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  • Essay / Illusions causing rejection of an uncertain future

    An individual's perception of reality can be affected by negative events from their past. These events could cause the person to develop an illusion of reality that seems safer than what is real. However, imagining reality can negatively affect a person by causing them to reject doubt in their life. “Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams follows Blanche’s journey as she created the fantasy of an alternate reality in her mind to escape the clutches of guilt and uncertainty. Williams uses "Streetcar Named Desire" to express how imagination affects the individual's willingness to reject an uncertain future. The modern drama depicts Blanche's interactions with the other characters and memories of her troubled past to effectively establish this idea. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned'?Get the original essayBlanche is affected by her past relationships with other men which have had disastrous consequences on her emotional well-being. She is looking for someone she can trust and who can help her in her struggle for emotional security. This is evident in the multiple partners she has had with whom she has had sex in order to receive self-esteem and affection in return. This is also expressed in the memory of her former husband, which is essential in affirming how the past affected her on a personal and emotional level. She married her husband without knowing he was gay and didn't know his secret until she accidentally discovered it. After Blanche's remark to her husband that he was disgusting, he had committed suicide in a shame that Blanche blamed herself for causing. Her heart is broken over his death and she has created the illusion of her innocence to escape the confines of this guilt. She is desperately looking for someone she can marry in an attempt to escape the uncertainty of remaining single. Blanche feels that she needs a bastion that she can hold on to to avoid being subjected to the uncertainty that she also experienced in her past. She felt affected by the circumstances of her life and tried to cling to her husband without realizing that she herself was moving away from the fear of uncertainty in life. She lies to Mitch that she lives by "old-fashioned ideals" to try to make it seem like she is a suitable wife for him. She creates this imagined reality of who she is and how she sees herself to gain Mitch's affection. She tries to make herself more presentable by exaggerating that she is high class and has "never kissed" another man. This imagination is essential to give her a sense of security about how she feels and to forget memories of the past and reject the anticipation of an uncertain future. Blanche does this in order to be recognized by Mitch, as she feels affected by the idea of ​​an uncertain future. She chooses not to accept the ever-changing events in her life and chooses to find certainty and refuge with Mitch. She feels betrayed by the circumstances of her life and that of Stella who is mistreated by Stanley and thus aspires to avoid imminent consequences. The fear of acquiring an uncertain destiny paralyzes her ability to think rationally or morally, so she resorts to lying to escape her reality. She uses this same tactic with Shep Huntleigh, to whom she often writes in hopes of maintaining her illusion of who she really is. Blanche's past relationships have created illusions in her mind that make her reject the uncertainty ofcelibacy because she feels incapable of embracing the future. Blanche regularly resorts to lying to try to create an imaginary reality where she feels safer than waiting for an unexpected life. This is expressed vividly through settings that create an atmosphere where White and drinks in an attempt to stay in the world she has created for herself. The symbolism of light and darkness in the drama exists to emphasize the idea that Blanche is trying to hide from the reality of her unknown future. She tries to hold on to someone who is willing and able to keep her stable and away from uncertainty. While Blanche is talking with Mitch, she leaves the room into the darkness and they talk in the dark while she drinks. It is under this cloak of darkness representing the hidden reality in her mind that she lies about her past sexual activity and her eligibility as Mitch's partner. It is under this same shadow of darkness that she tells him that they were “made for each other”. The symbolism of darkness highlights the fictional world she has created for herself and under which she chooses to hide. Blanche's conversations with Mitch take place under a counterproductive veil of illusion that further reinforces her escape from a future she cannot control. She constantly tries to gain Mitch's affections by lying to him under the cover of the fictional world she has created in her mind. She tells him that she hasn't felt love in a long time and that she feels this sense of assurance and security in Mitch. Blanche constantly does this because she feels the need to reject the uncertainty her future holds. Her imagination makes her believe that the only way to redeem herself from the thought of uncertainty is to be dependent on Mitch. This also resembles her behavior and the content of her letters to Shep Huntleigh to whom she attributes an image of a perfect husband. Blanche has this illusion in her mind and it is what drives her to lie to him about her lifestyle by saying that she is rich and highly privileged. She believes that by lying to Shep, she can gain the security of anticipation of the future. It is the result of heartbreak and emotional stress resulting from her experience with men, because of which she wishes to have in her mind a fantasy world where everything is perfect and nothing is unexpected. Blanche's past affects the way she views her world and the way she interacts with it. She grew up as a rich Southern girl, but eventually finds herself penniless and loses all her wealth. His life is marked by unresolved grief from his past relationships and mistakes. Furthermore, she has lost her sense of the world and drinks to forget the reality in which she finds herself. This illusion of reality is delicate for her and the slightest idea against it torments her deeply. When Stanley offers her a ticket back to Laurel, she is devastated at the thought of leaving the fantasy life she holds so dearly. This expresses the impact of her illusion as she has rejected the uncertainty of a future life that her mind cannot control. Since her mind depends on the illusion that she can avoid uncertain reality, this statement provokes her mental state and emotions. This is further expressed when Stanley criticizes him for lying about Shep waiting for him when he returns. Blanche's imagination serves to comfort her and make her forget the reality of how her world is crumbling at her feet. Shep is a symbol of security to her and this affects her ability to see reality because her mind is always focused on rejecting the uncertainty of life. After Blanche's rape, the fictional world Blanche had imagined intensifies. The more she is affected by grief and sorrow, the greater is.