Streetcar scene by scene

Question 1

Scene 1

Answer 1

Blanche DuBois arrives unexpectedly at her sister Stella’s apartment in New Orleans, revealing that she has lost their family estate, Belle Reeve. Blanche is shocked by the small, modest home and the rough, working-class nature of Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski. Tension begins to build as Blanche’s refined, delicate manner clashes with Stanley’s raw masculinity.

Question 2

Scene 2

Answer 2

Stanley, suspicious of Blanche’s story about losing Belle Reeve, confronts her about the family inheritance. He believes she is hiding money. Blanche tries to maintain her composure but becomes increasingly anxious. Stanley’s aggressive attitude heightens the tension between them.

Question 3

Scene 3

Answer 3

Stanley hosts a poker game with his friends, including Mitch, who takes an interest in Blanche. A flirtation begins between them. As the night progresses, Stanley becomes drunk and violent, hitting Stella during an argument. Blanche is horrified, but Stella returns to him, showing their complicated, intense relationship.

Question 4

Scene 4

Answer 4

Blanche urges Stella to leave Stanley, describing him as a primitive, brutal man. Stella defends him, saying that she is deeply in love with him despite his flaws. Stanley overhears Blanche’s insulting remarks, setting the stage for his desire to destroy her.

Question 5

Scene 5

Answer 5

Blanche’s nervousness about her fading youth and secrets about her past become more evident. She flirts inappropriately with a young man who comes to collect for a newspaper subscription, revealing her vulnerability and troubled history. Meanwhile, she continues to hope for a future with Mitch.

Question 6

Scene 7

Answer 6

Stanley reveals to Stella that he has discovered Blanche’s scandalous past in her hometown, where she had multiple affairs and was forced to leave. Stanley tells Mitch about Blanche’s past, determined to ruin her relationship with him. Blanche remains oblivious, bathing and singing, while her world begins to unravel.

Question 7

Scene 6

Answer 7

Blanche and Mitch go on a date, during which Blanche confides in him about the tragic loss of her young husband, who committed suicide after she discovered he was gay. Mitch is sympathetic, and their bond seems to grow deeper, offering Blanche a glimmer of hope.

Question 8

Scene 8

Answer 8

At Blanche’s birthday dinner, Mitch doesn’t show up, and the atmosphere is tense. Stanley’s animosity toward Blanche is palpable, and he gives her a cruel birthday gift — a one-way bus ticket back to her hometown. An argument ensues, and Stella, pregnant, goes into labor, leaving for the hospital with Stanley.

Question 9

Scene 9

Answer 9

Mitch confronts Blanche about her lies and her sordid past. Blanche tries to justify her actions, explaining that she turned to other men out of loneliness and desperation after her husband’s death. Mitch, feeling betrayed, rejects her as a potential wife, and Blanche’s fragile mental state begins to crumble.

Question 10

Scene 10

Answer 10

Blanche retreats further into delusion, dressing up and fantasizing about an escape with a rich suitor. Stanley, returning home from the hospital, confronts her in a tense and volatile scene. After a heated exchange, Stanley rapes Blanche, shattering her completely and pushing her further into a state of mental breakdown.

Question 11

Scene 11

Answer 11

Weeks later, Blanche has fully succumbed to her delusions, believing she is about to leave on a luxurious trip with a former suitor. Stella struggles with guilt, unsure whether to believe Blanche’s claims about Stanley’s assault. Stanley and Stella remain together. A doctor and nurse arrive to take Blanche to a mental institution. Blanche resists but eventually leaves, delivering her famous line, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”