Streetcar named desire- light quotes
Blanche: ...And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned off again and never for one moment since has there been any light that's stronger than this - kitchen - candle...
Before, we saw that when there was too much light, it had deluded her into a 'fantasy' of a perfect life. However, we also see that too little light can also cause delusion as wallow in their beautiful dreams. After her husband's death, the great amount of shock from the impact has also caused Blanche's 'blinding light' to disappear with no light stronger than a 'kitchen candle'. Blanche has experienced only two different extremes of lights and as we can see, both can distort our perception of reality.
She [Blanche] takes off the blouse and stands in her pink silk brassiere and white skirt in the light through the portieres. The game has continued in undertones.
Blanche only intentionally moves to stand in the light when she is undressing because she wants to be noticed by the men outside playing poker. This is a manifestation of Blanche's desire to be sexually attractive like in her youthful (innocent) days when she was still beautiful. Ironically, she only stands in the light because it outlines her body through the curtain for the men to see; therefore she is not exposing her 'true' self, but only her body. This scene also makes it clear that Blanche is accustomed to using her sexuality to control men.
Blanche...And so the soft people have got to - shimmer and glow - put a - paper lantern over the light...But I'm scared now - awf'ly scared. I don't know how much longer I can turn the trick
Blanche refers to herself as a 'soft person' and believes that they need to be seductive to 'court the favors of the hard ones'. She puts a paper lantern over herself because it hides the truth about herself from the men and everyone else. She fears that her beauty and age is fading. The desperation is conveyed through her attempt to cover up the light with the paper lantern. However, she admits that she doesn't know how much longer she can deny the reality of her situation.
Blanche: And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won't be looked at in this merciless glare!
Her dislike of the light is clear in this imperative and her reference of the light as a 'merciless glare' which emphasizes how Blanche is unwilling to confront the reality of her age and beauty. Blanche's harsh description of it being merciless also implies her delicate nature which is incapable of accepting the change in the reality that, she believes, lacks compassion for those who experience the consequences of time.
Mitch crosses to the switch. He turns the light on and stares at her. She cries out and covers her face. He turns the light off again.
Mitch turns on the light despite Blanche's plea not shows the rising power of his class and the power of the truth and realism that Mitch and the working classes represent. Blanche covers her face, because she doesn't want to be exposed to the light or to be seen in the harsh reality. Even though Mitch and the light stand for truth, Mitch ironically turns off the light in the end because he also has now seen the ugly reality and is willing to accept the dream that Blanche has created for him.
Blanche: [fearfully] Light? Which light? What for? Mitch: This one with the paper thing on it. [He tears the paper lantern off the light bulb. She utters a frightened gasp] Blanche: What did you do that for? Mitch: So I can take a look at you good and plain! Blanche: Of course you don't really mean to be insulting! Mitch: No, just realistic. Blanche: I don't want realism
Mitch's action in ripping the paper lantern off the light bulb is significant because he is also ripping the dreams that Blanche has created and trapped herself in, in order to hide from the ugly reality she is unable to confront. The light and Mitch himself suggest realism. Furthermore, his action can also be seen as a form of violation foreshadowing the physical rape that will happen in the next scene. Blanche fears the light because of the harsh realism she will be forced to face which will cause her happy fantasies (being young and beautiful) to be shattered. Her denial and stubborn statement that she doesn't want realism shows how strongly she does not wish Mitch to know the truth.
Blanche: I like it dark. The dark is comforting to me.
The absence of light comforts Blanche because she is able to manipulate facts and reality. She is able to hide the truth and be in control of whom she is.
The bedroom is relatively dim with only the light that spills between the portieres and through the wide window on the street.
The setting emphasizes Blanche's manipulation of reality in the dark (when she returns). The light only spills through, but it is never enough to illuminate the truth for the audience as well as for Blanche.
Blanche: I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action
This following excuse after Mitch covers the lantern, conveys Blanche's character as someone who cannot adapt to the change of society becoming more raw, lively and vivacious despite her hypocritical statement that she is 'very adaptable-to circumstance'. It is only after the light is covered that she is able to give this excuse to Mitch. Furthermore, she indirectly refers the light bulb as being rude and vulgar.
her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light
This introduction of Blanche foreshadows her eventual failure in the play because of her delicate nature that appears not to be durable to the roughness of reality, represented by the strong light. Her need to avoid it also suggests that she is unwilling to accept the truth of the reality she lives in and prefers the beautiful dreams that she is able to create in the dark. Her comparison to a moth also implies that she is fated for destruction since moths are attracted to the light which is that cause of their death.
He [Stanley] crosses to dressing table and seizes the paper lantern, tearing it off the light bulb, and extends it towards her. She cries out as if the lantern was herself.
This last action by Stanley emphasizes his victory over Blanche. Stanley, symbolizing the new era of the harsh truth, tears the lantern, implying that Blanche is finally stripped from her dreams and she is left exposed toe the harsh reality with no sympathy as she 'cries out'. Stanley extends the ripped paper lantern to her, giving back her shattered dreams.
Blanche: I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. (p. 60)
This line clearly sets up the key theme of illusion vs reality. Blanche takes the naked truth - the stark bare lightbulb, the rude remark - and dresses it up prettily to make everyone happier and everything easier. That she speaks of talk and action as analogous to a lightbulb shows that she considers the remedy for uncouth behavior and appearance to be a paper lantern, an external cover, rather than a change from within.
Blanche: I bought this adorable little colored paper lantern at a Chinese shop on Bourbon. Put it over the light bulb! Will you, please?
the colored paper lantern Blanche bought represents her creating a beautiful dream to gloss over the ugly reality (light bulb) that she cannot confront. By softening the light, this will also enable Blanche to lie comfortably whilst she is conversing with Mitch in this scene as well as hide her age from him.
