The Streetcar Named Desire Research

The Streetcar Named Desire and Belle Reve

The desire line

The desire street line ran from 1920 and ran down royals, usually being seen through their apartment windows it ran through shopping areas on royal and canal streets, passing night clubs on Bourbon Street. It was named Desire as its service ended at Desire Street.

In the early 1940's New Orleans public service, Inc. (NOPSI) and the city were considering transforming the street cars in the French quarters into bus routes, in which the Desire passed through at that time. As stated in Times-Picayune on July 27, 1940:“Principal complaint against the streetcars has been that their vibration is responsible for much of the property damage in that part of the city, and that their noise and difficulty in negotiating the narrow streets, especially during the busy hours, unduly disturbs the residents.” Residents also disagreed with the modernity represented by the streetcars, which they considered “out of keeping” with the French Quarter. However this was taken on board, it was apparent that this would be the same for buses. 

In 1948 the NOPSI put aside $500,000 for the conversion of the Desire line to change to a motor bus. In April of the same year French Quarter residents had changed their minds, it came to their attention that if they were to proceed that New Orleans would forfeit considerable amount of publicity. Sadly just over a month later the Street car desire was no more. Beginning May 30, 1948, the streetcar was replaced by the Desire bus. 

Belle Reve

Belle Reve is the name of the sister's family plantation in their home town Laurel. The name is the French Origin which translates to "Beautiful dream". It represents the old south and the charmed lives the sisters lived in, it represents the nostalgic life that they lived in, and also refers to a 'good life' that Blanche wants to return to. The term can suggest a term that is not fully true. Blanche clings to Belle Reve which is an illusion, in which Blanche picks over reality. Blanch can be seen as be the traditional part of America which is represented by Belle Reve, and contrast with Stanley who can be seen as the New part of America, linking to the contradictory of Blanche and Stanley’s views and opinions.Recently the term Belle Reve is known to be a prison and a sanatorium (Medical facility for long term illnesses) and has been seen in American comic books. This could foreground how Blanche is constantly enclosed, and feels physical captured in Belle Reve.