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蔣振朔

【Abstract】Tennessee Williams， an American playwright of the twentieth century， has been widely valued as a representative poetic playwright on singing laments for the declined cavalier South and the frustrated South belle. A Streetcar Named Desire， which is Tennessee Williams' s second major play， is regarded among the finest dramatic masterpiece of the American stage. This paper is an attempt to give a tentative analysis of specific symbols in this play and to discuss how the misery and the inner world of the characters are disclosed through the remarkable use of symbols.

【Key words】Tennessee Williams； A Streetcar Named Desire； symbolism

Introduction to Symbolism

In its broad sense， symbolism refers to the naming of something （known as vehicle） that represents something else （known as tenor） by association， resemblance， or convention especially a material object used to represent something invisible. In literature， “symbolism”may refer to the use of abstract concepts， as a way to obfuscate any literal interpretation， or to allow for the broader applicability of the prose to meanings beyond what may be literally described.

Here is the definition of the word “symbol”in A Glossary of Literature Terms：

In discussing literature， however， the term 'symbol' is applied only to a word or phrase that signifies an object or event which in its turn signifies something， or has a range of reference， beyond itself…for example， the general association of a peacock with pride and of an eagle with heroic endeavor， or the rising sun with birth and the setting sun with death， or climbing with effort or progress and descent with surrender or failure... （Abrams 311）

Many writers—in fact， most or all authors of fiction—make the symbolic use of concepts and objects as rhetorical devices central to the meaning of their works. Tennessee Williams also widely uses symbols in his writings. Symbols are an integral and indispensable part in his theatric art. He says： “Art is made out of symbols the way your body is made out of vital tissue... Play that is more of a dramatic poem than a play is bound to rest on metaphorical ways of expression”（Williams， 1978： 146）.

In addition， he further argues that the chief purpose of symbolism in drama is to“say a thing more directly and simply and beautifully than it could be said in words... Sometimes it would take page after tedious page of exposition to put across an idea that can be said with an object or a gesture on the lighted stage”（Williams， 1978： 66）. And it is because of the vivid and carefully chosen symbols that his plays are so impressive to audiences.endprint

Symbols in A Streetcar Named Desire

1. The Chinese Lantern

To most critics， the Chinese lantern， in fact， stands for Blanche herself and the ideal illusionary world she creates and lives in. In this world， Blanche could escape from the unpleasant reality， and she makes her efforts to forget the social world which doesn't welcome her. So， she tries to avoid the harsh light by hanging a Chinese lantern. Throughout the play， Blanche avoids bright light directly， especially when facing her suitor， Mitch. She also refuses to reveal her age， and it is clear that she avoids light in case that her fading beauty would be exposed. The soft light is like the graceful Blanche. Blanche wants to view things in an unrealistic way. She doesn't want reality， and also doesn't want to face the reality of her problems.As Thomas P. Adler suggests：

Blanche's condition is as fragile—physically， psychologically， emotionally—as the easily destructible paper lantern： the lantern becomes not only a symbol of her vulnerability and subjugation to time's decay， but also a symbol for the imaginative or creative act that at least temporarily protects her from the grimness and cruelty of reality.（Alder 30）

Just as the light is softened by the shade， Blanche also wants everything is softened. She would rather live in a colorful fantasy. Light often means truth for her. That is the reason that she doesn't like to stand in a dark room. As she describes that she can't even stand a light bulb without being naked， just as she can't stand the brutal behavior. “I like it dark. The dark is comforting to me”（Williams， 1947：294）.

Mitch says that “it's always some place that's not lighted much”， “This one with the paper thing on it”， and “he tears the paper lantern off the light bulb”（Williams， 1947：296）. When he tells Blanche that he doesn't care about her age， just her fraud， Blanche responds by saying that she doesn't mean any harm. She believes that magic， rather than reality， represents life as it ought to be. And in the last scene， when the kind doctor asks Stanley to send Blanche to the hospital， he “seizes the paper”（Williams， 1947：366） rudely， and Blanche screams loudly. It seems “as if the lantern was herself”（Williams， 1947：366）. In fact， when Mitch and Stanley tear her Paper lantern off the bulb， they're actually destroying Blanche both physically and spiritually. Just as what Thomas P. Adler says when commenting on their action， “...it is as if they're attacking Blanche herself and destroying her world of illusion/art”（Adler 30）.endprint

2. Light

In contrast to the Chinese lantern， light symbolizes the reality of Blanche's past. By avoiding light， Blanche seeks refuge in her illusion. Unfortunately， all illusions could not truly save her. She is haunted by the ghosts of what she has lost一her first love， her purpose in life， her respect and the genteel society of her ancestors. Blanche used to enjoy the light in her life. She once described her all-consuming first love in terms of lightness and darkness， using the play. She said the concept of light to explain her interior state as she does earlier in when she fell in love； the once shadowy world seemed suddenly illuminated with “a blinding light.” She extends the metaphor when she describes the aftermath of her thoughtless， cruel remark to her husband， saying， “The searching light […] was turned off again and never for one moment since she has been any light that is stronger than this一kitchen-candle”（Williams， 1947：528）. Since then darkness has overwhelmed her. She chooses to remain in shadows. Blanche can't face with the fact that the boy is killed indirectly by her and she isn't young any longer. So， she tries to avoid light desperately. Blanche can't even accept the sunlight and she refuses to date with Mitch under such circumstance. To some extent， the bright light stands for her past. Her inability to tolerate light means her escaping the reality away.

3. Mirror

Mirror is another symbol that receives much of critics' attention. The significance of the mirror in the play is similar to that of the lantern， which represents Blanche herself and the dreamlike paradise she dwells in. At the beginning of Scene 10， Blanche is temporarily lost in an illusions of past：

[…] she has decked herself out in a somewhat soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown and pair of scuffed silver slippers with brilliants set in their heels.

Now she is placing the rhinestone tiara on her head before the mirror of the dressing-table and murmuring excitedly as if to a group of special admirers （Williams， 1947： 548）.

Blanche， although reveling in her fantasies， is still capable of distinguishing them from actual events. In the middle of her feigned discussion with her admirers， she catches sight of her face in a hand mirror， recognizes it as real and she “slams the mirror face down with such violence that the glass cracks”（Williams， 1947： 548）. When the mirror is smashed by her， that is to say， her dream is smashed to pieces. Philip C. Kolin comments on this symbol by Fleche' s observation. He writes： “Discussing the Blanche's mirror， Fleche observes， 'when Blanche shatters her mirror， she…shows that her identity has already been fractured； she doesn't see herself in the mirror； she sees the mirror as herself'”（Kolin 63）endprint

Conclusion

In a word， it is obvious that Williams is fond of symbols and he successfully uses these varieties of symbols to progress the plot of the story and character growth and help the audience to deeply understand the play， especially in A Streetcar Named Desire. To some extent， the symbolism is what made this play one of Williams most recognized plays.

References：

[1]Abrams，M.H.A Glossary of Literature Terms.Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2004.

[2]Alder，Thomas P.A Streetcar Named Desire：The Moth aced the Lantern.Boston：Twayne Publishers，1990.

[3]Kolin，Philip C.“Reflections on/of A Streetcar Named Desire”.In Confronting Tennessee Williams' s A Streetcar Named Desire：essays in critical pluralism，ed.Philip C.Kolin.London：Greenwood Press，1998，1-17.

[4]Williams，Tennessee.A Streetcar Named Desire.New Jersey：New American Library，1947.—.Where I Live：Selected Essays，ed.Christine R.Day and Bob Woods.New York：New Directions，1978.endprint