This essay studies Williams's heroines who are unable to face their reality so they retreat into illusionary worlds created by themselves. Laura in The Glass Menagerie and Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire are the most outstanding examples. They are so fragile that facing reality will destroy them. Their creation of illusions makes them feel safe away from the real world they cannot ... to another girl, she is totally destroyed. She cannot withstand the shock of what the past has become in the present, so she retreats within herself forever. Blanche DuBois, in A Streetcar Named Desire, is...

• Word Count: 1268
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School