Final answer:
Blanche DuBois in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' epitomizes the Old South with her reliance on past fortunes and genteel mannerisms, while Stanley Kowalski represents the New South through his self-reliance and materialistic outlook.
Step-by-step explanation:
In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche represents the Old South because she relies on her family fortune and often speaks in a circumlocutory manner, evoking images of a past era's gentility and decay. Meanwhile, Stanley embodies the New South, representing a self-reliant, straightforward approach to life with a focus on material success and industrial pragmatism, contrasting with Blanche's indulgence in genteel fantasies.
This contrast is central to understanding the themes of the play, which explores the clash between romantic illusions and harsh realities, a staple of Tennessee Williams's poetic realism.