Streetcar - Stanley Flashcards
1
Q
Brutal and harsh, embodiment of ideal masculinity in the post-war, patriarchal society
A
- “everything that is his, that bears his emblem of the gaudy seed-bearer”
- “red stained package” / “heaves” / “bowling”
- “Aw, for God’s sake, go home then!”
- “primitive” / “What such a man has to offer is animal force and he gave a wonderful exhibition of that!” / “bestial”
- “Remember what Huey Long said- ‘Every Man is a King!’ And I am the king around here, so don’t forget it!”
2
Q
Represents the idealised, meritocratic American Dream
A
- “Napoleonic Code”
- “according to which what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband”
- “swindled”
- “Where’s the papers? In the trunk?” / “I don’t want no ifs, ands and buts! What’s all the rest of them papers?”
- “Stanley’s the only one of his crowd that’s likely to get anywhere”
- “But what I am is a one hundred percent American, born and raised in the greatest country on earth and proud as hell of it, so don’t ever call me a Polack.”
3
Q
Passionate, both sexually and aggressively
A
- “it’s going to be sweet when we can make noise in the night the way that we used to and get the coloured lights going”
- “Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh”
- “There is the sound of a blow” / “strikes”
- “There’s nothing to be scared of. They’re crazy about each other.”
- “I pulled you down off them columns and how you loved it, having them coloured lights going!”
- “(He kneels beside her and his fingers find the opening of her blouse) Now, now, love.”
4
Q
Positioned directly against Blanche
A
- “The Kowalskis and the DuBois have different notions”
- “Sister Blanche cannot be annoyed with business details right now!”
- “Open your eyes to this stuff! You think she got them out of a teacher’s pay?”
- “Stella has embraced him–with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche.”
- “The first time I laid eyes on him I thought to myself, that man is my executioner! That man will destroy me”
- “You should know the line she’s been feeding to Mitch. He thought she had never been more than kissed by a fellow”
- “Well, so much for her being such a refined and particular type of girl.”
- “Just to make sure I bought her ticket myself. A bus ticket!” / “Her future is mapped out for her.”
- “Ticket! Back to Laurel! On the Greyhound! Tuesday! (The Varsouviana music steals in softly and continues playing.)”
- “Come to think of it- maybe you wouldn’t be bad to- interfere with…”
- “All right, let’s have some rough-house!” / “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!”
