What Does The Woods Symbolize Blanche Dubois

Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is filled with symbolism throughout the story, where everything has a meaning and the little things people would not think about would have a big part in the play. Tennessee Williams really makes people think hard about every aspect of the play being a symbol, specifically the characters Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kolwaski. One symbol that can be easily recognizable is Blanche’s preference to be in the dark and away from light. Although we see signs of Blanche’s “phobia” of the light, this symbol is not “noticeable” until Scene Nine, when Mitch confronts Blanche about never seeing her in the light. This depiction symbolically describes how Blanche feels about her appearance. Blanche is older and

Blanche DuBois is French for, as Blanche describes it to Mitch, “It’s a French name. It means woods and Blanche means white, so the two together means white woods. Like an orchard in the spring!” The color white could stand for “the color signifying essential purity and even innocence but easily stained.” The significance of woods is unclear. However, it is possible that the “woods” represent covering or concealment. The “white,” meaning Blanche’s true nature, is concealed by the “woods,” or her lies and deception. The way she refers her name to Mitch could have symbolism as well. As the article suggest, the symbolism of her name is “the purity is the old south tradition and education she wants to adhere to, but it is past its spring and is undermined by the unavoidable social forces.” Stanley Kolwaski is an Old English-Polish combination for “Stone clearing” and “Smith.” This representation of “stone clearing” clearly relates to when Blanche tells Stella on Scene Four, “Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is―Stanley Kolwaski―survivor of the Stone Age!” The representation of “Smith” could represent being a typical, common man, especially for the time

Biff wanted his dad to talk to his math teacher to convince him to give Biff four extra points. Biff believed Willy could do it, as Biff stats, “because if he (the teacher) saw the kind of man you are, and you just talked to him in your way, I’m sure he’d come through for me.” Biff looked up to his father so much, as if “Willy was as good as god.” He was Biff’s role model. However, once he found out about his father’s affair, all he can see is what a liar and a failure Willy is. Willy tries to lie his way out of the situations, saying “She’s a buyer. Buys for J.H. Simmons… she’s just a buyer.” Biff does not fall for it, calling him “fake” and “phony little fake.” Ultimately, this effects Biff’s desire to go to summer school and college were gone. Instead, Biff ran away from success, keeping the secret of his father, which became “the controlling factor of his life own life.” To Willy, this life event led ultimately led him to suicide. There were other factors that led to Willy’s suicide, such as “his failure as a salesman and the subsequent failures of his sons.” However, the affair was a more significant factor for two reasons: cheating on his loyal wife who has always been by his side and Biff knowledge of the