A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

MITCH: Lies, lies, inside and out, all lies. Referring to the two

critical opinions, explore the extent to which the relationship

between Mitch and Blanche is based on deception and self deception.

Throughout Williams' play an unexpected relationship is developing

before us. This is the one formed between Mitch and Blanche. Two very

different characters who would appear to have nothing in common but

when they dig deeper into each others personalities they find that

have shared many past experiences and this gives them a basis for

their relationship. However, after realising that Blanche is not the

same person that she appears to be, Mitch begins to doubt anything

that she has told him in the past. Can the audience blame him, as they

know that she has even lied to her own sister. What makes her

relationship with Mitch different to that she has with any other

person? What makes him so special that she does not feel the need to

lie to him? Mitch proposes to Blanche that everything that she has

told him is a lie. That the person that he knows her as is make

believe. "Lies, lies, inside and out, all lies" (Scene 9), is the

phrase used by Mitch to convey his feelings to Blanche. He is right.

Blanche had based all her relationships on lies since she had arrived

in Stella and Stanley's house. She felt that it was the only way that

she would be accepted by her sister and brother in law. She was never

expecting to meet such a man as Mitch, but once he did appear she had

to continue the deceit with him, to make sure that she did not

incriminate herself, as she had already spun so many stories for

Stella and Stanley.

Mitch is a very weak character. He stays at home...

... middle of paper ...

...and she is

not as hard faced as she has seemed throughout the play. All she

wanted was to have something to replace what disappeared when she lost

Allan. There had obviously been something missing since he died, and

that is what Blanche had been searching for, sadly everywhere she

looked she only found herself in trouble. Cardullo sees her actions at

the Flamingo, not necessarily as prostituting herself, she may not

have thought of herself as a prostitute as most people would define

it. She was on her mission to find that lost thing, "they got wised up

after two or three dates with her," but maybe that was because they

did not have the thing that she wanted, and she was just as much for

them leaving as they were. Mitch was different however, she wanted him

and did not want to lose him. That is why she had to deceive him to

make sure that he did not leave.