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She was a beautiful women but she doesn't want people to be able to see her real age because she is aging and she is trying to hide that. She hopes to be forever in youth and innocence and attractive... Because she wants sexual respect from men, which she gains her personal dignity from. She doesnt want people to see her fading beauty, especially in front of her suitor Mitch. The past is something that is symbolized by the light, the past that she is haunted by.

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It is obvious that Blanche avoid bright light of any kind. This is not only shown through scene 1, but throughout the play. In scene 3, we see Blanche asks Mitch to put a coloured paper over the light bulb and said she couldn't stand a naked light bulb suggest how she wanted to escape from the reality as her appearance is ageing. This can be an act of Blanche hiding her true self from Mitch as shown later when she lied about her age. This is an attempt of her trying to hide her true nature and her vanishing beauty and youth.

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Blanche often avoids bright light suggests that her beauty and the character that she is trying to portray to the others isn’t her true nature. The light symbolises the relevance of her true self and her devastating past which she is trying to hide from. Furthermore, the avoidance of light links to many of her other actions such as unwilling to answer questions, or constantly bathing, all suggest that she has a past that she is trying to erase. When Blanche first met Mitch, she puts paper lantern over the naked light bulb suggests the self defence and protective layer that Blanche is putting on herself. When Mitch tears down the latern and reveals Blanche in bright light, it symbolises the revealance of Blanche’s really age and the secret of the past, the loss of the protective darkness was the symbolism of Blanche’s hidden past being revealed. Therefore, the difference between the light shone on Blanche helps the audience understand the different stages that she is in and the evolution of the character.

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Blanche avoiding light in scene 1 could well mean that she is not the pure, innocent character as portrayed by her looks and dressing. This could indicate that she is hiding secrets of her past. It probably also suggests we do not know her true intentions and nature. Blanche wants to cower in the darkness so as to not face the harshness of reality due to her blemished past. Also suggests that she could be hiding an ulterior motif due to her "dubious" actions. She is not who everybody thinks she is as she puts in a flawed representation of herself, making others perceive that she is innocent.

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Throughout the play, Blanche refuses to stay in the light and avoid it when necessary. This action of Blanche shows readers the nature of this character. By avoiding the light, Blanche is hiding in the dark. Therefore, it can also indicate that she is hiding from her past. This can also be shown in several other scenes as she tries to avoid conversations on Belle Reve and only answers to questions in short phrases. Moreover, in the first Scene of this play, Blanche is compared to a moth. Therefore, when this is linked to Blanche's actions, it may also suggest that inevitably, Blanche will have to reveal her past and true nature to others. In addition, light can also symbolize the reality of Blanche's situation. By hiding from the light, Blanche refuses to believe her situation as Belle Reve is lost. Therefore, this also shows that Blanche is stuck in her past and what she used to be (her youth and beauty). Thus, this can also be linked to her comparison of the moth to show that Blanche will have to eventually accept the changed circumstances whether if it is her financial status or youth.

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in scene one Blanche is avoiding the light, this can indicate that she is trying to hide the past from others because she is ashamed of it, this could link that she is hiding her beauty because in reality she isn't as beautiful as she thinks she is and she's also ashamed of that. It Also shows that Blanche can't face reality and she tries to escape from it by not standing in the light.

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In the stage directions introducing Blanche to the play it says that "her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light" this can be representative of the view that she's not truly beautiful. However, another interpretation of this can be that as Blanche's beauty is such an integral part of her personality the strong light could symbolise the idea of a piercing investigation into her life. The fact that Blanche's beauty cannot withstand this strong light or investigation can show how her personality and thus her character cannot withstand a serious investigation into it suggesting that her background is not something she's proud of or pleasant.

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Blanche avoids appearing in direct, bright light, especially in front of her suitor, Mitch. She also refuses to reveal her age, and it is clear that she avoids light in order to prevent him from seeing the reality of her fading beauty. In general, light also symbolizes the reality of Blanche’s past. She is haunted by the ghosts of what she has lost—her first love, her purpose in life, her dignity, and the genteel society

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Her reaction to light can be
seen as an attempt to hide her true nature as well as her vanishing beauty and youth. By hiding from the light, she tries to escape reality.
Blanche’s delicate nature is incapable of dealing with light even though she is attracted to it like a moth.

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Light is exposing and uncovers darkness which could link to the suspicion that Blanche is hiding something and holding back information indicated in her speech and actions. Therefore in order to not expose herself she avoids the light. This can also relate to her constant worry of appearance as slight darkness can help cover small faults in her appearance and perhaps also in emotion. Blanche would prefer this as she seems to be in a state of chaos but doesn't wan this to show as elaborated by her trying to cover up her drinking problem.

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Why does Blanche avoid the light in Scene 1?