Street Car Named Desire - Scene 1 Discussion

Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” presents a powerful exploration of human fragility and the destructive forces of desire. The play is set in post-war New Orleans and revolves around the relationships between Blanche Dubois, Stanley Kowalski and Stella Kowalski. Using setting and characterization, Williams crafts a strong exposition and introduction to the thematic strand of tension between illusion and reality. This essay aims to delineate how Williams’ stylistic choices define Scene one and its dramatic significance in the play.

The setting, a working-class neighbourhood of New Orleans, serves as a backdrop for the tension between traditional values and the harsh realities of modern life, mirroring the internal struggles of the characters that act as a catalyst for the central plot and conflict. The city is a symbol of modernity, portrayed as a lively and diverse environment. The setting is full of physical and emotional intensity, emphasized by auditory and visual imagery. The opening of the play provides a striking visual of the setting, using juxtaposition in the words “raffish charm” and extensive visual imagery. This is also underscored through the use of words like “rickety”, “faded” and “tinny”. It is described as having narrow streets, with buildings that are weathered and shabby, giving the impression of a place that is unrefined, practical, and worn by time. These support the portrayal of the resilient, practical and raw nature of Elysian Fields; this introduces various themes of the play, including the conflict between the Old and New world, as well as between the interior and exterior appearances. The play revolves around conflict, specifically between the main characters. This is due to their contrasting ideals, upbringing and environment. New Orleans stands as a stark contrast to Belle Reve, the plantation home that Blanche lost. Belle Reve represented the refined ideals and elegance of the Old South, while New Orleans embodies the urban, industrialized future. The setting forces Blanche to confront the realities she has been trying to escape, which is a driving factor of the main storyline.

The contrast of the claustrophobic and modern setting of Elysian Fields with Bell Reve is a constant reminder through the play, highlighting the differences in characteristics and perspectives of the main characters that fuel their conflicts. Recurring motifs such as the blue piano and background noise of the setting not only contribute to the atmosphere, but also reflect the emotional landscape of the characters. The line, “This “Blue Piano” expresses the spirit of the life which goes on here,” immediately and explicitly states the role of this element in shaping the setting. It plays during emotional scenes and when Blanche is vulnerable, used to heighten the dramatic impact and reinforce her sense of displacement in Elysian Fields. The presence of the music acts as an emotional undercurrent of the play and creates an atmosphere of constant movement, reflecting the intensity and energy of the neighbourhood.

Polka music specifically is also used during contemplative moments that Blanche experiences when she discusses her past, linked to her psychological state and trauma. Unlike the blue piano, however, the polka music is not a part of the setting but is a manifestation of Blanche’s internal turmoil. Its sudden appearance and disappearance reflect the unpredictability of Blanche’s mental state, as she struggles between moments of composure and vulnerability, when her emotions threaten to overwhelm her. Another example of auditory imagery being used as a motif to convey certain emotions and themes is the screeching of cats. This is evident twice in Scene one and is used to establish Blanche’s discomfort in Elysian Fields. The cat screeches often occur when Blanche is attempting to create a sense of calm or maintain her composure. They indicate the primal nature of the world Blanche has entered, representing the qualities of Elysian Fields as it is characterized by physicality and raw emotions. These disruptions mirror the way Blanche's fantasies are constantly undermined by the truths around her. The unpredictability of the cat screeches symbolizes the chaotic, uncontrolled aspects of Blanche's mind and emotions, which she struggles to keep hidden but which continually surface. The cat’s cries pierce the atmosphere, much like Stanley's aggressive behaviour pierces Blanche's attempts to maintain a facade of refinement and stability.

Blanche’s arrival at her sister Stella’s home initiates the central plot and sets the tone for their characters. Through Blanche’s monologue, the audience recognizes her inability to accept Stella’s choices and her attempts to impose her own values on Stella. This leads to the friction and the power struggle between her and Stanley, with Stella caught in the middle. This dynamic foreshadows the main conflict of the play, as her presence disrupts Stella and Stanley’s relationship, which results in the tension that escalates as the play progresses. The differences between Stella and Blanche also symbolize the broader theme of the clash between the past and the present. Blanche represents the Old South, which Stella rejected for the urban, modern setting of New Orleans. Their differing attitudes reflect the tension between these two worlds, with Blanche’s refusal to let go of the past ultimately leading to her downfall.

Her description as “incongruous to this setting,” highlights how out of place she is in the neighbourhood. This is emphasized by her attire, “a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and earrings of pearl, white gloves and hat,” that contrasts sharply with the working-class surroundings. The pivotal line referring to the title of the play during Blanche’s introduction, “They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at - Elysian Fields!” serves as a powerful metaphor for her life journey, symbolizing how her desires have driven her through a destructive path. The streetcar named Desire represents her pursuit of love and validation, while the transfer to “Cemeteries” signifies the inevitable consequences of her desires, which have led to the metaphorical death of her innocence and stability.

Furthermore, in her introduction, her comparison to a moth foreshadows her inevitable conflict with Stanley, whose constant animalistic imagery portrays him almost as a predator. These animal motifs throughout the play establish the predatory and harsh nature of the environment in which Blanche finds herself, and the contrast between the moth and a brute creates a sense of dramatic tension, suggesting how Blanche is vulnerable to Stanley’s dominance. Their interactions in the scene highlight Stanley’s straightforwardness as well as the awkwardness in their relationship. This is evident when she “tries unsuccessfully to smile back” at him and when he takes off his shirt. He seems as if he sees through her pretensions and is constantly trying to evoke a reaction out of her. His directness and focus on Blanche's story and Belle Reve contrast her evasiveness, foreshadowing his later efforts to tear down her illusions and expose her true past.

Scene one effectively establishes the foundational elements of the play using dialogue and description. The central conflict driven by the differences in values of the main characters is hinted at through their characterization. This leads to the introduction of the themes that the play revolves around including the differences between old and new values as well as between illusion and reality. Using symbolism, imagery and strong motifs that appear throughout the play, Williams explores various dynamics to craft a strong atmosphere of tension that captivates the audience, foreshadowing the main, deep-rooted conflicts that drives the play forward.