ideas - by ingram Flashcards
why is it suggested blanche bathes so much
guilt and self-loathing - wants to cleanse herself of past mistakes
what does the polka remind us
blanche is haunted by tragic memories - it reinforces her mental fragility
what happened in the first screening of the play
audience cheered when stanley carried blanche away to rape her - shows gender-based double standards that destroy blanche were still very much present
what was happening between north and south
tensions - the south was in decline
what did stella and stanleys marriage demonstrate
stella as wealthy landowning dubois family marries stanely a working class man - demonstrates the extent to which the social fabric in america has been altered by 1947
what is blanche personification of
the old south
what is stanley embodiment of
industrial new america
what does stanley and blanches conflict represent
the conflict between the dying past and the emerging future
what does stanleys victory over blanche suggest
for better or for worse the old south is now a relic of the past
what does the new kowalski baby show
these two ways of life have merged together
what does belle reve mean in french
beautiful dream
what could the name belle reve/beautiful dream show
nostalgia, mourning the loss of a ‘beautiful’ past
or implying like a ‘dream’ this beauty was only illusory and never really existed at all
what happened to williams sister
institutionalised for much her life and had a lobotamy
what was williams plagued by guilt for
his sister never recovered from her lobotomy - is stellas cruel behaviour to her sister an expression of williams own guilt
what was illegal for most of williams life
homosexuality - he loathed himself for his homosexuality
what is blanche a sort of ‘cover’ for
a homosexual given a female mask to avoid having to confront his own feelings about himself
what aspects of blanche link to williams
- mocked by stanley for her effeminate behaviour just as he was mocked by his father who called him “miss nancy”
- forced to liw about herself to everyone in order to survive
what were four other possible titles for the play
the poker night
the primary colours
the moth
blanches chair in the moon
what does the possible title the moth show
fatal attraction - drawn to a bulb - her desire leads to her ruin
what does blanches chair in the moon show
blanches delusion
what is interesting about blanche and the final title
replaces her with a metaphor for desire - disempowers her
shows the force that will destroy her
what do the plays have in common
female protagonists who are victims of male oppression and abuse
what does mitch do that shows double standards
tells blanche she is “not clean enough” to be his wife and then attempts to rape her
what does stanley do thats contradictin
berates blanche and stella for behaving like a “pair of queens” before declaring he is “the king around here”
what is a streetcar named desire a symbol for (blanche)
her power - she is a passenger being driven by forces which seem beyond her contril
what does looking to men to solve her problems do to blanche
deepens her suffering
how are stella and julia alike
place themselves at the mercy of their respective partners
what is a key characteristic of stanleys masculinity
aggression
what is said about men in streetcar
not a single man who we can look to for a truly positive embodiment of masculinity
what do the men that ferdinand/cardinal and stanley do
little to nothing to prevent the cruelty and violence of the antagonist
what is interesting about blanche and the duchess’ costume
used to decieve
blanche = white to feign purity
duchess = loose bodied gown to conceal pregnancy
what is significance of blanches trunk “hang[ing] open with flowery dresses thrown across it”
her promiscuous past has been fully exposed
what was williams afraid of - reflected in blanche
fear of death - reflect williams own anxiety
what do blanche and ferdinand have in common
mourn the death of a loved one in which they bear guilt and responsability for
what does blanches mental decline serve to reveal
how wholly she has been destroyed by her abusers who have invaded her mind aswell as body
what do plays sugest about cruelty and violence
they are commonplace and inescapable - madness will inevitably manifest itself in some form
what is the quote “these fingernails have to be trimmed” show
blanche stripped of all autonomy, akin to an animal
how are psychological attacks launched in both plays
gift
dom = a coffin to duchess
snd = ticket back laurel
what can be said about blanches delusion/maddness
she doesnt initially believe them she knows shes invented them - the misery of her life leads her to believing her own lies
what is depressing about banches one tool to alleviate suffering
the abilitity to manipulate the truth - ends up destroying her mind
what could be said about characters in both plays and their values
sexual passion valued more than familial love
