Unspoken Words

In a break from the dialogue, Tennesse Williams as a playright and narrator of A Street Car Named Desire, speaks directly to the audience who are reading the play as a novel as opposed to watching the scenes unfold in a theatre setting. In his narration as shown in italics inserted between the dialogue, he is able to create mood, describe physical characterizations of the character, set the scene and set design and generally create a visual palette for the reader to mop up in lieu of the usual visual descriptions and prolific writing of a traditional novel.

The play in fact starts with his lengthy descriptions which sets the scene. We are told the play is set in New Orleans in early May and the house where the entire play is set and the street that houses it is vividly described not just only in architecture such as, “The houses are mostly white frames, weathered grey, with rickety outside stairs”. But, the cultural and status of the inhabitants are alluded to with “the section is poor”, and ethnicity referred to as demographics are delved into, “Negro entertainers”. However, Williams also appeals to the senses in his narrative, which is sensuous in its pictorial depiction of the evening from where the play commences, “you can almost feel the warm breath of the brown river beyond the river warehouses with their faint redolences of bananas and coffee.” The personification and imagery helps to set the mood of the evening as Williams introduces his characters in the opening scene. (1)

The description that Williams uses to introduce Blanche, his female lead allows the reader to see the incongruence between the refined and ladylike appearance of Blanche and the dilapidation of her surroundings. However rather than liken the delicate beauty of Blanche to a butterfly, Williams uses a “moth” to describe her. This perhaps foreshadows that the shabbiness of the buildings belies the love housed within its walls in comparison to the shady character that Blanche turns out to be. (6)

Williams allows himself to create setting both spatially and aesthetically, “Two rooms can be seen, not too clearly defined” and uses colors and hues at every opportunity to create mood lighting, “A light goes on behind the blind, turning it light blue”(8)

As Blanche waits, for Stella her nervous gestures and “blind look” begins to unravel her inward character that belies her outward calm, graceful demeanor. Williams descriptions unfolds the inner workings of a highly unstable, and insecure alcoholic on the brink of desperation who hides behind a mask of serenity as recalled in the sly and furtive drinking of whiskey. Williams imagery conjures up a cat like sneakiness who steals the cream but purrs without remorse as if in denial.” She is shaking all over and panting for breath as she tries to laugh. The bottle nearly slips from her grasp.” (11).

In the introduction of Stanley (male protagonist) as he meets Blanche, Williams quickly sums up Stanley as the uncouth, ill bred chauvinistic cave like man ” shouts of parting (..) throws the screen door of the kitchen open,(…) animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes, (…),he sizes up women at a glance with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his mind” (25).

Sounds as well as sights are brought to the attention of the reader, “there is a sound of a blow (..) Blanche screams (…),something is overturned with a crash” (63).

As seen from the above and many other numerous examples littered in between the main dialogue. Though simple prose and vivid descriptions we the reader are able to visualize the scene and the characters, as well as the mood and happenings in between the dialogues and during the silences. Gaps are essentially filled in where the dialogue is not enough. Colors, sounds, lighting and ambience are added to bring to life the sets created in the mind of the playwright giving the reader a visual treat of all the senses to compliment and accompany the vibrant fast pace of the dialogue.