Scene 7 Flashcards
Main theme presented in this scene
- Reality vs fantasy
- Williams showcasing how Blanche wishes to live in fictional world - not accepting the sad truths of life (ie. that Mitch would never marry her due to her promiscuous past.)
Brief outline of what happens in this scene
- Stella and Stanley are preparing to set up for Blanche’s birthday.
- Blanche is singing in the bathtub whilst Stanley reveals secrets about Blanche’s past.
- Stella doesn’t believe what Stanley is saying.
- Stanley says he has got a ticket for Blanche to leave Elysian Fields.
- Blanche exits bath and feels that something has happened.
What is Blanche actually singing in the bathtub- give examples of lyrics she uses and the significance of them?
- A “ballad” –> shows Blanche is in her fantasy world.
- “paper moon sailing over a carboard sea.” “it wouldn’t be make believe if you believed in me.”
- “paper”/” cardboard” - represents fakeness Blanche puts on around Mitch. paper + water = diastrous relationship.
- Wants Mitch to believe in her decietful facade.
- “It’s a Barnum and Bailey world.” –> famous circus–> Blanche is entertaining Mitch/ putting on an act (not truth!)
What are the two different secrets Stanley reveals to Stella about Blanche in this scene? Significance of these revelations?
- Blanche was kicked out the hotel “Flammingo”/ Laurel –> was a “town character” (perhaps known for being inappropriate.)
- Blanche got mixed up with a 17-year old boy at school so was fired.
- Shows how Stanley was adammant to find secrets about Blanche/ destroy her reuptation. Collected so much info from so many sources.
What mocking phrases does Stanley use to describe Blanche in this scene?
- “Dame Blanche” - making fun of her respectability.
- “Some lily she is!” - dennoting Blanche’s innocence/ fragile essence she puts across. “lily”= funeral flower –> foreshadowing Blanche’s destruction.
What is the significance of Blanche speaking between Stanley’s lines that reveal Blanche’s promiscuous past?
- Suggests Blanche singing is her somewhat clinging on to her fantasy world/ ignoring what Stanley is saying about the truths of her past.
How does Stella describe Allan Grey in this scene, how does Stanley respond to this fact?
- Says that “Blanche worshipped the ground he walked on” but he was a “degenerate.”
- “degenerate”: derogatory term for homosexual, Stella feels bad for the fact he was actually gay; not that he died!! Contemporary stigma around homosexuality.
- Stanley retorts “that was a pretty long time ago” –> doesn’t appreciate Blanche’s trauma/ how that may have influenced her actions. Determined to see Blanche’s demise.
What coloquial phrases does Stanley use when describing Blanche’s secrets? What does this show?
- “No siree, Bob!”
- “loco nuts.”
- Emphasises Stanley’s lack of education but also his noncholance in revealing such serious secrets to Stella - yes, perhaps it’s his duty to tell Stella but not in such a gleeful manner. He is relaxed in revealing secrets that will lead to Blanche’s demise.
How does Stella describe Blanche? What does this link to?
- Describes Blanche as “flighty.”
- Suggesting that Blanche runs away when she gets in trouble before people can ask her any questions.
- Links to bird imagery associated with Blanche, flying away from reality/ the truth. Bird imagery used by Stanley in this scene. Calls Blanche: “canary bird.”
How do the stage directions describe Blanche’s behaviour in the bath tub?
-“laughter as if a child were frolicking in the tub.”
- Blanche’s noncholance/ carefree/ childish mentality when it comes to serious matters like involving herself with a 17 year old boy (which Stanley speaks about right before this!)
- Mirrors how she would have acted with the 17 year old boy, making her appear younger than she truly was.
- Blanche’s childishness is highlighted by Williams to show that people who don’t accept reality (like Blanche) are childish.
Why does Stanley say he told Mitch about Blanche?
- Because “Mitch is a buddy” and they were in the “two-fourty-first” together.
- He feels masculine, military bond with Mitch/ wants to protect him.
- Says: “he’s not going to jump into a tank with a school of sharks”/ not letting his “best friend get caught.”
- “sharks”/ “caught”- predator imagery associated with Blanche.
- “school” - linking to Blanche’s inappropriate encounters as a teacher.
- Is he making an excuse that he wants to protect Mitch or is he just so determined to destroy Blanche’s happiness with him?
What is the music like at the end of this scene? What does this show?
- Music: “distant piano goes into a hectic breakdown.”
- Music is a metaphor for Blanche’s imminent destruction/ everything spiralling out of control!
What could William’s messgae be in exploring the theme of fantasy vs realism? How is this theme shown throughout play?
- Shown as struggle between antagonist (Stanley) and protagonist (Blanche.)
- William’s could be suggesting that these true extremes are negative, instead, a middle ground between Blanche’s perfect fantasy and Stanley’s brutal realism needs to be established.
