A Streetcar Named Desire

Having already read this play in high school made it easier this time around to get a better idea of themes in the story that I couldn't see before. When reading a play it is harder to get an idea of the characters solely through reading and stage directions, when you can see a character physically it is easier to get an understanding of their exact personality. The character that most interested me in this play was Blanche. She has a mystery about her that makes me want to know more about her. In the beginning she comes in like a true southern belle, all dolled up in expensive white clothing, and is compared to a moth. As the play passes she becomes increasingly less southern belle like. While she continues to say she doesnt touch alcohol you realize throughout the story that she has a dependency on it, as she hides it in the closet and even sips it in the bathtub. Another mysterious way about her is the way in which she hides from a naked light bulb. With a cover over the light she seems more delicate and you cannot tell her true age, which is something she often lies about. When there is a naked lightbulb she is exposed, and it is like you can see right through the thin disguise she is wearing. I think you can really see the downfall of Blanche and all her lies when Mitch rips off the cover to the light and she is exposed. At that moment Mitch reveals all of the lies he knows Blanche has told. From this point of the story life only gets worse for Blanche, and while in a way she brought it upon herself by lying all the time, I could not help but feel bad for her. If she hadn't been left to hold down Belle Reve by herself would she still have the same problems? If Stanley was not with Stella would her relationship with Blanche be different? I hope that had the situations been different Blanche would not have ended up such a mess, but her downfall in the play was inevitable. If I was in Blanche's shoes I'm not sure how much longer I could have kept up the front of being perfect and happy.