Scene 6 Flashcards
Summary of what happens in this scene overall.
- Blanche/ Mitch return from their date.
- Mitch asks if he can kiss Blanche good night but she puts Mitch off.
- Blanche speaks in French to Mitch (he doesn’t undertsand.)
- The pair share awkward conversation.
- Blanche describes how uncomfortable Stnaley makes her feel.
- Blanche describes the story of her husband and the two share a kiss at end of scene.
What is the significance of Blanche being upset because she thinks she ruined the date with Mitch by not “rising up to the occassion?”
- Blanche is very critical of the way she acts around other people/ cares about how other people percieve her too much (could this lead to her destruction.)
How does Blanche respond to Mitch asking: “can I kiss you goodnight?”
- Puts Mitch off kissing her by asking him why he’s asking/ explaining why she rejected him previously on their date before.
- Maintaining facade of being a prim/ proper lady.
Mentions of word “desire” in this scene.
- Blanche (beginning): “Is that Streetcar named Desire still grinding along the tracks.” –> “grinding” –> sexual linking to how streetcar is extended metaphor for Blanche’s journey to doom (due, perhaps, because of her inappropriate sexual desires.)
- Williams showing audience what happens when strict rules are placed on a woman (she loses control.)
- Blanche is glad that Mitch “desired me” –> craving attention from men is something very important to her.
What does Blanche say to Mitch when he opens the door for her? Significance?
- Calls him a “good boy.” –> “boy” = what she called her husband –> she wants Mitch to be that figure of security for her.
- Infantalising Mitch due to the fact he is New South/ less wealthy. Blanche thinking she is superior to others leads to destruction perhaps?
Give examples of stage directions that show Stanley is awkward and uncomfortable with Blanche.
- “he shuffles and coughs a little.”/ “shuffling nervously.”
- Trying to break the silence/ doesn’t know how to physically act in this awkward situation.
- Linking to Mitch dancing like “awkward bear” –> not accustomed to the manners of The Old South that Blanche is accustomed to.
- Blanche’s insistence to stick to ways of Old South makes it difficult for her to develop a relationship with men - Williams could be critquing this.
What is the figure that Mitch is carrying? Significance of the way he is carrying the figure?
- “Mae West.”
- American actress –> was sex symbol in the 1950’s (like Marilyn Monroe.)
- Holds statue “upside down.”
- Shows how he thinks he has won a prim/ proper woman like Mae West but, “upside down” foreshadows that his view on Blanche will be inverted/ change (as secrets are revealed.)
- Foreshadows him mistreating Blanche (perhaps.)
What sort of sentences are shared between Mitch and Blanche in this scene? What does this show? How is it clear that Blanche is more invested in the date than Mitch?
- Simple sentences.
- Awkwardness
- Similarity between them starting to fade (hope of Mitch being her husband is almost starting to fade) - audience feeling sorry for Blanche for not having security.
- Blanche controlling the dialogue/ Mitch responding with simple sentences. ALSO shows Blanche’s manipulative nature in speach –> her deceptive ways lead to her destruction?
Significance of Blanche saying “Let’s leave the lights on, shall we?”
- Motif of light. Wants to cover up her age/ her secrets.
- Cares about how other people view her so much (cause of destruction?)
- “Let’s” insistence, not asking but rather stating. Blanche uses her power in this relationship to decieve Mitch from who she really is. Issue with Old South having too much power?
Significance of Blanche speaking french to Mitch.
- Reveals her true self (without facade.)
- Asks: “voulez- vouz couchez avec moi.”
- Pretending to be in France shows Blanche’s delusion/ how she is living in fantastical world.
- Again, showing Blanche’s deception towards Mitch. Hypocritical nature of Old South (puts Mitch off the kiss but then says she wants to sleep with him??!)
What does Blanche make reference to when she says:”Samson, Go on, lift me!!” Significance
- Biblical reference of man who loses strength when his hair is cut off (shows Mitch is putting on facade of being a strong, masucline man that Blanche would like.)
- Is Williams suggesting that the reason this relationship may not be succesful is because they both decieve each other/ aren’t honest?
- Blanche living in fantasical world “lift me” - imagining Mitch as a brave man from bible. LACK OF TUNE WITH REALITY (leads to destruction.)
What does Blanche refer to herself as when she speaks French? What does she refer to Mitch as?
- “Dame auc Camellias”: Parisian prostitute
- Mitch: “ Armand de vole” –> man who is prostituting women.
- Covering up her promiscuity but her facade would slowly be fading for members of audience at this point.
What odd choice of conversations do Blanche and Mitch have in this scene?
- Speak of alpaca
- Mitch describes how much he “perspires.”
- Mitch describing how much he goes to gym/ asks Blanche how much she weighs.
- COMICAL break for audience but also shows awkwardness of this date –> revealing that Mitch isn’t The Gentleman Caller figure for Blanche that she wants him to be. Williams critiquing her “picky” expectations of men?
What happens when Mitch holds onto Blanche for a while after having lifted her?
- Blanche insists that he should let go.
- Mitch says: “just give me a slap when I step out of bounds.”
- Complete contradictions to Old South behaviour (normalising violence.)
- Clear contrast between New and Old South continued by Williams.
Significance of Mitch describing how much he goes to “New Orleans Athletics Club.”
- Trying to maintain his own facade of being this masculine figure for Blanche.
- More he reveals, more it becomes clear that he isn’t the “gentleman- caller” type. Openly asks how much Blanche weights, not as refined as gentleman caller of Old South.
