Stella Flashcards
First description of Stella’s physical appearance (stage directions)
‘Gentle young woman’
‘Background obviously quite different from her husbands’
Meat symbolises
Stella being controlled and carelessly chucked around by her husband
Stella reaction to meat being thrown at her
‘Cries out in protest’
‘Laughs breathlessly’
Stella when she sees Blanche
‘Calling out joyfully’
Stella submissive to Blanche
When Blanche tells Stella to stand up so she can see her figure ‘Stella complies reluctantly’
Stella tels Blanche it’s ‘incredible’ she has remained the same weight but she does it ‘wearily’
Stella compliments Blanche ‘dutifully’ (stage direction)
How does Stella describe her husband?
‘A different species’
Sexual desire for Stanley
When he is away for a week she ‘nearly goes wild’
Quite to show Stella is in love with Stanley
When she talks about him to Blanche she has a ‘radiant smile’
How Stanley describes Stella
‘Little woman’
Similarly to Stella’s betrayal of Blanche…
Similarly to Stella’s betrayal of Blanche as she admits her to a mental institution, Williams’ too felt appalled at his mother’s Dravidian to allow his sister, Rose to have a lobotomy in 1943.
Stella defending Blanche
‘Blanche is sensitive and you’ve got to realise that’ (to Stanley)
When Stanley exposes Blanche’s lies Stella repetitively says ‘My sister’ rather than calling her Blanche - reminds Stanley who he is talking about is her relative and he should watch what he says (what’s a better way of phrasing that)
‘What - contemptible - lies!’
‘I don’t want to hear anymore!’
‘This is making me - sick!’
‘You needn’t to be as cruel to someone as alone as she is’ (after he gives her bus ticket)
‘People like you abused her, forced her to change’
Stella emotional reaction to Stanley telling her about Blanche
‘Dazed’
‘Faintly’
‘Strange expression’
How does Stella describe Blanche that hints she knows about a little bit of her past?
‘Flighty’
Stella insulting Stanley
Pig
Greasy
Wash up
‘Making a pig of himself’
‘Your fingers are disgustingly greasy’
‘Go and wash up’
Stella going into labor
‘Look goes inward’
‘Slow and shuffling’
Blanche dominating over Stella (little sister big sister)
+ stage direction when B tells S to stand up
‘You messy child’
Blanche tells her to stand up and Stella ‘complies reluctantly’
‘My precious little sister’
Blanche mocking Stella’s home and Stella’s reaction
‘two rooms’
Two is in italics
Stella - ‘she is embarrassed’
Blanche comparing her weight and Stella’s and then Stella reacting
Stella has to ‘watch the hips a little’ whilst Blanche says ‘I haven’t put on an ounce in ten years’
Stella describes Blanche as ‘incredible’ but she does it ‘wearily’
Stella and Blanche reaction to Stella pregnancy
‘Embrace’
‘Convulsive sob’
Blanche making Stella feel insecure
“I was flirting with your husband Stella”
Stella reaction to when Blanche starts beefing about Stanley
‘Go on and say it all Blanche’
‘Coldly’ stage direction
How does Stella act with Stanley in front of Blanche after Blanche has beefed about him
‘Embraced him’
‘Fiercely’
‘Within full view of Blanche’
Stella encouraging Blanche that She will get Mitch
‘Kissing Blanche impulsively’
‘It will happen’
Stella and Blanche Interaction when Stanley takes the phone call that Blanche thought might be from Mitch
‘Frightened look’
‘Stella leans over and touches her shoulder’
‘Keep your hands off me Stella’ - why do you give me that ‘pitying look’
Where did Stella tell Blanche she was going?
To rest in the country
Stella questioning if sending Blanche a mental institution is the right thing quote
I don’t know if I did the right thing
Modern audience reaction to Stella siding with Stanley about rape
Shocked
Stella presented as a traitor to Blanche
How does Stella talk to Blanche in the last scene?
Role reversal
Stella now talking to Blanche as though Blanche is the child ‘Hush! Hush!’
Stage direction of Stella (fist) when matron enter
‘Presses her fist to her lips’
Same action as Blanche who ‘presses her knuckles to her lips’
Reminds us of their similarities and sibling relationship
Stella broken syntax to Blanche in last scene
‘Sit down and…’
Ellipsis
Broken syntax reflecting broken sisterly relationship
Stella reacting to Blanche being taken away at end of play (her regret)
‘What have I done?’
‘Oh god’
‘What have I done?’
‘Cries out’
‘Blanche! Blanche, Blanche’ - product of the patriarchy; if she had sided with Blanche her world would have come crumbling as well
Prayer desperation
Repetition of what have I done
Moment of anagnorisis
Stella once Blanche has gone quite
Sob
Luxurious
‘Sobs with inhumane abandon’
And yet there is ‘something luxurious’ in the ‘complete surrender to crying’ - relief
