Scene 9

Question 1

Blanche is drinking to try and escape the music

Answer 1

stage directions
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Question 2

The doorbell rings. When Blanche realises the visitor is Mitch, she frantically hides the bottle and the polka music stops

Answer 2

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Question 3

Half-drunk, Mitch pushes past Blanche and sits on the bed. Flustered Blanche asks how Mitch’s mother is and complains about the polka tune stuck in her head.

Answer 3

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Question 4

the polka music starts again and Blanche hears an imaginary gunshot which stops it again

Answer 4

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Question 5

Mitch tells Blanche that Stan knows she is drinking his liqour and tells her to stop which Blanche is sarcastic over

Answer 5

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Question 6

Mitch rips the paper lantern off the bulb. Blanche orders him not to turn on the light, but he does, and Blanche cries and covers her face.

Answer 6

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Question 7

He states that Stanley told him the nasty details about Blanche’s downfall in Laurel to which she sobs and drinks.

Answer 7

pg 87

Question 8

a blind Mexican woman turns onto the street, selling tin flowers for the dead. The woman’s call of “Flores para los muertos” reminds Blanche of living at Belle Reve “where dying old women remembered their dead men.”

Answer 8

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Question 9

As the polka music begins to play, she recalls having to take care of dying relatives. Being in such close contact with the dying disturbed Blanche who preferred to ignore the reality of death.

Answer 9

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Question 10

Blanche begs Mitch to marry her, but Mitch doesn’t want to marry Blanche anymore, saying she is no longer “clean enough.” Blanche begins to scream “Fire!” to get Mitch to leave, which he does.

Answer 10

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