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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
In A Streetcar Named Desire, the mood starts out hopeful amid the nerves and friendliness of a family reunion, but it transitions to an overpowering sense of oppression and violence. When Blanche first appears in New Orleans, the mood is somewhat cheerful, as she wants to put the past behind her and try to move on from her recent history of loss and degradation. The audience feels hope as Blanche arrives at the Kowalski residence with her sister Stella. This hope dims a little, though, when Stanley begins to acts suspicious of her, but the situation doesn’t seem too serious at first. For a brief while, there’s a real sense that things might be looking up for the older DuBois sister, especially when she starts dating Mitch.
As the story progresses, though, more facts come to light about Blanche's checkered past, the loss of Belle Reve (the family plantation), and her alcoholism. As Stanley prowls around, raging and demanding his marital rights to Stella's property under the “Napoleonic Code,” Blanche’s past begins to haunt and distress her. Her increasing instability spins the mood off its initial course into disillusionment. The audience feels Blanche's growing desperation, as she can see she isn’t fooling anyone with her stories. The frantic pace and the rapid-fire emotional scenes of the play’s second half mirror her struggle to maintain her façade. The audience feels a growing dread, as they can see that Blanche is slipping away from living in reality. The tension between Blanche and Stella also intensifies, pointing to the mutual resentment in their family and to Stella’s divided loyalties between Stanley and her sister.
By the play's end, the mood becomes extremely grim. Stanley's aggression and his sexual assault of the already-fragile Blanche result in her complete psychological breakdown. Blanche leaves the audience with an ugly sense of guilt and hopelessness as she wanders into the arms of the psychiatric doctors who drag her away. By the end of the play, nothing Blanche wanted to preserve has been saved, and both Stella and Blanche are worse-off than they started.
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