AS LL STREETCAR - DRAMATIC TECHNIQUE

AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

INTEGRATED ANALYSIS AND TEXT PRODUCTION

STREETCAR – DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES

Whether you are writing a production task or the essay task for A Streetcar Named Desire knowing about dramatic techniques is vitally important for writing a good answer in the exam.

Below is a partially filled in table to help you use dramatic techniques. You should consider carefully the comments and purposes for these techniques.

FEATURE	EXAMPLE	COMMENT / PURPOSE
Abstract ideas
	Desire Revenge Death Family
Symbols	Blanche: The trunk, the light shade, darkness, alcohol, soft colours, red kimono Stanley: Red stained package, bowling shirt, playing cards, primary colours, bright pyjamas Other: THE STREETCAR, THE SEASONS, The Mexican lady, the blue piano
Stage Directions
Details	The young man laughs uncomfortably and stands like a bashful kid. Blanche speaks softly to him.	Adds detail, prepares us for the shocking news of Blanche’s sacking in sc 7, contrasts innocence and experience.	Sc5
Descriptions of place	The exterior of a two storey corner building	Creates a realistic and vivid setting
Descriptions characters	Blanche ‘Her appearance is incongruous to the setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit…earings of pearl, white gloves and hat…’		Sc 1
Props	Chinese Shade, The trunk – clothes and objects, Poker table, Clothes, candles, radio	Props can be used as symbols. They can emphasise the lack of space.
Lighting	Use of light and dark / truth and ignorance / exposure and dissembling
Music / Song	The music from the Four Deuces is slow and blue. / Paper Moon – song / The Polka	Used to create a realistic setting and the song picks up an important theme of appearance and reality See expressionism below	Sc 5 Sc 6
Sounds	Cats – 130 /Trains - 163 / street sellers – Mexican woman 205 tamale man – 175, vendor – 116,	The public and the private	Sc 4 Sc
Non verbal communication	Sc 3 She returns his look without flinching
Setting
New Orleans
The Quarter	The Negro Woman cackles hysterically, swaying	Sc 5 – p172 enter young man
Elysian Fields
The Apartment
Belle Reve	Only referred to ‘bunch of old papers’ ‘the place with the white pillars	= beautiful dream
Expressionistic
FEATURE	EXAMPLE	COMMENT	REF
Lighting	The surrounding areas dim out as the interior is lighted	Focus of attention, transparency thin barriers broken	Sc 1
Sound effects	Inside Blanche’s head inhuman voices		Sc 10 213
The Jungle & Lurid reflections	Inside Blanche’s head	Sounds and sight	Sc 10 213
Music	Inside Blanche’s head The polka tune starts up again….	Polka – European formal dance music of the upper classes 19th century – contrast to the blues music of current time	Sc 9

Expressionistic drama

Time and locations can be compressed. In this play at key moments in the drama we experience what is going on inside Blanche's head. It is as if we are looking at a dream sequence.

Same setting – lights used to highlight different sections of the set. Outside the apartment, kitchen / bedroom creates a transparent set – where everyone can see what everyone is doing this supports the script – Eunice and Steve scene 5, the Mexican Woman – scene 9 the newspaper boy - scene 5, mime with prostitute and drunk scene  Expressionistic scene 10 103