Death and Desire

Question 1

‘Take a streetcar named desire and then transfer to one called cemeteries’

Answer 1

This shows that Blanche has been lead to Elysian Field by desire - desire to start over, desire to settle down or she has been driven away by her past desires that have ruined her - and will finish in cemeteries - symbolising her metaphorical death at the end of the play

Question 2

‘The grim reaper had put up his tent on our doorstep’

Answer 2

Metaphor - connotations of death shows that Blanche is almost being followed around by a bad omen

Question 3

‘Elysian Fields’

Answer 3

a resting place for heroes in greek mythology

Question 4

‘Lay her cards on the table’

Answer 4

Sexual innuendo - creates a sexual tension between Stanley and Blanche - foreshadow

Question 5

‘Dark red satin wrapper’

Answer 5

Red symbolises passion - Blanche wears this to appear in a more sexual and appealing manner

Question 6

‘They come together with low
animal moans’

Answer 6

Connotative of desire and being wild

Question 7

‘I was sort of thrilled by it’

Answer 7

Stella is infatuated with Stanley because he represents a new and exciting lifestyle that she craves for

Question 8

‘Only way to live with such a man is to go to bed with him’

Answer 8

Foreshadowing Stanley raping Blanche at the end of the play - climax of their sexual tension

Question 9

‘Brutal desire…it brought me here’

Answer 9

The Streetcar named desire symbolises Blanche journey with desire leading to death

Question 10

‘I’m fading now’

Answer 10

This is symbolic of the old south also fading away as it is becoming outdated

Question 11

‘You make my mouth water’/’honey lamb’

Answer 11

Blanche is using seductive words to flirt with the young man - lamb shows the youth of the man

Question 12

‘Some fresh territory’

Answer 12

This portrays Blanche to almost seem like a predator

Question 13

‘We can make noise in the night the way we used to and get the coloured lights going with nobody’s sister behind the curtain’

Answer 13

Stanley is manipulating Stella to think Blanche is the reason they keep on falling out - primal need for sex is their way of fulfilling their desires

Question 14

‘Hotel Tarantula/ that’s where I brought my victims’

Answer 14

She is playing along to his accusations of her being a predator - they are no longer respecting each other

Question 15

‘I had many intimacies with strangers …was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with;

Answer 15

Desire is always juxtaposed with death - desperation leads people to the most unexpected circumstances - she has lost all hope so does not care anymore about lying

Question 16

‘A cleft in the rock of the world that I could hide in’

Answer 16

This makes their relationship sad because Blanche seriously thought she could have been able to finally settle down

Question 17

‘The night is filled with inhuman voices like cries in a jungle’

Answer 17

The simile engages with the imagery of animals seen throughout the play - uncontrollability of desire and primal need

Question 18

‘We;ve had this date with each other from the beginning’

Answer 18

The whole events of the play is based on fate - this moment has been foreshadowed through the whole play

Question 19

‘Those cathedral bells they’re the only thing clean in the Quarter’

Answer 19

Ironic as this is the first time we have heard of the these bells - symbolic of funerals and Blanche’s metaphorical death

Question 20

‘His fingers find the opening of her blouse’

Answer 20

Reverting back to the way they used to be - evidence of desire at the end of the play