I‭ n both Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" and Banana Yoshimoto's "Kitchen,"‬

‭the authors skillfully employ symbols to delve into complex themes of reality versus illusion‬
‭and the profound sense of loneliness. In "A Streetcar Named Desire," Williams uses the‬
‭symbol of light and shadow, particularly through Blanche's aversion to a naked light bulb, to‬
‭explore her fear of the truth and her preference for living in a world of illusion. Blanche's‬
‭statement, “I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar‬
‭action,” not only signifies her disdain for rudeness but also metaphorically represents her fear‬
‭of facing reality. This fear is further emphasised when Blanche covers the light with a paper‬
‭lantern, symbolising her attempt to mask the harshness of truth with the soft glow of illusion.‬
‭Similarly, in "Kitchen," Yoshimoto uses light as a symbol, but here it represents the isolation‬
‭and loneliness felt by the protagonist, Mikage. The quote, “She thinks about how she has no‬
‭blood ties to anybody in this world, as the dark night stretches into the ‘unbounded‬
‭loneliness’ of the infinite cosmos,” illustrates Mikage's profound sense of solitude and her‬
‭disconnection from the world. This feeling of loneliness is juxtaposed with the warmth and‬
‭life emanating from the Tanabes' kitchen, a place where light sparkles and represents a‬
‭possible escape from her isolation. Both texts, through their use of light and shadow, reveal‬
‭the characters' struggles with their respective realities—Blanche's denial of the truth and‬
‭Mikage's confrontation with her loneliness—thus underscoring the complexity of human‬
‭emotions and perceptions.‬