A02 Flashcards
What does the Blue piano represent?
New Orleans, intermingling, only to a certain extent, blues music is limited.
What does the Varsouviana represent?
Causes Blanche distress, it reminds her of the song that was on when her husband kills himself. We can hear what is going on in her head.
Blanche on her relationship with Allan Grey
All at once and much, much too completely. It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow.
How does Blanche acknowledge the danger of her facade?
Candles aren’t safe, they burn out in little boys and girls’ eyes, or wind blows them out, and after that, electric lightbulb come one and you see too plainly.
What song does Blanche sing in the bath
Say it’s only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea
What possession of Blanche represents the old aristocracy?
‘These are love letters, fading with antiquity.’
What is Blanche wearing at the beginning of the Play?
What is she wearing at the beginning of the rape scene?
‘White suit with a fluffy bodice.’
‘Crumpled white satin evening gown and a pair of scuffed silver slippers.’
How does Blanche describe her previous actions?
Yes, I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan the intimacies were all I was able to fill my heart with.
What does Stella say about her relationship with Stanley?
But there are things that happen between a man and woman in the dark that sort of make everything else seem unimportant.
What dramatic medium does Williams use to give Blanche and what is the effect?
Several monologues, which means there is more vividness to her character and history, to allow the audience to sympathise with her.
What is a Hamartia?
A fatal flaw.
What is Pathos?
A character’s ability to compel the audience and evoke pity and sympathy.
In scene 1 what is Stanley holding? What does he say?
‘A red stained packet from a butchers.’
‘Catch!’
‘Meat!’
In Scene 3 how is the setting described?
‘There is a picture of Van Gogh’s Billiard parlour at night. The poker players wear coloured shirts […] Peak of their physical manhoods […] Powerful as the primary colours
What does Blanche say of her blue jacket in Scene 11?
‘You’re both mistaken, it’s Della Robbia blue. The blue of the robe in the old Madonna pictures.
SCENE SIX, BLANCHE AND MITCH DIALOGUE - Blanche’s escapism with Mitch
Blanche: We are going to pretend that we are sitting in a little artists’ cafe on the Left Bank in Paris! Je suis la Dame aux Camellias! Vous etes - Armand!
SCENE EIGHT, STANLEY AND BLANCHE DIALOGUE - Stanley on his national identity
Stanley: I am not a Polack. People from Poland are Poles, not Polacks. But what I am is a one hundred per cent American.
SCENE EIGHT, STANLEY AND STELLA DIALOGUE - Stanley on Stella’s class
Stanley: I was common as dirt. You showed me the snapshot of the place with the columns. I pulled you down off them columns and how you loved it
What is a fancy word for stage directions?
Didascalie
What sort of playis Streetcaar?
‘kitchen sink drama’ the micro cosm of a community is symbolic of a wider society.
What biblical reference does Blanche make?
‘The blind are leading the blind.’
What does Blanche say that hints at the idea of eugenics?
‘Maybe he’s what we need to mix with our blood now that we’ve lost Belle Reve.’
whcih quote reflects that Blanche’s past liaisons were just a way of assuring her existence?
‘people don’t see you- men don’t even acknowledge your existence unless they’re making love to you.’
