MOTIFS CONNECTED WITH BLANCHE FROM “A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE” The term “motif” is defined in the Oxford English dictionary as “ a theme repeated and developed in artistic work .” Tennessee Williams was once quoted as saying "Symbols are nothing but the natural speech of drama...the purest language of plays" This is clearly evident in A Streetcar Named Desire. In analyzing the main character of the story, Blanche DuBois, it is crucial to use both the …showed first 75 words of 777 total…

…showed last 75 words of 777 total…both a literal translation of the text as well as interspersed symbolism to have a complete understanding of her. Tennessee Williams the author of the play wrote it this way on purpose. In fact he once said that "Art is made out of symbols the way the body is made out of vital tissue" . This is a wonderful quotation to show just how necessary it is to incorporate symbolism in an interpretation of a story.