quotes

Question 1

‘a streetcar named desire’

Answer 1

blanche travels to elysian fields on a streets car named desire. she lets desire control her and it ultimately takes her to her metaphorical death

Question 2

‘Gaudy seed bearer’

Answer 2

thsi not only shows stanleys masculinity but also show the gaudy consumerist nature of post war modern america

Question 3

Virgo is the virgin

Answer 3

blanche i far from being a virgin. this is a joke. irony

Question 4

Haven’t you ever ridden that streetcar named desire

Answer 4

euphemism as sex was so taboo at the time, on stage- especially women could not talk about it

Question 5

I’ve got to be good and keep my hands of young children

Answer 5

pedo vibes from blanche. we get hints about her past

Question 6

The flamingo

Answer 6

euphamism for prostitie. also the name of the place blanche lived after the fall of Belle Reve

Question 7

What’s in the back of that little boys mind of yours

Answer 7

infantilization of Stanley- talking down

Question 8

Young man, young, young, young, young man!

Answer 8

blanches obsession with youth. shows her past

Question 9

I’ll stop at 25

Answer 9

ironic,reminds us of blanches sensitivity around her age funny moment in the tense post argument

Question 10

I want my baby

Answer 10

possession word- my shows status in stanly and stellas relationship

Question 11

I cry in his lap like a baby

Answer 11

stella is dependent on stanley in this relationship. she is like a child

Question 12

A different species

Answer 12

blanche believes that stanley is so far from the ‘boys back home’ he is a different species. animalistic imagery

Question 13

A red stained packet from the butchers

Answer 13

man is literally ‘bringing home the bacon’ our first impression of stanley as the capable bread winning man also a symbol of violent masculinity

Question 14

Survivor of the stone age

Answer 14

stanley is a Neanderthal

Question 15

Samson!

Answer 15

reference to the bible story of samson and delilah- she took his strength- women can have sexual power over men

Question 15

Stalks through the rooms at night in his underwear

Answer 15

stalking- he is a threat to blanche. very sexual image. blanche is intruding on stella and stanleys romantic relationship

Question 16

Since when do you give me orders

Answer 16

stanley sees this as his house and is angered when stella tries to rule

Question 17

“I gotta sick mother. She don’t go to sleep until I come in at night.”

Answer 17

different version of masculinity to stanley- mitch. this is more old south genteel

Question 18

There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out.

Answer 18

abuse

Question 19

After all, a woman’s charm is fifty percent illusion

Answer 19

what is the other 50%, blanche to stanley

Question 20

And admire her dress and tell her she’s looking wonderful

Answer 20

appearance is the most important to blanche. all of her self worth is in her looks.

Question 21

I have always depended on the kindness of strangers

Answer 21

blanchesrelience on men in particular for surviaval and approval- prostitution

Question 22

Lily white fingers

Answer 22

white- purity
lily- purity, new beginnings and innocence
all things blanche wants to be perceived as

Question 23

Obeying the laws of nature

Answer 23

traditional gender norms, mitch and blanche

Question 24

Thats your job

Answer 24

feminine loads. her job is to please men. from blanche to Stella!

Question 25

Temporary magic

Answer 25

blancheis not focused on the future but want to live in the past and create magic in the fleeting present

Question 26

I don’t want realism. I want magic!

Answer 26

delusional blanche to mitch

Question 27

Paper moon

Question 28

I cant stand a naked bulb

Answer 28

too bright and too much truth

Question 29

Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar Allen Poe!

Answer 29

relating the squalor of the apartment to something she is familiar with. southern literature

Question 30

I pulled you down off those white columns

Answer 30

physical and aggressive. stanley has conquered stella like the new america has conquered the south

Question 31

We are French by extraction

Answer 31

blanche values her european history. culture and OLD

Question 32

I stayed and fought for it bled for it

Answer 32

violent imagery, the loss of BR physically hurt blanche

Question 32

Home place

Answer 32

ambiguity- Belle Reve is constantly ambiguous

Question 33

Blown the back off his head off

Answer 33

violentand blunt much like the death of AG

Question 34

That must have been a long time ago

Answer 34

stanley has no care for the past. he is future focused. speedily moving america. american dream

Question 35

Napoleonic code

Answer 35

stanley has a LOOSE grasp of laws but he talks it up. masculinity

Question 36

Blanche and I grew up under very different circumstances than you did

Answer 36

class divide in their relationship

Question 36

The Kowalski’s and the DuBois have different notions.