Streetcar - Outsider quotations

[Blanche’s] ‘uncertain manner’ and ‘white clothes’ are similar to those of ‘a moth’ (stage directions)

• the diction choice of ‘uncertain’ implies weakness, fragility and fear at the unfamiliarity of her surroundings

• the imagery of ‘white clothes’ have connotations of purity, innocence and cleanliness which creates a harsh tone of dramatic irony when considering the events to come, such as her constant attempts to physically clean herself which are ultimately futile as she can never wash away the mental and physical damage that is done to her by Mitch and Stanley

• the symbol of a moth also foreshadows her destruction, presenting her as completely naive and helpless, constantly flying too close to the light (desire for love) - she desires the thing that destroys her in the end

• these detailed stage directions are a convention of 20th century domestic tragedies, to make them more realistic and for the actors to convey a naturalness to enhance the tragedy, to cause the audience to empathise further with the tragic protagonists and to see them as ordinary people they can relate to

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