quotes Flashcards
What does Blanche express about her appearance in relation to her vanity?
“You see I still have that awful vanity about my looks even now that my looks are slipping” – Blanche to Stella
What does Blanche say about her need to be with someone?
“I want to be near you, got to be with somebody. I can’t be alone” – Blanche to Stella
How does Stella describe the difficulty of describing someone she loves?
“Oh you can’t describe someone you’re in love with” – Stella to Blanche
What does Blanche say about being excluded from a social event?
“I understand there to be a little card party to which we ladies are cordially not invited” – Blanche to Stanley
How does Blanche describe her past admirers?
“These were a tribute from an admirer of mine” – Blanche to Stanley
What does Blanche suggest about the admiration she received in her youth?
“With my youth, I excited some admiration” – Blanche to Stanley
What does Blanche say about Stanley’s personality in relation to her own?
“You’re simple, straightforward and a little bit on the primitive side I should think” – Blanche to Stanley
What does Blanche say about her understanding of Stanley compared to Stella?
“I have an idea she doesn’t understand you as well as I do…” – Blanche to Stanley
What does Stanley imply to Blanche about his attraction to her if she weren’t Stella’s sister?
“If I didn’t know that you were my wife’s sister I would get ideas about you” – Stanley to Blanche
How does Blanche admit to flirting with Stanley?
“I was flirty with your husband Stella” – Blanche to Stella
What does Blanche think about Mitch and his romance with her?
“It sounds like a romance” – Blanche to Mitch
What does Blanche say about the role of sorrow in relationships?
“Sorrow makes for sincerity, I think.” – Blanche to Mitch
What question does Blanche ask Mitch about his nature?
“Is he a wolf?” – Blanche to Mitch
How does Blanche compare Mitch to others?
“That one seems superior to the others” – Blanche to Mitch
How does Blanche express insecurity about her appearance?
“You haven’t said a word about my appearance” – Blanche (insecurity)
What does Blanche say about Stella’s physical changes?
“You’ve put on some weight” – Blanche to Stella (insecurity)
What does Blanche say when she doesn’t want to be a bother?
“Please don’t get up” – Blanche to the boys
What does Stanley say to Stella about not needing to get up?
“Nobodys going to get up, so don’t be so worried” – Stanley to Stella
What does Blanche say when discussing her past grief?
“The boy- the boy died” – Blanche to Stanley (grief, fragility)
What does Stanley demand when confronting Blanche?
“I don’t want no ifs and buts” – Stanley to Blanche
How does Blanche idealize Stella?
“Stella the star” – Blanche to Stella
What does Blanche confess to Stella about her behavior?
“I was flirty with your husband Stella” – Blanche to Stella (exposing fragility)
What does Stella say about Stanley’s behavior the night before?
“Blanche, you saw him at his worst last night” – Stella to Blanche
What does Blanche express about money and its elusive nature?
“Money just goes – it goes places” – Blanche to Stella (economic insecurity)
What does Stella say about Stanley’s destructive tendencies?
“Stanley always smashed things” – Stella (submission, acceptance of abuse)
What is Stella’s response to violence in their relationship?
“I was sort of thrilled by it” – Stella to Blanche (submissive thrill in violence)
What plan does Blanche express to Stella for their future?
“I have a plan for us both, to get us both – out” – Blanche to Stella (dependence)
What does Blanche say about being in a place where she is unwelcome?
“It brought me here, where I’m not wanted, where I am ashamed to be” – Blanche to Stella
What does Blanche say when challenging the notion of “desire” as innocent?
“What you are talking about is brutal desire – just – desire” – Blanche (deconstructing innocence)
What does Stanley say when asserting his territory?
“Not in my territory” – Stanley (assertion of power)
What does Stanley ask Stella about the legal framework of marriage?
“Heard of the Napoleonic code?” – Stanley (control and ownership)
How does Stanley describe the ownership of a wife in Louisiana?
“In the state of Louisiana we have the Napoleonic code according to which what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband” – Stanley (legal ownership)
What does Stanley say when questioning the source of Blanche’s finances?
“Open your eyes to this stuff! You think she got them out of a teacher’s pay?” – Stanley (destroying illusion)
How does Stanley challenge Stella’s authority?
“Since when are you giving me orders?” – Stanley to Stella (power struggle)
What does Stanley demand when controlling the sale of Blanche’s property?
“Now let’s have a gander at the bill of sale” – Stanley (assertion of dominance)
What does Stanley demand from Stella when asserting control over their finances?
“Let’s see the papers” – Stanley to Stella (control, documentation of power)
How is Stanley described entering the room?
“Stanley throws the screen food of the kitchen open and comes in” (masculine entry)
How is Stanley’s masculinity described in terms of animalistic traits?
“Animal joy in his implicit in all his movements and attitudes” (animalistic masculinity)
How is Stanley compared to a male bird in terms of power?
“The power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens” (dominance and display)
What does Stanley value in male friendships?
“Heartiness with men, his appreciation of rough humour” (male camaraderie)
How does Stanley view women when sizing them up?
“He sizes women up at a glance with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his mind and determining the way he smiles at them” (sexualized power dynamics)
What does Stanley say when silencing the women’s conversation?
“Stanley to Stella and Eunice: ‘You hens cut out that conversation in there.’” (belittling women)
How does Stanley assert his authority in the household?
“Stanley to Stella and Eunice: ‘Well, you can hear me and I said to hush up!’” (aggressive dominance)
What does Stanley demand when confronting Blanche?
“Stanley to Blanche: ‘Where’s the papers?’” (confrontation and control)
What does Stanley do in a fit of rage?
“Stanley charges after Stella” (violence, power play)
What does Stanley say when implying something about Blanche’s attractiveness?
“Stanley to Blanche: ‘If I didn’t know that you were my wife’s sister I would get ideas about you.’”
How does Stanley express anger when things don’t go his way?
“Stanley talks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom, he tosses the instrument out of the window.” (anger, dominance)
How does Stella respond to Blanche’s claim about Mitch?
“I suppose he is” – Stella to Blanche (denial)
How does Blanche express her view on class differences?
“Well - if you do forgive me - He is common” – Blanche to Stella (insanity through class divide)
What does Blanche say about Stanley’s character?
“There’s something downright – bestial – about him!” – Blanche about Stanley (moral insanity)
What does Blanche accuse Stella of in terms of her relationship with Stanley?
“You’re here waiting for him” – Blanche to Stella (delusion about Stella’s complicity)
What does Blanche say about not being invited to a card game?
“I understand there to be a little card party to which we ladies are cordially not invited” – Blanche (delusion of superiority)
What does Blanche say about the difference in values between the Kowalskis and DuBois?
“The Kowalskis and the DuBois have different notions” – Blanche (insanity in class division)
How does Stanley react when Blanche challenges his authority?
“Since when are you giving me orders?” – Stanley (disruption of roles)
What does Stanley say when Blanche challenges his control?
“I don’t want no ifs and buts” – Stanley to Blanche (assertion of control in the face of resistance)
What does Blanche do to escape reality?
“I think I will bath” – Blanche to Stella (escape into illusion)
What does Blanche say about her name to Mitch?
“Blanche to Mitch: ‘DuBois, it’s a French name, it means wood and blanche means white.’” (creating an illusion of purity)
What does Blanche manipulate Mitch into thinking about her?
“Blanche to Mitch: ‘I call her little in spite of the fact that she’s somewhat older than I am – will you do something for me?’” (manipulating appearance)
What does Blanche say about Stanley’s nature in an illusionary way?
“Blanche to Stanley: ‘You’re simple, straightforward and a little bit on the primitive side I should think.’” (projecting an illusion of superiority)
How does Blanche describe Mitch in an idealized way?
“Blanche to Mitch: ‘That one seems superior to the others, though he had a sensitive look’” (illusion of Mitch’s nature)
What does Blanche say about her own physical deterioration?
“‘You see I still have that awful vanity about my looks even now that my looks are slipping’” – Blanche (illusion of self-worth)
How does Stanley confront the illusion of desire?
“Stanley to Stella: ‘What you are talking about is brutal desire – just – desire.’” (reality confronting illusion)
