiscuous past and how much it deeply affects her feelings.
In summation,
through the use of motifs and symbols of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams is
able to emphasize Blanche’s fantasy as well as her reality that she has been
living in. Blanche is a very insecure and deranged individual who obviously
needs help, ultimately leading to her being sent to a mental institution. The
author is able to convey several different feelings throughout the characters
in the play by the use of light, music, flowers, and bathing. Williams uses
light as a motif to demonstrate Blanche’s constant need for masking her
appearance to the public along with her insecurities. In addition, bathing is
another motif in the play used by the author to illustrate Blanche’s need to
“wash away” her previous sexual escapades. Furthermore, flowers are a recurring
symbol and signify the irony of lust and happiness, to death, languishing, and
resentment. The Varsouviana music and the “Paper Doll” music are perhaps the
most crucial symbols throughout the play and truly signify Blanche’s contrition
for her late husband, in which his death was primarily her fault. Conclusively,
these symbols and motifs are fundamental in the implementation of Williams’ play
and fabricate numerous narratives and aspects, such as the overall theme or
mood, and represent various ideas
and qualities.
Eric! Keep striving!
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