English lit

Question 1

Beauty vs decay

Answer 1

“raffish charm”/”gracefully attenuates the atmosphere of decay” suggesting the setting and the characters contradict with New Orleans.

Question 2

Male dominance

Answer 2

Williams uses Blanche’s and Stella’s dependence on men to expose and critique the treatment of women during the transition from the old to the new south. “He heaves the package at her” Stanley does not care if he hurts anyone and with out hesitation hands the work to Stella. “where is the little woman”. Another representation that he sizes women up. He also treats her as if she was his child. “the gaudy seed - bearer” Stanley takes pleasure in his masculinity.

Question 3

Death/fate

Answer 3

“Elysian fields”. This is the place where heroes went after death, therefore this could foreshadow when Blanche is sent away to her social death. To add onto this the “the blue piano music” is a symbolic feature that is used throughout the play, this could be conjured with Blanches fate; the music is a representative of New Orleans this portrays a sense of togetherness, however for Blanche “the blue piano sounds louder” as if it is a constant reminder that Blanche does not belong. Near the end of the play she goes crazy.

Question 4

Family quotes

Answer 4

“its sort of messed up right now, but when its clean its real sweet” Eunice defends Stella as she’s how Blanche is disgusted by the room. This could indicate that Eunice takes more car of Stella more than Blanche should. This has causes a bit of tension between them.

Question 5

Classes

Answer 5

“Two women, one white an one coloured” it shows us an integrations of races perhaps showing an equality in social class. “roughly dressed in blue denim clothes” the stage directions is a distinct juxtaposition against Blanches clothing, foreshadowing the issue of social class between them. “a different species” Stella uses animalistic imagery to heighten the separation between Blanche and Stanley’s social class.