An individual's perception of reality can be influenced by negative events from their past. These events may cause the person to develop an illusion of reality that makes them feel more certain of what is real. However, an imagination of reality can negatively influence a person by causing them to reject doubt in their life. “Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams follows the journey of Blanche as she created a fantasy of an alternate reality in her mind to escape the grip of guilt and uncertainty. Williams uses “A Streetcar Named Desire” to express how imagination influences an individual's willingness to reject an uncertain future. The modern drama portrays Blanche's interactions with the other characters and memories of her troubled past to effectively establish this idea. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Blanche is influenced by her past relationships with other men that have had disastrous consequences for her emotional well-being. She is looking for someone she can trust and who can help her in her struggle for emotional security. This is evident in the multiple partners he has had with whom he has had sexual intercourse in an attempt to receive self-esteem and affection in return. This is further expressed in her memory of her previous husband, which is essential to affirm how the past has affected her on a personal and emotional level. She married her husband without knowing he was homosexual and didn't know his secret until she accidentally found out. After telling her husband that he was disgusting, Blanche committed suicide out of shame, which Blanche blames herself for causing. Her heart is broken because of his death and she has created the illusion of her innocence to escape the confines of this guilt. She is desperate to find someone to marry to try to escape the uncertainty of remaining single. Blanche feels like she needs a stronghold to hold onto to avoid being subjected to the uncertainty that she also experienced in her past. She felt affected by the circumstances of her life and tried to cling to her husband unconsciously because she herself was slipping from the fear of uncertainty in life. She lies to Mitch that she lives by "outdated ideals" to try to create the impression that she is a suitable bride for him. She creates this fictional reality of who she is and how she sees herself to win Mitch's affections. He tries to make himself more presentable by exaggerating that he is high class and has "never more than kissed" another man. This imagination is essential to give you a sense of security about what you feel and to forget memories of the past and reject the anticipation of an uncertain future. Blanche does this in an attempt to get Mitch to recognize her, because she feels struck by the idea of an uncertain future. She chooses not to embrace the constantly changing events of her life and chooses to find certainty and refuge in Mitch. She feels betrayed by the circumstances of her life and that of Stella who is being abused by Stanley and therefore wishes to avoid imminent consequences. The fear of acquiring an uncertain fate paralyzes his ability to think rationally or morally, so he resorts to lying to escape his reality. He uses this same tactic with Shep Huntleigh to whom he often writes in hopes of maintaining his illusion of what he really is like. Blanche's past relationships have raised illusions in her mind that make her reject the uncertainty of being single because she feels she is unable to embrace the future. Blanche regularly resorts to lying in an attempt to create an imaginary reality in which she feels saferthan it is. waiting for an unexpected life. This is expressed vividly through the captions which create an atmosphere where Blanche lies and drinks in an attempt to stay in the world she has created for herself. The symbolism of light and darkness in the play exists to emphasize the idea that Blanche tries to hide from the reality of her unknown future. She tries to hold on to someone who is willing and able to keep her stable and away from uncertainty. While Blanche talks to Mitch, he leaves the dark room and they have a conversation in the darkness while she drinks. It is under this cloak of darkness that represents the hidden reality in her mind, that she lies about her previous sexual activity and her suitability as a partner for Mitch. It is under this same shadow of darkness that she tells him that they were "made for each other." The symbolism of darkness emphasizes the imaginary world she has created for herself and under which she chooses to hide. Blanche's conversations with Mitch take place under a veil of self-defeating illusion that further reinforces her escape from a future she cannot control. He constantly tries to win Mitch's affection by lying to him under the cover of the imaginary world he has created in his mind. She tells him that she hasn't felt love in a long time and feels that feeling of certainty and security in Mitch's person. Blanche does this constantly because she feels the need to reject the uncertainty that the future holds for her. Her imagination makes her believe that the only way to free herself from the thought of uncertainty is to depend on Mitch. It is also similar to his behavior and the content of his letters to Shep Huntleigh to whom he attributes the image of a perfect husband. Blanche has this illusion in her mind and it is what drives her to lie to him about her lifestyle by saying that she is rich and highly privileged. He believes that by lying to Shep he can gain the security that comes from a preview of the future. This is a result of the pain and emotional stress from her experience with men due to which she wishes for a fantasy world in her mind where everything is perfect and nothing is unexpected. Blanche's past influences how she sees her world and how she interacts with it. It. She grows up as a rich Southern girl, but ends up penniless and loses all her wealth. His life is riddled with the unresolved pain of his past relationships and mistakes. Furthermore, he has lost his sense of what the world is like and drinks to forget the reality he finds himself in. This illusion of reality is delicate for her and even the slightest idea to the contrary distresses her deeply. When Stanley offers her a ticket back to Laurel, she is devastated at the thought of leaving the imaginary life she clings to so deeply. This expresses the impact of his delusion as he has rejected the uncertainty of a future life that his mind cannot control. Since his mind depends on the illusion of being able to avoid uncertain reality, this statement causes his mental state and emotions. This is further expressed when Stanley scolds her for lying about Shep waiting for her when he returns. Blanche's imagination serves to give her comfort and make her forget the reality of how her world is crumbling at her feet. Shep is a symbol of security for her and affects her ability to see reality as her mind is still focused on rejecting the uncertainty of life. After Blanche is raped, the imaginary world that Blanche had invented in her mind intensifies. The more she is affected by pain and sadness, the greater the illusion in her mind of who she is. Blanche tries to maintain this illusion of her innocence because she does not want to accept an uncertain future that she does not understand. He tells Stella that Shep Huntleigh is.
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