The Destination In A Streetcar Named Desire

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A common saying in our society is “It’s not about the destination, but the journey,” but for many, it’s only about the destination. Commonly, that destination tends to be happiness, content of one’s mind and joy. With this in mind, can we live in a constant state of happiness? Is it possible to achieve happiness without compromising certain aspect of our lives? In the modern play, A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, Blanche Dubois is a schoolteacher from Belle Reve, who moves to New Orleans to live with her sister, Stella Kowalski, and brutish brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. After suffering traumatic events and a troublesome reputation, Blanche is on the pursuit of happiness. Being one of insecurity, she commonly covers herself in illusions to compose a …show more content…

Tennessee Williams develops the idea of how an individual would take drastic measures to ensure happiness which can lead them to their downfall; endangering too much of one’s self in order to pursue long term happiness caused severe consequences to unfold and ultimately compromising their happiness in the end.

Blanche Dubois has suffered many losses in her life, such as the downfall of Belle Reve. Translated from French, Belle Reve stands for “a beautiful dream,” symbolizing Ms.Dubois sanctuary. Typically, during a dream, people are joyful and at ease. As a result, when Belle Reve was destroyed, her happiness was eradicated. Furthermore, when she was 16, Blanche was married to Allan Gray, which left a hefty strain on her identity. She had made the mistake of being dazzled by his entry into her life, describing her love as a “blinding light on something that has always been in the shadow.” During their affair, a crude secret emerges from blazing light which had blinded her; Allan Gray had married her as a way to hide his homosexuality. Forever instilled into her subconscious mind,

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