In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses symbolism throughout the play to convey central ideas and themes. Each character is associated with symbols that represent their personality and their inner thoughts, namely Blanche and Stanley.
Darkness is one of the major symbols used throughout the play. Blanche is most closely associated with this symbol because she had so much to hide. Darkness was the only thing within her control and she took complete advantage of it. It was the only way to prevent Mitch from seeing her. Blanche put on a fazade to obscure the person she truly was, it was the person she wished so hard she could be. She always wanted to go out with Mitch at night because she wanted to mask her appearance. She was afraid that if Mitch knew how old she really looked in the light, he wouldn't want to be with her anymore. The one time they actually had a chance to be in the light, Blanche quickly suggested Mitch place a paper lantern over the hanging light bulb. She justified being in the dark all the time by saying the darkness was comforting to her and that she couldn't stand to see a naked light bulb. That was just another diversion around the fact that she was deceiving Mitch. After he learned about the real Blanche, Mitch tore the paper lantern off the bulb and got a real look at her. It was then, in the light that Blanche's fazade had finally been broken and the truth revealed. That was a turning point in their relationship and ultimately the end of it because Mitch never trusted her after that night. Mitch finding out the truth about Blanche was another log on the fire and it added to her downfall.
It was easy to tell that she felt ashamed about all the lies she had told and it seemed that she felt remorse for the hurt she had caused Mitch. .
Bathing is another symbol Blanche is most closely tied to. The first time she met Mitch, she was coming out of the bathroom after "freshening up.