The setting of A Streetcar Named Desire is impressively well described by the Author, Arthur Miller. The stage descriptions are full of adjectives and comparisons, such as 'raffish charm' (3), 'faded white stairs' (3), 'red-stained package' (4), 'shocked disbelief' (5) and many more. The author wants the reader to have a perfect visual of the setting and the actions of the characters. This way, actors and directors working with the play can put a play on stage that would look closely like the author had envisioned it to be. The descriptions above set the mood of the play, by using positive or negative diction to accompany nouns to further improve the visual of the play in one's mind. One not only sees the scene but also forms opinions, emotions and begins to emphasize with the characters. The author therefore uses such insightful descriptions right in the beginning of the play, to grasp the readers attention and to make the stage settings as realistic as possible.
By using techniques such as the describing actions with 'as if...' is intended to give the reader or actor further elements to work with to eventually imaging or create the whole scene to the point. On page 10, Blanche is described: 'Blanche sits in a chair very stiffly with her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close together and her hands slightly clutching as if she were quite cold'. First of all, Miller uses vivid descriptions to describe the scene by writing that Blanche sits 'stiffly' and that her shoulders are 'slightly hunched' and her legs 'pressed close together'. He then exaggerates the description a bit further by saying that Blanche is clutching her hands slightly as if she were quite cold. What is important about these details in description, is that they evoke emotions and vivid images for the reader. On the same page, it says that Blanche 'begins to speak with feverish vivacity as if she feared for either of them to stop and think'. At this point the 'as if' has an even bigger function. It implies Blanche's feelings and foreshadows that there is some sort of conflict between the two of them. In this stage direction it is also interesting to see that Blanche is said to speak with feverish vivacity because it hints to the fact that she is someone that likes to go over the top and seems to be slightly hysterical.
Overall the descriptions are very full of images and comparisons. Every action and movement of the characters is addressed, so that the actor knows exactly how to act and the reader knows exactly how to imagine the scene. Arthur Miller emphasizes on these vivid description, and lets the descriptions speak when there is nothing the character could say to make his point more clear. For example in the scene where Stanley overpowers Blanche, the action is described as follows: ' She moans. The bottle-top falls. She sinks to her knees. He picks up her inert figure and carries her to the bed. The hot trumpet and drums from the Four Deuces sound loudly'. The characters don't have to say anything for the scene to be very clear to the reader, even though it is very vague at the same time. In this particular moment in the play, the reader or the audience is forced to imagine what exactly happened between Blanche and Stanley. The author uses the tool of imagination to keep the story interesting and mysterious. The use of music in the descriptions is also intended to give the scenes a mood, or speak for the words. (discussed further in Love and other drugs.)
By using techniques such as the describing actions with 'as if...' is intended to give the reader or actor further elements to work with to eventually imaging or create the whole scene to the point. On page 10, Blanche is described: 'Blanche sits in a chair very stiffly with her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close together and her hands slightly clutching as if she were quite cold'. First of all, Miller uses vivid descriptions to describe the scene by writing that Blanche sits 'stiffly' and that her shoulders are 'slightly hunched' and her legs 'pressed close together'. He then exaggerates the description a bit further by saying that Blanche is clutching her hands slightly as if she were quite cold. What is important about these details in description, is that they evoke emotions and vivid images for the reader. On the same page, it says that Blanche 'begins to speak with feverish vivacity as if she feared for either of them to stop and think'. At this point the 'as if' has an even bigger function. It implies Blanche's feelings and foreshadows that there is some sort of conflict between the two of them. In this stage direction it is also interesting to see that Blanche is said to speak with feverish vivacity because it hints to the fact that she is someone that likes to go over the top and seems to be slightly hysterical.
Overall the descriptions are very full of images and comparisons. Every action and movement of the characters is addressed, so that the actor knows exactly how to act and the reader knows exactly how to imagine the scene. Arthur Miller emphasizes on these vivid description, and lets the descriptions speak when there is nothing the character could say to make his point more clear. For example in the scene where Stanley overpowers Blanche, the action is described as follows: ' She moans. The bottle-top falls. She sinks to her knees. He picks up her inert figure and carries her to the bed. The hot trumpet and drums from the Four Deuces sound loudly'. The characters don't have to say anything for the scene to be very clear to the reader, even though it is very vague at the same time. In this particular moment in the play, the reader or the audience is forced to imagine what exactly happened between Blanche and Stanley. The author uses the tool of imagination to keep the story interesting and mysterious. The use of music in the descriptions is also intended to give the scenes a mood, or speak for the words. (discussed further in Love and other drugs.)
