Status: completed
Retreating from the Burrow
Statement of Intent
Statement of Intent
The twelfth and additional scene, Retreating from the Burrow, is a written piece to accompany the eleven original scenes of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. This adjunction piece is an imitation of Williams’ writing in the sense it follows his writing style. In this additional scene Blanche is the central figure, she speaks in a desperate sensual manner, and her actions project the contrast between her illusions and the reality.
Written as an addition scene, this piece of writing displays the themes Williams exercised in the original. At this point, Blanche is instilled at a mental institution undergoing psychiatric treatment. As the scene begins, she is drifting between her world of illusion and the reality, displaying her world of desire through her sensual manner and suggestive wording through her conversation with the doctor – her desire to be held, touched, and loved by others. Upon Mitch’s arrival the end to her illusion-filled world also embarks, she realizes what she feels for Mitch is far stronger than desire and ends her delusional world because she knows only realism and true love can ever unite. There is also a period of redemption; in this scene Shep is an allegory for her past, by pretending Mitch is Shep she pretends she is still living in her world of “ought to be the truth” and pushes her saviour away because she cannot bear to make others suffer for her past actions. It is also important to note this scene is set on Groundhog Day, the day where it is revealed when winter will come to an end. The groundhog symbolizes Blanche; they both serve the purpose of revelation – the groundhog must reveal when winter will end while Blanche reveals the time frame for her to consort to realism. As Groundhog Phil diverges winter will soon come to an end it symbolizes a metaphorical death of Blanche’s life of lies. As Blanche lights the candle and holds it to her face she states, “As my heart beats I know it is time for me to face the light; I do not deserve the kindness of those who care for me.”, this strong sense of light imagery reveals Blanche can now face the truth and no longer has to hid in the shadows and in her delusional world. Based on Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and written in his figurative heavy style, Retreating from the Burrow, closely follows the constraints of tragedy as Blanche realizes her world of desire and illusions will not bring her to true love but as in a tragedy she is too late – by the time of her realize she has made herself into a person she does not want others to associate with, hence her loss of Mitch.
Word Count: 458
The twelfth and additional scene, Retreating from the Burrow, is a written piece to accompany the eleven original scenes of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. This adjunction piece is an imitation of Williams’ writing in the sense it follows his writing style. In this additional scene Blanche is the central figure, she speaks in a desperate sensual manner, and her actions project the contrast between her illusions and the reality.
Written as an addition scene, this piece of writing displays the themes Williams exercised in the original. At this point, Blanche is instilled at a mental institution undergoing psychiatric treatment. As the scene begins, she is drifting between her world of illusion and the reality, displaying her world of desire through her sensual manner and suggestive wording through her conversation with the doctor – her desire to be held, touched, and loved by others. Upon Mitch’s arrival the end to her illusion-filled world also embarks, she realizes what she feels for Mitch is far stronger than desire and ends her delusional world because she knows only realism and true love can ever unite. There is also a period of redemption; in this scene Shep is an allegory for her past, by pretending Mitch is Shep she pretends she is still living in her world of “ought to be the truth” and pushes her saviour away because she cannot bear to make others suffer for her past actions. It is also important to note this scene is set on Groundhog Day, the day where it is revealed when winter will come to an end. The groundhog symbolizes Blanche; they both serve the purpose of revelation – the groundhog must reveal when winter will end while Blanche reveals the time frame for her to consort to realism. As Groundhog Phil diverges winter will soon come to an end it symbolizes a metaphorical death of Blanche’s life of lies. As Blanche lights the candle and holds it to her face she states, “As my heart beats I know it is time for me to face the light; I do not deserve the kindness of those who care for me.”, this strong sense of light imagery reveals Blanche can now face the truth and no longer has to hid in the shadows and in her delusional world. Based on Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and written in his figurative heavy style, Retreating from the Burrow, closely follows the constraints of tragedy as Blanche realizes her world of desire and illusions will not bring her to true love but as in a tragedy she is too late – by the time of her realize she has made herself into a person she does not want others to associate with, hence her loss of Mitch.
Word Count: 458
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I orginially wrote this for my IB Creative for my English class - not amazing, I can already see things which I would like to change but since it has already been handed in and marked there's no use...