A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams enotes.com. A Streetcar Named Desire. Summary and Study Guide, enotes.com, Inc., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2010.

The Story of an Emotionally-charged Confrontation The traditional values of the American South clash with the aggressive, rapidly-changing world of modern America. Main characters are two Southern American belles and a Polish American man

There is a clash between cultures and classes. The plot revolves around alcoholism, madness and sexual violence. Music plays an important role in the play.

The Opening Scenes Stanley and Stella are married and live in New Orleans. Blanche, Stella’s sister, comes to visit after being forced out of her job as a high school English teacher.

Blanche acts delicate and pseudo-sophisticated. She drinks often and heavily, but she tries to conceal it. There is something mysterious and troubling about her. Stanley is crude and intolerant of Blanche’s intrusion upon his life and his marriage. He is blunt and cruel to Blanche. Stella is caught in the middle of this tension, loving both her husband and her sister even though they are such opposites.