Colors and lighting in A Streetcar Named Desire have many uses and symbolize the tension between the two main protagonists in the text, Blanche and Stanley. These two characters in text are constantly trying to win the attention of Stella by vigorous arguments and confrontations. Throughout the text Blanche is represented by light or subdued colors. These light colors are meant to portray her innocence and her ignorance of her own thoughts and the real world around her. Stanley is represented by more vivid and almost obnoxious colors. This is meant to represent his prejudiced, harsh and jealous nature. The color schemes between the two characters clash just as their personalities do in text. Inward emotions are also presented to us by certain sounds and music presented to us throughout the text. A wide spectrum of light, colors, and sound give us the character structure of each of the characters and there conflicts.

The blue piano pays a key role to the tension represented by the characters in the story. The blue piano reflects the overall attitude of the story and the key points in plot by the music it plays and the volume level it puts out. It is st

This breakdown symbolized by the blue piano is also representative of the climax of the story. Mitch no longer holds an interest in Blanche and she has no more support beams to turn on. Stanley has taken them away by telling Mitch the dirty rumors about her. When Mitch confronts Blanche with these rumors at a time in which Blanche is probably the most vulnerable the blue piano gets softer. After Blanche proposes marriage to Mitch, he calls her dirty and says he no longer wants to marry her. It is stated in the text "With a startled, gasp, Mitch turns and goes out the outer door, clatters awkwardly down the steps and around the corner of the building. Blanche staggers back from the window and falls to her knees. The distant piano is slow and blue"(scene 9).The blue piano grows slow and blue just as Blanche's spirit does is slowly being destroyed. During her final destruction the blue piano plays at a distorted volume level. As Blanche is being raped by Stanley, the blue piano seems to lose control just as Blanche does. The battle is over and Stanley has won. Stella refuses to believe Blanche's story about the rape and she calls the mental hospital. When the doctor and the matron from the mental hospital pick up Blanche the blue piano fades out just as Blanche does along with her spirit.

In the introduction to Scene 3 all sorts of clashing loud colors are described as the men play poker. There is a yellow linoleum, a vivid green lamp shade, and the men are all wearing green, purple, and red checkered shirts. These colors would give any sane person a headache. They are very obnoxious. It is meant to show the men's vivid personalities and the setting in which Stanley is used to living in. Stanley and Stanley's friends are much alike due to association. They are hostile animal like men who care only about themselves and their masculinity.

Stanley's hatred for Blanche is strongly represented the color and lights that are associated with his actions. There is a white radio in presented in scene 2 which serves as almost a building block for the relationship between Blanche and Mitch. The radio is white symbolizing its purity. Stanley later on in the scene smashes it on the street. Later on in the drama in Scene 9 Stanley gives Blanche a bus ticket out of town. As he is doing this he puts on his green bowling shirt. This shirt also symbolizes a domination he has over Blanche. It shows he has power over the situation. The most destructive action by Stanley to Blanche is when he rapes her. A

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Approximate Word count = 1689
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)