Streetcar+Symbols


 * Symbolism in //Streetcar// **
 * The symbolic nature of each of the following is vitally important to an understanding of the play, and these terms reappear throughout the play. In the space below, jot down what you believe the symbol is representing in //Streetcar.// **

Sammy- Blanche comes from the root to mean the color "white". White represents purity, however her last name resembles the word "dubious". Dubious can mean suspicious or untrustworthy. This symbolizes how Blanche searches for purity, yet she is never consistently a pure character. Whatever "pure" intensions she may have, they are always overpowered by her desires for sexual attention, fortune, and materialism.
 * 1. Blanche DuBois **

Allie Levin - Blanche represents sexual desire and conflicting emotions. Blanche is so damaged and she needs help. Blanche overall, like Sammy said, symbolizes purity, as she wishes to have this throughout the play.

Danarenae- She represents the ideals of the Old South. She is defeated in the end signifying the replacement of Old South age with the New South represented by Stanley and other immigrants. She also represents fantasy, which is destroyed in the eyes of the other characters as she is taken away, but to Blanche the fantasy wins as it engulfs her.

Kris- Blanch symbolizes the ending of the Old South by her being taken away at the end of Street car. As allie and Sammy said, Blanch symbolizes people’s never ending journey to find purity and perfection.

Eric- Blanche represents insecurity and low self-esteem. She constantly tries to change who she is, and she refuses to be seen in the light. Also, Blanche's selfishness, sex-life, and obsession with her looks are all ways that she tries to feel better about herself.

Ryan -** Blanche represents the changing society between the Old South and modern industrialism. She is someone who is caught in the middle of this change and has lost her place in society. **

Jim - Blanche represents the aristocracy of the southern U.S., and the fact that without their wealth, material possessions, and social status, they are unable to function in society. She is always dependent on others, as that is how she was brought up, and without a man to depend on she is helpless.

Harry- Blanche represents the Old South and insecurity. She is a dependent person who always relied on others, as she said in her last line in the story. She also represents the state of being self-centered because of the way she treated Stella.

__Lexi-__ __Lexi H-__ symbolizes the human nature to not deal with problems, and take the easy way out, symbolizes the problem between morals in persons.

Shannon- Blanche DuBois, considered the protagonist of the play, symbolizes the yearning for youth years and the desire of a well-managed life. Her careless actions eventually lead to her lose grip on reality and the appreciation of passion in her life.

Rachel - Blanche symbolizes people that are hurt by the confines and expectations of society, and those who cannot find their place within society.

Lauren-
 * Represents the old Southern way of life. Southern Belle, if you will. A more conservative way of life. She embodies the old world values, as a contrast to Stella and Stanley. **

Julia- Blanche symbolizes desire. She is insecure but depends on social class and attention from others to feel confident. She has conflicting emotions and can’t face reality.

Zach- Blanche symbolizes the changing role of women. She wants to embody the Old South mentality that women should be reserved and gracious, but the world around her expects her to embrace sexuality.

Jaime- Blanche symbolizes pity and confusion. She has such a split personality you don't know whether you should feel sorry for her or be annoyed with her.

Melissa - DuBois means the “White Wood.” The whiteness is a stark contrast to who she is.

Allie Levin - Stella means "star". This could mean that Stella is not only one of the main characters in the play, but she is also the most important thing to Stanley and Blanche. Stella was the reason that Blanche comes to New Orleans and Stanley will do anything to make sure that he doesn’t lose control of Stella.
 * 2. Stella **

Danarenae- She represents the New South and its different view on what love and true men are. Stella is in love with Stanley’s animalistic behavior, which she sees as manly, but Blanche is more in love with Mitch as he is sensitive and a gentleman. Thus, Blanche’s view is the Old South view on men. Stella does not believe her sister and allows her be taken away to a mental institution; thus, representing the replacement of the Old South with the New South.

Kris- Stella represents a bridge from the Old South to the New South. As previously stated, Blanch represented the Old South while Stanley represented the New. Stella had traits of the two, and is therefore a good connected between the two.

Eric- Stella symbolizes weakness. She is in an abusive relationship that she refuses to get out of, she is constantly getting drinks for her sister, and she fails to stand up to her abusive husband who raped her sister and sent her to an asylum.

__Lexi H- Symbolises the innocence of women during that time period, time and time again she gets taken advantage of and that was a common thing during that time period when the women was solely a thing to aid the man.__

Shannon- Stella represents how men normally dominate women in relationships and how love is blinding and can bring out the worst in couples. Stella depends on Stanley, symbolizing that women rely on the man for happiness too much.

Jim - Stella represents submissive women in abusive relationships. Her life revolves around Stanley and his actions, and refuses to leave him no matter what he does. Even after he brutally beat her in a drunken rage, she returns to his side almost immediately.

Rachel - Stella represents the typical woman of her time period. She is a people-pleaser, and it seems that her actions are meant to keep the people in her life happy. She stays in her abusive relationship with Stanley, and does everything she can to keep Blanche calm. She never seems to do anything for herself.

Ryan -** Stella represents passivity in women, as well as their dependence on men. **


 * Lauren- **
 * Stella is the opposite of Blanche’s old world ways. She lives in a racially mixed city, and has married an immigrant. She has no maid, no servants, and lived in two rooms. She’s the new type of person, a new generation, who’s moving forward. **

Zach- Stella represents complicity. She is ok with being dominated by Stanley and ordered around by her sister, Blanche. She has the ability to change her situation but chooses to acknowledge any of the problems that exist.

Harry- Stella represents the classic dependent woman because of how much she relies on Stanley and lets him take charge.

Jaime- Stella represents 'the good wife.' She relies on her husband for almost everything and she does anything he asks of her. Melissa - "Stella Star"- used for guidance. She is a focal point for Blanche. Precious lamb (lamb of God)

Allie Levin - "Belle reve" means "beautiful dream" in French. Blanche is still hopeful that she can have the upper class lifestyle that she feels that she is deserving of. Stella still has hope that she can have the happy marriage and loving family even though Stanley does not treat her like a husband should treat his wife
 * 3. Belle Reve **

Danarenae- Just as Blanche represents the ideals of the Old South and her fantasy, Belle Reve represents them as well. The Old South world is the world Blanche longs to be in, yet she is being surrounded and destroyed by an environment that has left the Old South time period behind. The plantation is lost, and thus, symbolizes that the Old South will fall. This foreshadows Blanche’s destruction later on as the New South overtakes all elements of the Old South.

Kris-  As Dana stated, Bella Reve represents the ending of the Old South and all good things must come to an end. In addition, because of the conflict that it brought up between Stanley and Blanch (pertaining to money), it represents the selfish nature of people.

Eric- Belle Reve symbolizes fantasy. Blanche's past was believed to be one of luxury and glamor at Belle Reve, just like Blanche's fantastic delusions involved Shep Huntleigh, it's the same idea

Jim - Belle Reve represents the life of comfort and luxury that Blanche and Stella grew up with. Throughout the story, Blanche desperately tries to return to this way of life, as she is unable to live without the comforts of being wealthy. Stella, however, has moved on and accepted that she will no longer life the life of an aristocrat.

__Lexi H- represents a hopeful yet impossible dream, blache could have done so much with Belle Reve but ruined it and it is now forever gone.__

Shannon- Belle Reve symbolizes a ‘better place’ that was a safe haven and retreat from reality. The entire story revolves around the avoidance from reality and losing Belle Reve was a big deal to the characters.

Rachel - Belle Reve symbolizes the material things in life, as well as wealth, status, and power.

Lauren-
 * Belle Reve translates to beautiful dream. When Blanche loses Belle Reve, she’s symbolically lost her beautiful dream, where everything stays as it was, safe and traditional, as she remembered in her childhood. Losing Belle Reve means she’s lost that dream, like the old world ways are being lost to the ways of the new generation, which is represented in her and Stella. **

Zach- Belle Reve represents the Old South and Blanche's connection to the past. Once she lost it, she became a stranger in a strange land and she couldn't survive. Her family died at Belle Reve, so the place was her last connection to the Old South lifestyle.

Harry- Belle Reve represents the utopia that Blanche seeks. A place that no longer truly exists and the last link she had to the Old South.

Jaime- Belle Reve represents the Blanche that she was or would like to be but isn't.

Melissa- represents the old southern gentility. She lost the estate just like she lost her sophistication and her good reputation. In French it means “beautiful dream” Blanche lost her dream.

Allie Levin - Blanche’s life – first she needs desire, which is what brought her to Stella, but then she “dies” as Stanley rapes her and then puts her in a mental hospital, which is social exile
 * 4. The streetcars Desire and Cemeteries **

Danarenae- They represent the path Blanche has taken. Her desires and delusions have caused her death/destruction, which is indicated by the streetcar named Cemeteries. After this death, she is led into a world away from society and without reality, which is her ‘afterlife’ in the Elysian Fields. Her fantasy becomes real to her when she ‘enters’ the third streetcar named Elysian Fields.

Kris-Blanch took the streetcar named Desire to Stella’s house. The car represents Blanch’s life and how her inability to control her sexual desire led to her demise, and her eventual move to the South. Blanch “dies” after she is sent to the psych ward, and with her the death of the Old South.

Eric- I agree with Dana. She was brought to New Orleans by a streetcar named desire (her past sexual encounters) and she was victimized and raped until she was brought to the asylum in the streetcar named cemeteries.

Jim - The streetcars named Death and Desire represent the two main themes of Blanche’s life. She is surrounded by death, as every one of her family members apart from Stella has passed away. Desire is what motivates her actions, as she is unable to control her sexual urges and her desire and out of control behavior are bringing her closer and closer to death.

__Lexi H- The desire in all the characters is represented I feel__

Shannon- The street cars represent the paths towards desires. Cemeteries, representing ‘death’, emphasizes Blanche’s fear of death and her encounter with it when her husband killed herself. She is linked and haunted by the loss of a loved one and how it affects her throughout the story.

Rachel - The streetcars symbolize a path or a journey. They took Blanche to New Orleans, and marked the beginning of a journey for both Blanche and Stella. The cemeteries represent the idea of death, which culminates in Blanche "dying" when she is taken away at the end of the play.

Lauren-
 * Blanche takes a streetcar named desire, then transfers to cemeteries, and then gets off at Elysian Fields. All rather obvious, letting your desire drive your direction leads to negative things (connoted by cemeteries) and you end up in the land of the dead. **

Zach- The streetcar named Desire took her to the streetcar named Cemetery. Blanche's desire for the perfect life caused her demise. Julia- The streetcar Desire and cemeteries represent Blanche’s life. She begins with a lot of sexual desire and after Stanley rapes her she hits rock bottom.

Jaime- D esire brought Blanche to Stella but the cemeteries are what bring her back. They also symbolize the themes of sex and death.

Melissa- Streetcar named desire is the car that took her to her sister and Stanley. Her desire for men (her bad reputation) is what took her to Elysian Fields, which in Greek mythology stands for land of the dead. Ultimately her life is destroyed and staying with her sister.

Allie Levin - Blanche does not want to be seen in the light, almost as if she is hiding from the world
 * 5. Light/Darkness **

Danarenae- They symbolize reality and fantasy, respectively. The lighting can reveal the reality of Blanche’s fading beauty and reveal her past. Thus, she prefers to hide in the darkness so that she can pretend her fibs are true. If others see her in the light, her fantasy world will fall apart. Therefore, she hides from light and even covers a light with a lantern. If her fading beauty and fibs are revealed, she will lose her fantasy and potential husband, Mitch. Thus, she stays in dimly light areas, and won’t let Mitch see her in the day or in the light. Blanche is compared to a moth in the beginning of the play for these reasons as like a moth, she is out during the night (darkness) and ‘destroyed’ by the light.

Kris-Blanche always kept a lampshade on the light because she did not want it to shine. In the same sense, she did not want others to know who she really was and therefore but on an act

Eric- I agree with Kris. Blanche was trying to keep her past in the dark, hidden from everyone else. When Mitch said that he had never seen her in the light, he meant that he never got to know who she really was

Jim – The darkness represents Blanche’s façade, as she cannot handle being seen in the light. She believes the light reveals her true age (and as a result, her dark past).

__Lexi H.- The portrayal of reality, in the light everything is clear and simple, which is why blanche chooses to stay out of it, and stay in the darkness with comes with obvious negative connotations.__

Shannon- Blanche avoids the light throughout the play because she refuses to reveal her fading beauty and refuses to face that reality. By avoiding the light and staying in the darkness, that also symbolizes how she refuses to face her problems and other situations.

Ryan -** Light = exposure; for this reason, Blanche tends to avoid light, as she does not want anyone to see who she truly is. Light also represents passion, which Blanche has not truly felt since her husband died. **

Lauren-
 * Blanche is described as wearing white when we first meet her, a light color. She also wears a lot of light colored clothing. Blanch also hides from the light, and never stands in harsh light or in the open, she’s always in the shadow. Light brings things out into the open, she wants to hide her age and fading person in the dark, or under lighter things. **

**Julia-** Blanche does not want to be seen in the light. The contrast of lightness and darkness symbolizes Blanche hiding from the world behind her lies.

Zach- Darkness represents ignorance and sin. Blanche is unwilling to face reality (the light), so she chooses to live in darkness and lies.

Jaime- Light is a metaphor for truth and darkness is one for lying. For example: the lampshade; which is Blanche's desire for illusion rather than reality.

Melissa - Throughout the play, Blanche avoids appearing in direct, bright light, especially in front of her suitor, Mitch. She also refuses to reveal her age, and it is clear that she avoids light in order to prevent him from seeing the reality of her fading beauty. In general, light also symbolizes the reality of Blanche’s past. She hides in the darkness to hid her past.

Sammy- Baths represent Blanche's ATTEMPTS at being pure and cleansing herself. She is never able to successfully rid herself of her sinful life that only seeks trivial matters such as sexual attention and fortune. She constantly tries to reguvenite herself as a person, by "starting clean again" by taking a bath. She is never able to cleanse herself of her true nature, and therefore takes many baths in this attempt.
 * 6. Baths **

Allie Levin - Cleanliness; each time she takes a bath, Blanche does it to not only make herself appear with a higher social status, but to also reflect on her life. Blanche tries over and over again to be reborn (or baptized) by these baths, with the hopes that she can have the life that she longs to have

__Lexi Chicles- When Blanche takes her baths it symbolizes he hatred for her past. It is as if she is trying to wash away all of the mistakes of her past. She feels like she needs to be cleansed and now that her past has caught up with her because of Stanely she takes more and more baths in hope that it will make everything better.__ Danarenae- They symbolize cleansing and renewal. Blanche baths often as she is trying to cleanse herself of the bad reputation and events of her past. She baths often because she fears that others will see her ‘dirtiness.’ Also, bathing is way of destroying her past and entering the fantasy of fibs she has woven around her. Stanley also is renewed and sees his mistake in beating his wife after his friends put him under the shower.

Kris- The baths symbolized Blanche’s need to cleanse herself from the past. But, by the number of baths she kept taking, it was clear that she could never be fully free from who she was.

Eric- Everyone has pretty much said the same thing, and I agree. The baths symbolized spiritual cleansing and rebirth, Blanche used them as a way to escape from her past, and to attempt to begin anew.

Jim – Blanche’s baths represents her attempts to “purify” herself and rid herself of her shameful past. Whenever she takes a bath, she retreats further into her own fantasy world.

__Lexi H- returning to a child-like state, a place that there are no worries or cares, as close to heaven as blanche will get__

Shannon- Whenever Blanche is stressed or dealing with stress, she takes a bath, which symbolizes her attempt at ‘cleansing’ herself from the dirtiness she has to deal with.

Rachel - The baths symbolize cleansing, or Blanche's attempt for a fresh start. This was a source of irony, because no matter how often Blanche took a bath, she could never get away from her old habits and her past.

Lauren-
 * Blanch takes lots of baths, she’s trying to escape her bad reputation, she’s metaphorically cleansing herself from her sins. **

The bath symbolizes Blanche’s need to cleanse herself from the past and gives her a chance to start over.
 * Julia- **

Jaime- The baths are Blanche's way to cleanse herself from her former life and wash away her sins.

Melissa- These baths represent her efforts to cleanse herself of her odious history. Yet, just as she cannot erase the past, her bathing is never done. Stanley also turns to water to undo a misdeed when he showers after beating Stella. The shower serves to soothe his violent temper; afterward, he leaves the bathroom feeling remorseful and calls out longingly for his wife.

Sammy- Blue piano is definitely symbolic and representative of the plot. It often foreshadows by setting tone. For example, when "hectic" music was described at the end of one scene, the reader is left in a state of confusion and chaos, leaving them to expect a problematic situation to come.
 * 7. The Blue Piano **

Allie Levin - Represents normalcy; every time that the characters were pretending that things were okay, the blue piano was playing in the background, as if it was trying to make every thing okay even though it wasn’t

Danarenae- It represents the emotions of the characters. The blue piano can be heard during times of distress and times of hope, such as when Blanche is calling for help and when she is calling Shep Huntleigh. The blue piano is depressing, lonely, and yet hopeful in times of possible love, just as Blanche is throughout the story.

Jim – the blue piano sets a melancholy tone for when an important event is about to occur.

Kris-The blue piano, I think, represents and is parallel to the shifts in plot throughout the story. As Sammy said, at the end there was hectic music played which coincided with all the plot that unraveled at the end, especially the one sending blanche away. But even at other times in the play, the music of the piano correctly portrayed the feelings of the characters.

Eric- the blue piano tells the reader when a passage is of particular importance. It seems as though the blue piano plays only when a major event has just occurred or is about to occur.

Shannon- The blue piano always plays during Blanche’s emotional flashback of her husband. It signifies how she is reluctant to let go of the past and the trauma that has happened to her.

Ryan -** The Blue Piano is a motif that occurs every time there is a very intense moment in the play. It signifies that something major is happening or will happen without making the hint too blatant. **

Rachel - The Blue Piano served as an indicator to an important moment in the plot.

Lauren-
 * The piano responds to the mood. In intense parts, it’s described as being fast, and slows down in slower parts. It also is a part of New Orleans, the culture, showing that Blanch is completely surrounded by this place, with very sense. **

**Julia-** The Blue Piano represents that the mood is always changing in the Kowalski apartment. The Blue Piano is a symbol of normalness. Although there is always some type of issue someone is facing, the characters pretend as if nothing is wrong, which is symbolized through the blue piano music.

Jaime - The Blue Piano represents the spirit of life in the part of the city in which the play takes place. The piano plays in response to the mood of the scene.

Melissa - The idea of sadness. When everything was going good, it was the transition that leads to a bad event.

Allie Levin - This plays whenever Blanche is thinking about Allen. This symbolizes Blanche’s remorse and loss of innocence
 * 8. “Varsouviana” **

Danarenae- It represents a loss of innocence as Blanche hears this polka when she is reminded of her husband, is in distress, or is falling deeper into her fantasy. She lost her innocence and entered a world of lies when her husband committed suicide after she said she was disgusted that he was a homosexual. This event occurred just after she was dancing with him to the “Varsouviana.”

Kris- This song is representative of a loss of innocence. Whenever it plays, Blanch thinks back to her husband, who committed suicide after Blanche’s reaction when she found out he was a homosexual.

Jim – the polka music represents memories of Blanche’s husband, as whenever she thinks about him she is haunted by this particular song. She has stated that the song only ends after she hears a gunshot noise in her head.

Shannon- "Varsouviana”: plays whenever Blanche is feeling remorse and it symbolizes the distraction of Blanche from reality and from innocence

Eric- the song symbolizes Blanche's insanity. Whenever Blanche is showing her insanity, the song plays in her head. It can also be seen as the root of her mental problems, because her husband killed himself while the song was playing.

Ryan - ** It represents Blanche’s recurring nightmares about the events that occurred. She hears this song whenever she panics and her nightmares ensue. **


 * Lauren- **
 * Tune Blanch last danced to with her husband. Whenever Blanch is under stress, it comes back to haunt her. She can’t escape her past, which is represented by the music with this awful memory attached. **

Lexi C This song represents the issues arising in Blanches life and the problems that she causes for others. Whenever the song is heard or played or mentioned something unfortunate happens and as the play progresses the events become more and more devastating and severe. Blanches life is spiraling downwards and it is almost like her life is a terrible dance and the Varsouviana is the theme song.

This is played when Blanche first mentions Allen and when she tells the story of their marriage and his death. This shows up again every time Blanche is thinking about or referring to Allen. This symbolizes Blanche’s remorse and loss of innocence
 * Julia- **

Zach- The song is symbolic of Blanche's regret. She criticized Allen and it led to his suicide, but she still loves him. The music follows her because she cannot move on.

Jaime- The song represents death and it is always being played when Blanche talks about her dead husband.

Melissa - The polka and the moment it evokes represent Blanche’s loss of innocence. The suicide of the young husband Blanche loved dearly was the event that triggered her mental decline. Since then, Blanche hears the Varsouviana whenever she panics and loses her grip on reality.