Scenes 4-6 Flashcards
Why is Blanche confused at the start of the scene?
Scene 4
Because Stanley hit Stella at the end of scene 3 and Blanche thinks that Stella is crazy for staying with “a madman”
Who is the rich man that Blanche mentions?
Scene 4
Shep Huntleigh
How is the use of the “Streetcar” in this scene a metaphor?
Scene 4
Blanche exclaims “What you are talking about is brutal desire-just-desire!-the name of that rattle-trap streetcar”. She is using the streetcar as a metaphor for how she thinks Stella feels. When Stella asks if Blanche has ever ridden the streetcar named desire, Blanche replies “It brought me here”. This foreshadows the future reveal of Blanches past in Laurel. Blanches deliberate acts of desire led to her being forced out of Laurel.
How is Blanche portrayed as cynical?
Scene 4
Throughout the scene, Blanche simply doesn’t understand the love that Stella has for Stanley - “Now don’t tell me it was one of those mysterious electric things between people!”. This shows that Blanche is a cynic, despite her claiming to be a romantic.
What is Blanche’s plan to help Stella and herself get away from Stanley?
Scene 4
She beings to write a letter to Shep Huntleigh explaining that she and her sister are “in desperate situation” hoping he can help them
Who is heard arguing at the start of the scene?
Scene 5
Steve and Eunice
How is New Orleans relaxed atmosphere shown is this scene?
Scene 5
After Steve hits Eunice, Stella asks if she’s gone to the police and Stanley replies “Naw. She’s gettin’ a drink”. This shows that New Orleans solution to it’s problems is to just drink them away and people rarely face the reality of them.
What’s the hotel that Stanley accused Blanche of staying at?
Scene 5
The Flamingo
How can Blanche be shown to be manipulative to Mitch in this scene?
Scene 5
When she is speaking to Stella, Blanche says that she wants “to deceive him” of her true age. She wants to appear “prim and proper” as Blanche is still attempting to hold onto her Southern Belle status, despite it fading.
What happens at the end of the scene?
Scene 5
A young man comes to the flat asking about the paper and Blanche welcomes him in. Then Blanche states “I want to kiss you” and she kisses him “Without waiting for him to accept”. This shows Blanche taking advantage of a young boy and this reflects how Blanche acted in Laurel with other young men.
What does Mitch ask Blanche that makes her uncomfortable?
Scene 6
Mitch asks Blanche “How old are you?”
What was the name of Blanches husband?
Scene 6
Allan Grey
How did Blanches husband die?
Scene 6
He killed himself after Blanche found out he was gay
Why was Blanche ashamed of herself?
Scene 6
Because when she found out her husband was gay, she told him “I saw! I know! You disgust me…”. This led to Allan Grey to shoot himself in the face with a revolver.
What is the Varsouviana?
Scene 6
When Blanche it telling Mitch about how her husband died she says that they “danced the Varsouviana”. The Varsouviana is polka music that gets played throughout the play whenever Blanche gets panicked because her facade is fading. It is an example of plastic theatre of Blanche’s distressed mind.
