Write an essay on the presentation of how individuals escape from the realities of New Orleans

society
Blanche is presented as an individual who attempts to escape from the realities of New Orleans
society. Blanche was from upper class society in Belle Reve, a great big place with white
columns and she comes to New Orleans, which is described as having an atmosphere of decay.
The contrast between white and decay highlight the desolate and gloomy atmosphere in New
Orleans, an environment that Blanche is not used to. To escape from this reality, Blanche
conjures illusions of a little artists cafe on the Left Bank in Paris. She fantasises and recreates
an atmosphere of sophistication and luxury to delude herself from the run-down environment in
New Orleans. Blanche is also portrayed as using her behavior and appearance to cement her
illusion of herself as a Southern Belle living in upper class society. She frequently speaks in
French and boasts to Mitch that she is French by extraction and she makes allusions to poets
and operas to highlight her cultivated upbringing by associating herself with art. Her clothes are
described as feathers and furs and the alliteration highlights the expensive lifestyle Blanche
lead in Belle Reve which is incongruous to the working class environment of New Orleans. Yet
Blanche retains these clothings because she wants to recreate an illusion of herself as a young
Southern Belle with gentlemen callers. However, the reality is that the men in New Orleans are
not interested in her. This reality comes as a big blow to Blanche because she derives her sense
of self worth from the approval of men. She is portrayed as constantly fishing for compliments
from Stanley, and admits to Stella that she was flirting with [her] husband. Blanche tries to gain
sexual approval even from her brother in law to try to convince herself that she is still young and
desirable. She tries to surround herself with admirers, such as Mitch who worships the illusion
that Blanche creates of a pure and young woman. She flirts with the young newspaper boy,
perhaps to recreate the memory of herself as a young girl with many lovers. Another way that
Blanche tries to escape from reality is by creating a hero Shep Huntleigh who is actually a
figment of her imagination. She believes that he will come to New Orleans and rescue her and
this enables her to sustain herself even until the last moment when she is about to be sent to
the mental institution. Blanches desperate attempts to delude herself and others through lies
and fantasies present her as a sympathetic character whose desperation to escape from reality
eventually cause her to descend into madness.
Stella is presented as an individual that attempts to escape from the realities of New Orleans
society by deluding herself and through indulging sexual pleasure. She refuses to admit that she
is married to a violent and abusive husband and mistakes Stanleys aggression for masculinity.
She is described as thrilled when Stanley smashed all the lightbulbs. She also forgives Stanley
when he abuses her, because her brutal desire for him makes everything else seem
unimportant. She idolizes her husband, asserting to Blanche that he is the only one likely to
get anywhere, showing her loyalty and dedication to him. She also deludes herself after he
rapes Blanche because she has no other option I couldnt believe her story and go on living
with Stanley. Delusion seems to be Stellas only way to survive reality because she has no other
means of supporting herself.