Reality and Illusion in A Streetcar Named Desire
Reality and Illusion in A Streetcar Named Desire

Summary/Abstract: This paper examines the theme of dreams and illusions in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, focusing on how the protagonist, Blanche DuBois, constructs a fantasy world to cope with the harshness of her reality. By analyzing Blanche’s behavior – her insistence on dim lighting, her preoccupation with youth, and her fixation on her Southern belle identity – the paper interprets it as a manifestation of a dreamlike state in which she seeks refuge from trauma, loss, and social displacement. Drawing from literary traditions that explore dreams as metaphors for psychological escape, this paper aims to demonstrate how Blanche’s illusions serve as a protective mechanism that, over time, blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. Ultimately, the paper argues that Blanche’s inability to reconcile her dream with the brutal realities of the modern world leads to her tragic descent into madness. By examining Blanche’s psychological unraveling, the paper highlights the dangers of living in denial and the destructive consequences of clinging to fantasies in the face of overwhelming truth.

• Details
• Contents