A Streetcar Named Desire techniques and structure

Literary allusion

A reference to a person, place, or thing from previous literature
"Look who's coming! My Rosenkavalier! Bow to me first... now present them!" divergence, contrast to other characters

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts
"Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea--But it wouldn't be make-believe If you believed in me!"
"She is as famous in Laurel as if she was the President of the United States, only she is not respected by any party!" Blanche's delusion, tension
Also paper boy- state of mind, fantasy and dellusion

Dynamic verbs

Verbs that refer to physical actions
Stanley stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom. He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table."
Stanley's behavior, their relationship, violence, tension

Imperatives

A direct command. Telling someone to do something.
"turn it off!" "sit down!" power, relationships, tension

Exclamatives

These sentences have an expressive function - they convey the force of the statement, and end with '!'
"Oh, yes they are, there they are! God bless them!" Blanche and Mitch, Blanche, delusion, state of mind
"Oh! So you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house!" Stanley, violence, desire, Stanley and Blanche

Simile

A comparison using like or as
"He says you been lapping it up all summer like a wildcat!" Mitch believing Stanley, Mitch and Stanley, Blanche with the men
"moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear."mitch, Mitch and blanche

Modal verbs

Verbs which soften a command such as 'can', 'could', 'should', 'may' and 'must', they show possibility, obligation and certainty
"Would you think it possible that I was once considered to be--attractive?" "Could I kibitz?" "Could you give me a light?" (paper boy) Shows Blanche trying to entice the men, women, men, Blanche

Hyperbole

Purposeful exaggeration for effect
"Only Mr. Edgar Allan Poe!--could do it justice! Out there I suppose is the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir!" Blanche's delusion, thinks she is superior to New Orleans and Stella, sisters

Metaphors

A figure of speech that contains an implied comparison
"Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle!" Blanche's disapproval of Stanley, Stanley, women, tension, animal imagery

Non standard grammar

Preferred term, not incorrect but bad or poor grammar. common in speech even of the educated
"Naw, naw." "I wasn't listenin'." men, relationships with blanche- diverging "You left th' phone off th' hook" Stanley threatening, violence, Stanley, Blanche or their relationship

Terms of address

Ways of addressing (speaking to) someone: name, nickname, title
"Stella for Star!" "my baby sister!" Blanche patronizing, loving, thinks superior, sisters or the characters

Field specific lexis

Vocabulary associated with a particular topic or field
"Give me three." "One-eyed jacks are wild." lexis specific to poker, way of communicating between friends, men, Stanley, mitch etc.

Abstract nouns

Names concepts, ideas or emotions
"magic" "love" shows Blanche's delusion, Blanche, state of mind, delusion and fantasy

Colloquial language

Slang or common language that is informal
"shack up here" Stanley says this to diverge from Blanche "have you got any cigs?" Blanche converging

Expressionist Techniques

Dramatic techniques used in the play.
Transparent walls and jungle noises
Transparent walls show the reality winning over Blanche's fantasy and the desire that has corrupted her
Jungle noises show Blanche's state of mind
Fantasy, delusion, expressionist techniques, Blanche or state of mind

Dramatic irony

In this type of irony, facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or a piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work
"No, one's my limit" Shows Blanche's conceit, also her drinking problem and denial
"The women are still unaware of his presence. When the train has passed he calls through the closed front door" shows Stanley's deceptive nature, motive to hate Blanche

STRUCTURE: foreshadowing

A narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.
"prostitute" foreshadows rape- violence, dramatic, Blanche and Stanley
"Locomotive"/ "train" foreshadows unavoidable fate

STRUCTURE: pivotal moment

The moment that changes the story
Stanley overhearing in scene four

STRUCTURE: CIRCULAR

This structure starts with an event then progresses through a series until it is back to the beginning event
Poker game
Blanche arriving and leaving