Which of the following is true about Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire?

(A) It is set in New Orleans.
(B) The protagonist is a Mississippi landowner.
(C) It ends with Blanche’s defeat and departure.
(D) Tom Wingfield is the narrator.
(E) Laura and Stella are cousins.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

Explanation:

The correct answer is (A) It is set in New Orleans and (C) It ends with Blanche’s defeat and departure.

A Streetcar Named Desire is set in New Orleans, a city in Louisiana, where the play takes place, predominantly in the working-class neighborhood of Elysian Fields.

The play ends with Blanche DuBois being taken away to a mental institution after her psychological breakdown. The culmination of her defeat is marked by her loss of sanity and the realization of her tragic fate.

Information Booster:

Setting: New Orleans is vital to the atmosphere of the play, reflecting the tensions between old-world Southern gentility and modern, rough, urban life.

Blanche’s Defeat: Blanche’s departure from the Kowalski household symbolizes the triumph of brute reality (represented by Stanley) over her fragile illusions.

Characterization of Blanche: Blanche is portrayed as a tragic character, whose past haunts her, and who attempts to escape it through illusion and deceit.

Symbolism: The title "A Streetcar Named Desire" reflects the uncontrollable nature of Blanche's desires and how they drive her to destruction.

Conflict: The primary conflict in the play is between the sensual, forceful Stanley and the fragile, dreamer Blanche.

Themes: Major themes in the play include class struggle, the decline of the old Southern aristocracy, and the clash of reality versus illusion.