In Scene IV of the Poker Night in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, what is the significance of the use of primary colours in the setting of the Kowlaski Apartment?

In the Scene of the Poker Night in A Streetcar Named Desire, the opening description of the living room as being romanticised by ‘primary colours’ is in stark contrast to the description of New Orleans in the opening scene of the play that is ‘muddy’, ‘black’, and full of ‘decay’ giving the notion of the Stanley Kowlaski apartment as a kind of liberating haven for the residents. This is particularly significant as we begin to consider an American pulling itself out of war and the need for citizens to find an outlet for self-expression under government surveillance.

EA
Answered by Esther A. English Literature tutor

5357 Views

See similar English Literature A Level tutors

Related English Literature A Level answers

All answers ▸

How do I write a well structured a paragraph?


What message is the authour attempting to get across in this chapter?


Comparing The Great Gatsby and pre-1900 romantic poetry: How have the authors presented love as unconditional and permanent?


How do I measure the meter of a poem?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning