Scene Four Flashcards
narcotize…
narcotized tranquility
Stela is numb to the violence that she recieves from stanley
Stanley is her drug, even though it hurts her she keeps coming back with desire - addicted to him
She has spent a sleepless night and h…
She has spent a sleepless night and her appearance entirely contrasts with Stella’s
declining mental state, her past tainting her purity to be contrasted
interesting how blanches worry far exceeds stellas, she is ghostish while stella is serene. Blanche is unused to this new south lifestyle
In the first place, when men are drinking and playing poker anything can happen. It’s always a…
In the first place, when men are drinking and playing poker anything can happen. It’s always a powder-keg. He
didn’t know what he was doing…. He was as good as a lamb when I came back and he’s really very, very ashamed of himself.
justification of actions - blinded by desire
good as a lamb - same animistic vocabulary but used ironically , Stanley far from is similar to a lamb
He smashed all the lig…
He smashed all the light bulbs with the heel of my slipper!
parallel between Blanche and stanley, stanley exposes the ugly truth while blanche covers them - hiding reality.
destructive excitement that stella gets from stanley, like it is her vice that excites her greatly.
excitement in the uncertainty
Yes, you are, your fix…
Yes, you are, your fix is worse than mine is!
Blanche is aware of her mental instability.
Blanche is refusing to allow her sister to become accustomed to a cycle of abuse by being in a fantasy world about her husband. (however it was normal at the time)
quite ironic of blanche to say however
People have …
People have got to tolerate each other’s habits, I guess.
Belittling the situation suggesting this was the norm at the time
[slowly and emphatically]:
I’m not in …
[slowly and emphatically]:
I’m not in anything I want to get out of.
stella is convincing herself she wants to be in this relationship, empithetically suggesting that it takes time for her to convince herself that it is true - yet no other option (role of men in society at time)
Then who’s go…
Then who’s going to do it?
stella is a slave to the patriarchal society of the 1940s she has become accustomed to stanleys expectations - suffering abuse or just cooking and cleaning for him.
What you are talking about is brutal desire–just–Desire!–the name of that …
What you are talking about is brutal desire–just–Desire!–the name of that rattle-trap streetcar that bangs through the
confirms the natural path of life at the beginning
blanches frequent pauses in this sequence show her reluctancy due to fear of hurting her purity.
Stanley enters from outside.
dramatic irony - girls are unaware that stanley knows what they are saying, the audiance knows tho
survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle! And you–you here–waiting for him! Maybe he’ll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you!
survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle! And you–you here–waiting for him! Maybe he’ll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you!
Bringing meat mirrors the beginning of the play, yet hyperbolically Blanche is on point - even though she didnt witness it.
exclamatory statement use of dramatic irony is key in showing the deteriation of stan and blanches relationship
frequent repitition exxagerates her disgust
whole animal speech
racism of old south to wards foreigners, seen as lesser - less advanced and deevolved. Blanch associates the old south with a new light - completely undermining the slavery and racism and lack of freedom
progress should in reality move away from this not literature
-with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. ..
-with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche.]
dominance of new world despite blanches monologue
sinister dominance that stanley is presenting
blue piano makes it clear that blanche is not in power
owning and controlling of stella
