The Use of Setting in A Streetcar Named Desire Essay

How does Williams use the setting and context of ASND to present his characters and themes in the opening two scenes?

In the stage directions on the opening page the poorness of the area is identified immediately the houses are mostly framed white, weathered grey. The atmosphere Tennessee Williams creates is identified as being mainly working class people living in and un-satisfactory living conditions, the rivers around Elysian fields - you can almost feel the warm breath of the brown river.

The first visual impressions of Blanche make us realise she is physically out of place, the stage directions describe her expression as one of shocked disbelief, the audience can then gather that Blanche lives in a higher living class than Stanley and Stella do in Elysian fields. The clothes shes wearing create a contrast with other characters in the setting, the sailor and vendor for example; the stage directions describe Blanche as being incongruous. Stanley Kowalski enters with Mitch; both wearing blue denim work clothes, Stanley is carrying a sack of meat from the butchers, reference to the sack contributes to the notion that the area is poor, and that the meat they buy has to be given in a sack.

Blanche has a strange obsession with having baths, its arguable she does this to make her feel pure; one could compare her to a moth, that she is drawn to baths, like a moth is drawn to light.

We can recognise Stanleys disliking for Blanche soon after they meet; he doesnt greet her by saying hello when she introduces herself, he also creates an awkward tension when him and Blanche speak to each other, what he says to Blanche is always very direct and to-the-point Where you from, Blanche? Stanley takes a disliking to her because she acts and dresses like she is from a higher class. From stage directions we know that Stanley is a fan of the finer things in life, like drinking with his friends, indulging himself with women; we learn that hes a strong hearted man and that anyone who steps foot in his town believing theyre above the rest, dont belong in his town.

Stella advises Stanley on his behaviour towards Blanche because of how he feels she doesnt belong in his town; the way the acts and dresses annoys him and makes him think that she feels shes too good for them.