Streetcar 7 Flashcards
‘It is late afternoon…’
‘It is late afternoon in mid-September./ The portieres are open and a table is set for a birthday supper, with cake and flowers.’ - SD
- domesticity, hopeful note from the previous scene is still there
- it is now September and Blanche has been in Elysian Fields for many months
- Stanley has lost the upper hand since the smirks over the shoulder of Stella’s embrace
Stanley’s attitude towards Blanche in scene 7
his attitude hasn’t really changed except that he has become more active: he is also more confident and determined as part of this
‘[Stella is completing the…’
‘[Stella is completing the decorations as Stanley comes in.]’
- the atmosphere was calm but Stanley disrupts it
Stanley mimicking Blanche
‘[mimicking]: ‘Washing out some things’?’
‘[mimicking]: ‘Soaking in a hot tub’?’
- he is clearly irritated and wanting to bring up what he has found out about Blanche
- trying to get Stella back by getting her to resent blanche as he does
- stella doesn’t rise to Stanley’s immature behaviours: ‘I reckon so.’ ‘Yes’
‘And you run out…’
‘And you run out an’ get her cokes, I suppose? And serve ‘em to Her Majesty in the tub? [Stella shrugs]’ - Stanley
- bringing up class, this is clearly something that gets to him, perhaps he feels he cannot relate to Stella like Blanche can
- dislikes the dynamic that has formed, possibly thinks it should be him stella waits on
‘That girl calls…’
‘That girl calls /me/ common!’ - Stanley
‘you’ve got to realize that…’
‘you’ve got to realize that Blanche and I grew up under very different circumstances than you did’ - Stella to Stanley
‘So I been told. And…’
‘So I been told. And told and told and told! You know she’s been feeding us a pack of lies here?’ - Stanley
‘[Blanche is singing…’
‘[Blanche is singing in the bathroom a saccharine popular ballad which is used contrapuntally with Stanley’s speech.]’ - SD
- ‘contrapuntally’ - in direct contrast, two melodies clashing and connecting
‘Some, canary…’
‘Some, canary bird, huh!’ - Stanley
- in response to Blanche’s singing
- associates Blanche with being ‘flighty’ as Stella puts it (‘moth’), she is something to be “kept”
‘Lie Number One: All this…’
‘Lie Number One: All this squeamishness she puts on! You should just know the line she’s been feeding to Mitch. He thought she had never been more than kissed by a fellow!’ - Stanley
- The ‘Lie Number One’ gives Stanley’s narrative theatrics
- we already knew that Blanche had been put5ting on a facade but she seems to have been going beyond this to lie flat-out to Mitch
‘But Sister…’
‘But Sister Blanche is no lily! Ha-ha! Some lily she is!’ - Stanley
- ‘Sister’ is a play on words: Blanche is Stella’s sibling but also acts as if she is pure and untouched (like a nun)
- ‘lily’ is the idea of purity, innocence, and “de-flowering”
‘Our supply-man down at…’
‘Our supply-man down at the plant has been going though Laurel for years and he knows all about her and everybody else in the town of Laurel knows all about her.’ - Stanley about Blanche
‘She is as famous in…’
‘She is as famous in Laurel as if she was the President of the United States, only she is not respected by any party!’ - Stanley
What does Blanche repeatedly sing throughout scene 7?
‘Say, it’s only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea - But it wouldn’t be make-believe If you believed in me!’ - Blanche
- it feels like she’s commenting on Stanley’s revelation of her lies in the ‘paper moon, ‘cardboard sea’, and ‘make-believe’ theme
‘This is after the home…’
‘This is after the home-place had slipped through her lily-white fingers. She moved to the Flamingo!’ - Stanley about Blanche
- reiterating the ‘lily’ comparison
‘A second-class hotel which…’
‘A second-class hotel which has the advantage of not interfering in the private social life of the personalities there!’ - Stanley
‘The Flamingo is uses to all…’
‘The Flamingo is used to all kinds of goings-on. But even the management of the Flamingo was impressed by Dame Blanche that they requested her to turn in her room-key - for permanently!’ - Stanley
- from this point continues to call her ‘Dame Blanche’ to make fun of her status and significant fall from grace
- ‘goings-on’ (Blanche is worse than most of the people there)
‘It’s a Barnum and…’
‘It’s a Barnum and Bailey world, Just as phony as it can be - But it wouldn’t be make-believe If you believed in me!’ - Blanche [singing]
- ‘Barnum and Bailey’ refers to the circus
- her fantasy world
‘It’s pure invention…’
‘It’s pure invention! There’s not a word of truth in it and if I were a man and this creature had dared to invent such things in my presence -‘ - Stella
- unimpressed with Stanley for continuing to spread the ‘lies’
‘The trouble with Dame…’
‘The trouble with Dame Blanche was that she couldn’t put on her act any more in Laurel! They got wised up after two or three dates with her and then they quit, and she goes on to another, the same old lines, same old act, same old hooey! But the town was too small for this to go on for ever!’ - Stanley
‘[Stella draws…’
‘[Stella draws back.]’
- Stanley is trying to get her back but is actually pushing her away from him
‘And for the last year or…’
‘And for the last year or two she has been washed up like poison. That’s why she’s here this summer, visiting royalty, putting on all this act’ - Stanley
- his insults have gotten worse and worse, more explicit as he reveals what he found out about her
What is ‘Lie Number Two’?
‘She’s not going back to teach school! In fact I am willing to bet you that she never had no idea of returning to Laurel! She didn’t resign temporarily from the high school because of her nerves! No, siree, Bob! She didn’t. They kicked her out of that high school before the spring term ended’ - Stanley
‘They kicked her out of…’
‘They kicked her out of that high school before the spring term ended - and I hate to tell you the reason that step was taken! A seventeen-year-old boy - she’d gotten mixed up with!’ - Stanley
- just like the ‘Young Man’ she made moves on earlier and perhaps explaining her interest in Mitch (his inexperience and insecurity)
‘[In the bathroom the water…’
‘[In the bathroom the water goes on loud; little breathless cries and peals of laughter are heard as if a child were frolicking in the tub.]’ - SD (Blanche)
- infantile (just like her normal tastes)
‘Boy, oh boy, I’d like to have…’
‘Boy, oh boy, I’d like to have been in that office when Dame Blanche was called on the carpet! I’d like to have seen her trying to squirm to of that one!’ - Stanley
- he seems to be enjoying this
‘They told her she…’
‘They told her she better move on to some fresh territory.’ - Stanley
‘Give me another…’
‘Give me another bath-towel to dry my hair with. I’ve just washed it.’ - Blanche interrupting the conversation
- very demanding of Stella, a sense of entitlement (can see why Stanley doesn’t like the way Blanche treats Stella)
- ‘And you run out an’ get her cokes’ ‘serve ‘em to Her Majesty’ - Stanley earlier in the scene
‘Yes, Blanche. [She crosses in…’
‘Yes, Blanche. [She crosses in a dazed way from the kitchen to the bathroom door with a towel.]’ - Stella (clearly affected)
‘[Blanche slams…’
‘[Blanche slams the door. Stanley laughs harshly. Stella comes slowly back into the kitchen.]’
‘I don’t believe all those…’
‘I don’t believe all those stories and I think your supply-man was mean and rotten to tell them. It’s possible that some of the things he said are partly true. There are things about my sister I don’t approve of - things that caused sorrow at home. She was always - flighty!’ - Stella
- certain parental note to ‘don’t approve of’
- ‘flighty’ associates Blanche with an inability to stick with one man, not facing reality
‘But when she was young…’
‘But when she was young, very young, she had an experience that - killed her illusions!’ - Stella
‘She married a boy who…’
‘She married a boy who wrote poetry… He was extremely good-looking. I think Blanche didn’t just love him but worshipped the ground he walked on! Adored him and thought him almost too fine to be human!’ - Stella about Blanche
- ‘poetry’ - Mitch’s engraving
- the ‘devotion’ Blanche talked off with Mitch
‘[Stanley comes up and…’
‘[Stanley comes up and takes her by the shoulders rather gently. She gently withdraws from him. Automatically she starts sticking little pink candles in the birthday cake.]’
- ‘rather gently’ shows care
- Stella seems to choose Blanche, or at least doesn’t automatically side with Stanley (‘gently withdraws from him’ ‘starts sticking little pink candles in the birthday cake’
- ‘little pink candles’ symbolise a sort of female immaturity
‘How many candles…
‘I’ll…’
‘How many candles you putting in that cake?’ - Stanley
‘I’ll stop at twenty-five.’ - Stella
how does stanley act when Stella mentions that Mitch was invited to Blanche’s birthday celebrations
‘[Stanley looks a little uncomfortable. He lights a cigarette from the on he has just finished.]’
- a level of guilt and nervousness perhaps at Stella’s reaction to what he has done
- ‘I wouldn’t be expecting Mitch over tonight.’
‘I wouldn’t be…’
‘[Stella pauses in her…’
‘I wouldn’t be expecting Mitch over tonight.’ - Stanley
‘[Stella pauses in her occupation with candles and looks slowly around at Stanley.]’
Why does Stanley say he told Mitch?
‘Mitch is a buddy of mine. We were in the same outfit together - Two-forty-first Engineers. We work in the same plant and now on the same bowling team. You think I could face him if-‘
‘I’d have that on my conscience the rest of my life if I knew all that stuff and let me best friend get caught!’
- we see the protective side and almost understandable side to Stanley
‘Mitch is a buddy… We work in…’
‘Mitch is a buddy of mine. We were in the same outfit together - Two-forty-first Engineers. We work in the same plant and now on the same bowling team. You think I could face him if-‘ - Stanley
- protective, justifying
‘You’re goddam right I…’
‘You’re goddam right I told him! I’d have that on my conscience the rest of my life if I knew all that stuff and let me best friend get caught!’ - Stanley
- protective side of Stanley, sort of understandable (Blanche was lying to Mitch about who she was)
‘Stanley, she thought…’
‘Stanley, she thought Mitch was - going to - going to marry her. I was hoping so, too.’ - Stella
‘Well, he’s not going to…’
‘Well, he’s not going to marry her. Maybe he /was/, but he’s not going to jump in a tank with a school of sharks - now!’ - Stanley
‘She’s not stayin’ here…’
‘She’s not stayin’ here after Tuesday. You know that, don’t you? Just to make sure I bought her ticket myself. A bus-ticket!’ - Stanley
‘In the first…’
‘She’ll…’
‘No, she…’
‘/She’ll…’
‘In the first place, Blanche wouldn’t go on a bus.’ - Stella
‘She’ll go on a bus and like it.’ - Stanley
‘No, she won’t, no, she won’t, Stanley!’ - Stella
‘/She’ll go!/ Period. P.S. She’ll go /Tuesday/!’ - Stanley
‘Her future…’
‘Her future is mapped out for her.’ - Stanley
‘Hey, canary…’
‘Hey, canary bird! Toots! Get OUT of the BATHROOM! Must I speak more plainly?’ - Stanley
- ‘flighty’ imagery continues
- losing control hence the anger
- picks up her idiolect in the ‘Must I speak more plainly?’
‘[The bathroom door flies…’
‘[The bathroom door flies open and Blanche emerges with a gay peal of laughter, but as Stanley crosses past her, a frightened look appears in her face, almost a look of panic. He doesn’t look at her but slams the bathroom door shut as he goes in.]’
- mood changes quickly as Blanche becomes painfully aware of the tension
‘[snatching up a… Oh, I feel…’
‘[snatching up a hair-brush]: Oh, I feel so good after my long, hot bath, I feel so good and cool and - rested!’ - Blanche
- her words counter her actions, perhaps she is trying to convince herself, it feels painfully sad
‘[sadly and…’
‘[sadly and doubtfully from the kitchen]: Do you, Blanche?’ - Stellla
‘[brushing her… Yes…’
‘[brushing her hair vigorously]: Yes, I do, so refreshed.’ - Blanche
‘A hot bath and a long…’
‘A hot bath and a long, cold drink always gives me a brand-new outlook on life!’ - Blanche
‘[turning quickly…’
‘You’re…’
‘[turning quickly away]: Why, nothing has happened, Blanche.’ - S
‘You’re lying! Something has!’ - B
- accusatory, relationship breakdown begins, this is where Stella begins to turn away: ‘She stares fearfully at Stella, who pretends to be busy the table.’
‘[She stares fearfully… The distant…’
‘[She stares fearfully at Stella, who pretends to be busy the table. The distant piano goes into a hectic breakdown.]’
- ‘fearfully’ - childlike
- relationship breakdown begins, this is where Stella begins to turn away from Blanche
