Kerstin Müller 
Symbolic devices in A Streetcar named Desire 

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject American Studies – Literature, grade: 1, 0 (A), University of Bayreuth (Language and Literature Sciences), course: PS: American Drama Classics, language: English, abstract: A Streetcar named Desire was written in 1947 and was probably one of Tennessee Williams′ most successful plays. In all of his plays, he makes explicit use of symbols as a dramatic technique. He once said that symbolism is, ‘say(ing) 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 and idea that can be said with an object or a gesture on the lighted page’ (Jackson 26).
In this paper, some of the symbols used by Tennessee Williams shall be discussed. Since he makes excessive use of symbolism only the major ones shall be dealt with, but it shall be added that the distinction between major or minor importance lies in the perception of the author of this paper. The order of the symbols in this paper is not identical with the order of appearance in the play.