Streetcar Named Desire Critical Lens Essay Example

A poet named Carleton Noyes once said, “The human heart has always dreamed of a fairer world than the one it knows.” Part of the human condition is always yearning for something better than what we have. People constantly strive for their idea of a “perfect” life. I agree with this quote because there are several people throughout history that have never failed to push for more and strive for better. Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams supports this idea through the use of strong literary elements such as characterization, conflict and symbolism.

Tennessee Williams uses conflict to show that no matter what people may go through, they will always continue and try to believe their situation gets better. During a poker game with his friends, Stanley becomes very frustrated with the loud music being played by, his wife, Stella and her sister Blanche. As a result, he throws the radio out the window and Stella then gets in an argument with him. Stanley then hits Stella and she leaves the house. “You lay your hand on me and I’ll - [She backs out of sight. He advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out.]” (57). When Stanley hit Stella, instead of leaving him and being upset, her desire for love, affection and a perfect family trump her anger towards Stanley’s violent actions. Later, Stanley becomes so sick of Blanche in his house, that he gives her a ticket back to Laurel, where she is hated by everyone. Blanche then tries to make her situation seem better to herself than it truly is. “What telegram! No! No, after! As a matter of fact, the wire came just as-” (128). Blanche and Stanley both knew her situation is hopeless and she has lost everything she has ever desired. To make herself believe that her situation isn’t as bad as it seems, she makes up a fake future for herself in order to regain the dignity and hope that Stanley has taken away from her. In Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses symbolism to portray the