EAP Persuasive Expression

Writing Assignment 4
Emma Nijenhuis s5743583

The use of music in A Streetcar Named Desire is quite brilliant, as certain instruments, songs or
melodies are used at the right times to create tone, setting, characterization and a greater meaning.
One of the ways that music is used to indicate certain events within the drama is in scene 7, where
the use of music is noticeably great. In this scene Stanley exposes Blanche’s lies and problematic past
to Stella. While the discussion Stanley and Stella are having is an important and serious moment, we
can hear Blanche singing a saccharine ballad in the bathroom. One of Blanche’s lies uncovered by
Stanley is how she lost her job by going to bed with a student, and during this argument Blanche is
heard letting out ‘’little breathless cries and peals of laughter, as if a child were frolicking in the tub’,
which makes this situation more disturbing. The action of Stanley revealing Blanche’s secrets and
Blanche herself singing creates an interesting contrast in this scene, but also gives us more of an
insight on Blanche as a character. It confirms with the audience that Blanche puts up a mask of
innocence, while she is not innocent at all. Furthermore, this creates dramatic irony, as Blanche is
unaware of the situation that is playing out in the kitchen while she is taking a bath. Through the
irony this scene creates, it engages the audience even more in the drama. This example alone shows
how the use of music creates more characterization, setting and tone, but also helps the audience to
get a better understanding of the characters and meaning of the drama.