Streetcar Named Desire Flashcards
What are the key plot points of S1?
- Blanched arrives and Eunice welcomes her
- Stella speaks with Blanche
- Stanley speaks with Blanche
What is the significance of the quotation “Catch!’ ‘What?’ ‘Meat!” P2?
Symbolises macho and masculine primitive culture displaying the inequality between Stanley and Stella and their sexual desire
How is Blanche introduced?
“She is dressed daintily” P3 contrasting and out of place
What is the significance of the quotation “Gentle young woman” P2?
Different backgrounds indicating that social classes are a defining issues in Stella and Stanley’s relationship
How is Blanche’s alcohol addiction shown in S1?
“She pours half a tumbler of whisky and tosses it down” P3 drinks 3 times in S1 displaying Stella and Stanley’s wealth
What quotation shows Stella’s dependence on Stanley S1?
“When he’s away for a week I nearly go wild” P10 he exploits this
Who does Blanche blame for the loss of Belle Reve?
- “Sit there and stare at me thinking I let the place go! I let the place go? Where were you? In bed with your - Polack!” P12 blames Stella
- “Death is expensive, Miss Stella!” P12 blames death
- Loss of identity/bonding
What are the key plot points of S2?
- Stanley argues with Stella and is furious at the loss of Belle Reve
- Stanley searches for the papers to Belle Reve in the trunk
- Stella leaves Stanley with Blanche
What quotation displays Stella as pregnant S2?
“Don’t mention the baby” P17
What are Stella’s attitudes towards Blanche S2?
- “I haven’t seen any” P17 protects Blanche, not a pushover contrasting the ending
- “I don’t care about papers” P17 Kind nature of Stella
How is Stanley’s mental domination evidenced S2?
- “Napoleonic code” P18 motive for the relationship
- “Let me enlighten you on a point or two, baby” P18
- “Open your eyes to this stuff” P18
What is the trunk symbolic of S2?
Blanche’s life and secrets
What evidence is there of Stella’s questioning/rebellion S2?
- “Don’t be such an idiot, Stanley!” P19
- “You have no idea how stupid and horrid you’re being! Now close that trunk before she comes out of the bathroom!” P19
- “I’m going outside. You come out with me whilst Blanche is getting dressed” P19
How is Stanley’s domination shown in S2?
- “Since when do you give me orders?” P19
- Searching for the truth
What is evidence of Stanley and Blanche’s flirtation S2?
- “Lay… her cards on the table” P21
- “My, but you have an impressive judicial air!” P22
- “She sprays herself with her atomizer, then playfully sprays him with it” P22
- “If I didn’t know that you was my wife’s sister I’d get ideas about you” P22
What is evidence of Stanley’s aggression S2?
- “That shut her up like a clam” P21
- “You know what! - Where’s the papers?” P22
- “Papers! That stuff people write on!” P22
- “He snatches them up” P23 the letters symbolise Blanche’s past
- “I’ll have a look at them first!” P23
- “He rips off the ribbon” P23
- “What in the hell are they?” P23
What are the key plot points of S3?
- The poker players belittle Mitch for his sensitive nature
- Blanche flirts with Mitch
- The cycle of abuse
How do the poker players belittle Mitch S3?
- “Hurry back and we’ll fetch you a sugar tit” P28
- “He was looking through them drapes” P32
- “Sure he got ants now. Seven five-dollar bills in his pants pocket folded up tight as spitballs” P32
- “And when he goes home he’ll deposit them one by one in a piggy bank his mother gave him for Christmas” P32
How does Blanche show her interest in Mitch S3?
- Showing off her figure
- “Blanche moves back into the streak of light” P31
- “She is unbuttoning her blouse” P30
- “He had a sort of sensitive look” P30
What does Blanche say about Mitch S3?
- “Superior to the others” P30
- “Is he a wolf?” P30 too curious
- “What does he do?” P30
What does Blanche say to Mitch S3?
- “Two is my limit - and three! [she laughs] Tonight I had three” P33
- “I’m very adaptable to circumstance” P34
- “Gracious what lung-power!” P34
- “Blanches waltzes to the music with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear” P35
What are the stages in the cycle of abuse?
- Tension
- Explosion
- Honeymoon
- Remorse
What evidence is there of tension in S3?
- “Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh” P29 beginning of violence
- “How much longer is this game going to continue?’ ‘Till we’re ready to quit” P29 Stanley feels threatened by Stella wanting the poker to end
- “You hens cut out that conversation in there!” P31
- “Stella, don’t start a row” P31
- “Turn it off!” P31
How does the explosion happen in S3?
- “He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses it out the window” P35 the prop of the radio indicates Stanley’s treatment of things and his objectifying of Stella
- Contrast to the other men
- “There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out” P35 off-stage but audible for Stanley is angry and drunk
What evidence is there of the honeymoon in S3?
- “They come together with low animal moans. He falls on his knees and presses his face into her belly” P38
- Co-dependence
- Contrast to enraged Stanley
- They’re eager to be parents
- Stella can forgive Stanley because she loves him
- Stanley usually gets his way and doesn’t like it when he’s denied it
- Stanley knows what he did was wrong and is upset about it
- “Her eyes go blind with tenderness” P38
- Trapped in cycles
- Blindness motif
- Cannot accept the violence
What evidence is there of honeymoon in S4?
- “Why you must’ve slept with him!” P41
- “This morning he gave me ten dollars to smooth things over” P44+45
How is there remorse in S4?
- “He’s really very, very ashamed of himself” P41
What is the key plot point of S5?
Stanley exposes Blanche
How does Stanley expose Blanche S5?
- Through Shaw an informant
- “He met you in Laurel” P51
- “He met at a hotel called the Flamingo” P51 implies perhaps a former client of Blanche’s prostitution
- Early revelations
- Foreshadowing the mid-section of the play with further revelations
What is the significance of the quotation “Blanche puts down the mirror” P56?
- Portrays her vanity
- Links with upcoming date with Mitch
- Symbolically the mirror reflects what is sees, the truth
- Suggests a moment of personal, truthful reflection
- Often used by Williams to convey anagnorisis, when a character discovers the true nature of their situation
- Links with revelations from Shaw
What is the key plot point of S6?
Blanche’s date with Mitch
What happens during Blanche’s date with Mitch?
Blanche’s past is revealed
How is Blanche’s past revealed S6?
- Contrast to the aggression of the animal monologue P47
- “Very young girl” P66 ignorant and foolish
- Contrast with long images and short-sentenced description
- “Softness and tenderness which wasn’t like a man’s” P66 implies homosexuality
- “All I knew was that I’d failed him” P66 theme of ignorance
- “Had two people in it…” P66 he’s gay and having an affair
- “We pretended that nothing had been discovered” P67 denial
What is the significance of the quotation “I made the discovery - love. All at once and much too completely” P66?
- Had sex
- Hurt by it
- Overly committed
What is the significance of the quotation “It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow” P66?
- Dependence
- New emotion
- Strong emotion
- Negatives
What is the significance of the quotation “He came to me for help. I didn’t know that” P66?
- Inability
- Theme of fear
- Theme of ignorance
What is the significance of the quotation “The help he needed but couldn’t speak of” P66?
- Fear of societal rejection
- Fear of her rejection
What is the significance of the quotation “He’d stuck a revolver into his mouth, an fired” P66?
- Suicide
- Blame
- Inability to lose her
- Inability to accept himself
What is the key plot point of S7?
Revelation of the truth about Blanche to Stella through Stanley’s manipulation
What metaphors are used to display obvious lies in S7?
- “Some canary bird, huh!” P70
- “But Sister Blanche is no lily” P70
What is “Lie Number One” P70?
That Blanche is a prostitute
What quotation references the blind motif convincing Stella of her need to know the truth?
“She pulled the wool over your eyes” P71
What truth does Stanley reveal to Stella S7?
“A seventeen-year-old boy - she’d gotten mixed up with!” P72
What does Blanche’s singing in S7 do?
- Creates contrast
- Ironic
- Validates and empowers Stanley
What are Stella and Stanley’s motivations S7?
- The truth
- Different original opinions
- Dislike Blanche
What is the significance of the quotation “The beautiful and talented young man was a degenerate” P73?
- Attempt to redeem Blanche
- To try to make Stanley feel sorry for Blanche
- Stella feels guilty about leaving Blanche alone
- Stella’s defensive character
What is the significance of the quotation “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” P73
- Uncomfortable around him
- Doesn’t want to believe
What is the key plot point of S8?
Birthday party argument
How is Stanley’s anger shown S8?
- “He eats it with his fingers” P77
- “He hurls a plate to the floor” P77
- “He seizes her arm” P77
- “Don’t ever call me a Polack” P79 they are using derogatory terms for poles
- “QUIET IN THERE!” P80
What is the significance of the quotation “The way that it was” P78?
- Blanche has unjustified superiority
- Blanche is affecting their marriage
What is the symbolism of the quotation “With a blind look” P81
- Who she sides with
- That she is going into labour
- She doesn’t want to be stuck in this position
- Stanley has verbally attacked her
- Blind to Stanley’s abuse
What is the key plot point of S9?
Mitch visits Blanche
What does Mitch intend to do in S9?
- Sleep with Blanche
- “What’s in your mind? I see something in your eyes!” P86
- Thinks she is dirty/broken
What does “Her scarlet satin robe” P83 symbolise?
Sexual desire and her prostitution
What is the significance of the quotation “A bottle of liquor and a glass” P83?
- Blanche is going to lose control getting drunk
- Blanche’s alcohol addiction
What does “An electric fan” P83 symbolise?
- For hot weather
- Less clothes
- Passion
How does Williams use audio to great effect in S9?
- “The polka tune starts up again” P84
- “A distant revolver shot is heard” P84
- Reminder of Blanche’s past and late husband to try to create some sympathy
- Triggered her lies
- Societal attitudes towards homosexuals have adverse effects
- Trauma
- Still affects her
- Hallucinations indicate loss of mental stability
- Gunshot symbolises her mind breaking, being overwhelmed
- Mitch has also experienced death and is going to experience more with his ill mother
- Guilt for what she said
What quotation represents the blindness motif and links to the truth in S9?
- “I don’t think I ever seen you in the light” P86
- Literally “in the dark” about Blanche’s past
- Didn’t know how old she was
- Didn’t know how she looked
- Revelation and lack of truth
- Mitch wants the truth
- “No, just realistic” P86
What is the significance of the quotation “He tears the paper lantern off the light-bulb” P86?
Prop for protection of Blanche’s power and influence
What is the key plot point of S10?
Stanley rapes Blanche
How is Blanche’s costume used in S10?
- “She is placing the rhinestone tiara on her head before the mirror of the dressing-table” P90
- References Blanche’s past and lies
- Makes her attractive/desirable
- Shows her loss of control and alcohol addiction
- Looks broken and ridiculous
- Blanche’s vanity
- Represents Blanche’s problems with trauma and guilt
- Symbolises Blanche’s own views against the truth
What does the mirror prop display in S10?
- Reflects how broken Blanche is
- Blanche can see the issues with herself
- Reflects truthfully
- Blanche is unhappy with herself
- Lies are broken
- References her past
What is the significance of the quotation “Gosh I thought it was tiffany diamonds” P91?
- Sarcastic
- Thinks lowly of Blanche
- Patronising/mocking/making fun of her
- He knows the truth
- Enjoying her vulnerability
- Annoyed that he was fooled by her
What evidence is there of Blanche speaking the truth making her a somewhat likeable character in S10?
- “When I think of how divine it is going to be to have such a thing as privacy once more - I could weep with joy!” P93
- “Physical beauty is passing. A transitory possession” P93
- “Beauty of the mind and richness of the spirit and tenderness of the heart” P93
- “He came to see me tonight” P93
How is tension built through stage directions in S10?
- “The shadows are of grotesque and menacing forms” P94
- “Inhuman voices like cries in a jungle” P95
- “A clicking becomes audible from the telephone, steady and rasping” P95
- “His mouth slowly curving into a grin” P95
What is the significance of the quotation “Tiger - tiger!” P97?
- Stanley is more powerful than even a tiger
- Contrast to Blanche calling Stanley an ape P47
What is the significance of the quotation “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning” P97?
- It’s her fault too, she was asking for it
- Previous ideas of sleeping with Blanche
- Always going to win
What is the key plot point of S11?
Blanche is taken to a mental asylum
What does Stella’s ultimate betrayal of Blanche portray?
- Chose to side with Stanley contrasting beginning
- Allows Blanche to be taken away showing her final submission to Stanley despite the cost
- Blindness motif
- Dependence on Stanley
- Strong emotional conflict
- She regrets
- Feels loyalty to Stanley
- Cannot socially leave Stanley
What themes does the ending of the play convey?
- Machoism
- The truth
- Treatment of mental health in the 1950s as William’s sister was taken to a mental institution
- Power dynamic between Stanley and Stella
- Treatment of women in the 1950s
How does the ending of the play demonstrate the theme of machoism?
- Toxic
- Permeates everywhere
- Cannot be beat
How does the ending of the play display the theme of the truth?
- No one believed Blanche
- Blanche has been lying throughout the play
- The others lie to Blanche
- Stanley exposed the truth
- Boy who cried wolf
What quotation shows Stanley’s sexual objectification of Stella in S11?
“Opening of her blouse” P107
What is the significance of the quotation “This game is a seven-card stud” P107
It’s all a game to Stanley
What are some key early developments in Blanche’s character?
- Rude
- “You’ve put on some weight” P8
- Vain
- “You see I still have that awful vanity about my looks” P9
- Alcohol addict
- Judgemental
- Mentally fragile
- Anxious
- Frantic/hyper
- Flirtatious
- Lonely
- Disdainful
- Ecstatic
What are some key later developments in Blanche’
s character?
- Loss
- Self-consciousness
- Interaction with Mitch S9 is her loss of hope foreshadowing the sad ending
- Intimacies S9
- “I’ve always depended upon the kindness of strangers” P107
- Raped S10
- Mentally ill S11
How is loss a later development in Blanche’s character?
- Husband P66+67
- Job
- Money
- Belle Reve
- Family
What are some key early developments in Stanley’s character?
- Polish
- Lively
- Aggressive
- Joyous
- Friendly
- Confident/arrogant
- Forward/flirtatious
- Sexist
- Dominant
- Belittling
- Proud
- Thinks Blanche is attractive
- Judged by Blanche harshly, disdainfully and sexually
What are some key middle developments in Stanley’s character?
- Blanche is foolish
- Negative views of Blanche
- Superiority complex
- Motives for marriage of sex and inheritance
- Dominant
- Confrontational/questioning
What are some key early developments in Stella’s character?
- Shy/sensitive
- Sensible
- Happy/fulfilled
- Calm/peaceful
- Submissive
- Regards Stanley differently/protectively
- “Yes. A different species” P10
- Passively deals with Blanche’s comments
- “Now Blanche” P8
Key middle developments in Stella’s character?
- Sisterly views of Blanche
- Denies Belle Reve’s loss
- Cuts of Stanley displaying her as headstrong, able and not fully submissive creating contrast
