Minor characters do not undergo a transformation in the course of the play. Nevertheless they are of great importance to the presentation of themes and the unravelling of the plot. In A Streetcar Named Desire, except for Blanche, Stanley, Stella and Mitch, all others could be classified as minor characters. Some of them are presented on stage to work with the major characters to unfold the story, while others exist only behind the scenes to symbolise ideas and assist our understandings of the major characters. This essay attempts to compare and contrast the presentation and function of minor characters in A Streetcar Named Desire.
The appearances of minor characters on stage contribute significantly to the atmosphere of the play. The curtain opens on a casual conversation between Eunice and the Negro Woman. This opening immediately establishes that the setting, New Orleans, "is a cosmopolitan city where there is a relatively warm and easy intermingling of races in the old part of town."" Pablo, being a Spaniard, emphasises the culturally diverse nature of their neighbourhood. Steve and Pablo's participations in the poker games add to the raw, ape-like nature' of Elysian Fields which Blanche detests so much. Her desire to battle this savage world with her civilised' values ultimately leads to her destruction. .
The poker games could not happen without the participation of Steve and Pablo. The playwright attaches special meanings to the poker games. At the first poker night, Stanley is not only losing the game, but his possessions' over Mitch and Stella is also being seriously threatened as a result of Blanche. At the second game, the tables have turned and Stanley is winning, both of poker and over Blanche. The poker is a symbol for the game of life, and Stanley is the triumphant victor. Steve and Pablo are "as course and direct and powerful as the primary colours-, which strongly contrasts the pure white colour of Blanche, and this intensifies the incompatibility of the two worlds.
