A Streetcar Named Desire quotes Flashcards
What does the symbolic meaning of Blanche’s arrival on the “streetcar named Desire” suggest?
It symbolises how desire leads to emotional destruction and death — foreshadowing Blanche’s tragic downfall.
What does Blanche’s discomfort with bright light reveal about her character?
Her fear of light shows her desire to hide reality and maintain illusions about herself and her past.
What quote shows Blanche’s need to mask the harshness of life with fantasy?
“I don’t want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic!”
How does Blanche explain her behaviour after the death of her young husband?
“After the death of Allan—intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with…”
What does this quote suggest about Blanche’s emotional state: “I need kindness now”?
It reveals her vulnerability and desperation — she’s not seeking romance, but emotional survival.
How is light used symbolically when Blanche discusses Allan’s death?
The “searchlight” being turned off represents the extinguishing of love and truth, plunging Blanche into darkness and guilt.
What quote shows Stanley’s brutal role in Blanche’s downfall?
“We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!” — showing his predatory attitude and final destruction of Blanche’s illusions.
What is the significance of Blanche’s final line, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”?
It encapsulates her tragic reliance on others for self-worth and her retreat into delusion at the play’s end.
How does Williams use Blanche to symbolise the decline of the Old South?
Blanche represents gentility, manners, and artifice — crushed by Stanley’s raw modern masculinity and realism.
