A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES
Quotation

“Elysian fields…
raffish charm…
white frame,
weathered grey…
rickety… quaintly
ornamented
gables…” (1)
Character/Setting
How is the character portrayed?
Image created depending on
descriptors/dialogue
Setting: New Orleans

Elysian fields are
contextually significant;
it is associated with
Greek mythology where
heroes went to rest after
death.

New Orleans was the first
place where
homosexuality was
tolerated, thus Williams’
creates a welcoming
nature whilst failing to
hide the decay of the old
world; in this case,
Blanche.
Analysis
Language or structural techniques? Effect? Perceptive
points?
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“Faded white…dim
white… atmosphere
of decay.” (1)
“Warm breath of
the brown
river…infatuated
fluency of brown
fingers… blue piano
expresses the spirit
of life.” (1)
Setting: New Orleans

Setting acts as a
microcosm for the future
of industrialised America,
to emphasise how
Blanche can never fit into
this world.
Setting: New Orleans

The liveliness and
richness of the culture
and changing attitudes
seems to overpower the
accentuated poverty
present, almost breaking
away from old societal
views.
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Contextual/Thematic
Significance
What aspects of the context does it
link to in relation to themes?
“Elysian Fields”- Symbolism either connoting
that New Orleans is Blanche’s last stop before
she spirals downwards or it gives light to the
fact that Blanche is perhaps already dead,
even before the play begins- her downfall is
therefore inevitable.
“Raffish… rickety”- Harsh consonance derived
from the alliteration of ‘r’ suggests the
brutality and animalistic nature of the new
world, almost disjointed from the old world.
“White… weathered”- Alliteration of ‘w’
contrasts with “raffish” to suggest the broken
down and perhaps simplistic lives of Stanley
and Stella. It also foreshadows how Blanche
will also be weathered down. Everything
white in the scene appears to be “faded”
suggesting how she herself cannot survive.
“Quaintly ornamented”- Word choice itself
evokes the idea of fantasy and reality; the fact
that the gables are “ornamented” reflects
upon how Blanche also puts on a façade. The
use of “quaintly” suggests the remains of the
old world, almost suggesting that America can
only move forward if people like Blanche are
terminated.

Society and class- the
setting develops the idea
that old world values are
disregarded in the
animalistic and brutal
new world. Thus, the
undercurrent of decay
that permeates alongside
the overpowering
richness of society’s
flexible views symbolises
the conflict between
traditional values and the
aggressive materialism of
the new.

The fact that the play is
set in New Orleans
represents the diverse
community, wherein
many previously
shunned aspects were
accepted.
“Faded white… dim white”- Repetition of
white acts as a metaphor for Blanche,
suggesting that she too, will fade.
The semantic field around “faded” and “dim”
associated with “decay” suggests that the
French Colonial past is worn out.
The nomenclature of Blanche refers to white,
symbolising her death. It seems that her
“white” illusion will be tainted by Stanley’s
actions to uncover and present her true
nature in a raw and primal way.

Society and class: The
references to the setting
further emphasise that
there is no place for
Blanche in this society;
perhaps she is already
dead and the remains are
the “decay” that is being
referred to; Stanley is
therefore the one to wipe
Blanche’s views out of
existence, by merely
getting rid of her ‘vessel’
(body)

Mortality: New Orleans
seems surrounded by
“decay” which links to
Blanche’s fear of death/
Belle Rève’s downfall.
Society and class:
Williams’ is keen to
suggest how attitudes are
changing, yet the
suffocating setting also
seems to suppress the
existence of the old
world, almost despising
it; this is reflective of
immigrant attitudes after
the war.
“Warm breath”- Personification of the river
almost creates a suffocating atmosphere, in
which Blanche is suppressed. In this way, new
America displays a sense of artful aggression,
deriving from simplistic survival instinct.
“Infatuated fluency of brown fingers”Fricative language with reference to
alliteration of “f” symbolises the ease with
which people accept everyone; no one is
restricted by a hierarchy or their upbringing,
unlike Blanche.
“Infatuated”- Links with Stella’s narcotic
addiction to the new world, especially Stanley
and the physical aggression of their
relationship.
“Blue piano expresses the spirit of life”Symbolic to reflect upon the heightened
emotions experienced by the characters; the
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Marriage and Sex: The
setting effectively
explores the raw nature
of Stanley and Stella’s
relationship. It could
suggest that Stella is
A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES
setting evokes an easy-going nature.

“Re-e-ed h-o-o-t!”

Two men… roughly
dressed… blue
denim work
clothes… red
stained package.”
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“Gentle young
women…
background
obviously quite
different…”
“Heaves the
package… cries out
in protest…
manages to catch
it.” (2)
Stanley and primal behaviour:

Stanley’s clothes and his
actions emanate a sense
of physical aggression
and power. His actions
seem primal, almost
instinctive; everything
derives from the
principles of survival.
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His short dialogue
expresses an uncivilised
and simplistic nature,
which he prides himself
in.
We can immediately note
the conflict between
Blanche and Stanley.
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“Blanche…
expression is one of
shocked disbelief…
appearance is
incongruous…
looking as if she
were arriving at a
summer tea…
delicate beauty
must avoid a strong
light…”
“Uncertain
manner… her white
clothes… that
suggests a moth.”
(3)
Blanche’s incongruity:

Blanche’s character
opposes the setting,
almost foreshadowing
that she has no place in
this society.
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Stanley opposes her
delicate nature; the order
of descriptions
establishes that Stanley
has the power in the new
world.
The fact that she is
structurally introduced
after the other characters
suggests how she will be
the only one left behind
in her fantasy.
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perhaps suffocated in a
trance, thus she is
dependent upon Stanley.
“Red hot”- Repetition forewarns the danger
that is to come. The permeating voice suggests
a suffocating nature. The semantic field of
“red” is associated with the meat imagery, to
present the raw and primal nature present.
“Roughly dressed”- Word choice suggests
gruffness.
“Denim work clothes”- Phallic imagery of
“denim” suggests a rough nature surrounding
Mitch and Stanley, which they perhaps
obtained when they fought in war. The fact
that both wear the same clothes suggests
Stanley’s power in society.
“Red stained”- Word choice links to Stanley’s
vulgar character; double entendre suggests
that the meat is also representative of sexual
desire.
“Roughly” and “Gentle”- Juxtaposition of
men/women suggests the power within
gender.
“Heaves”- Animalistic behaviour suggests his
physical prowess; the fact that she manages to
catch the package confirms Stella’s sexual
dependence and infatuation upon Stanley.

Masculinity: Stanley’s
primal behaviour and
power over both Stella
and the remaining
characters dominate his
physical attributes.
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Marriage and sex: Stella
is clearly infatuated by
Stanley’s sexual prowess;
it is revealed that Stella is
dependent upon Stanley
within the relationship.

Society and class:
Despite Stella’s
dependence upon
Stanley, her mannerisms
set her apart, detaching
her from the new world.

Gender roles: Stella
almost seems
subservient to Stanley
when she accepts the
meat; sexual imagery
displays her infatuation
with Stanley.
“Shocked disbelief”- Word choice highlights
her opposing class/views upon the new
world. The double descriptions emphasise
upon her fear, as New Orleans acts as a
confirmation of the death of Belle Rève.
“Incongruous”- Word choice detaches her
immediately, almost making her seem
otherworldly. Thus, the lexis suggesting that
she is perhaps dead before the play begins is
apparent.
“Delicate beauty must avoid a strong light”Phrase stresses upon her fragmented nature.
Also, the fact that she must “avoid” light
suggests a sense of secrecy; irony is evoked as
she tries to ‘feign innocence’ yet this only
reveals her corruption.
“Suggest a moth”- Metaphor to represent her
self-destruction. Although she must “avoid” a
strong light, moths tend to seek out the light,
suggesting her innocence and need for
protection.
“Moths”- Symbolic of animals that mimic or
undergo metamorphosis, akin to Blanche who
lies and puts on a façade to present herself in
a better light.

Fantasy and reality: She
has lost track of herself
as she has changed to
please the men in her life;
now she can only survive
by living in her fantasy;
once this is broken, she
has no place in this
world.

Society and class:
Blanche is an
embodiment of the old
views challenging and
threatening the
progression of the new.
Even her mere presence
in this setting is
disjointed to suggest the
power that her
prejudices hold, already
forewarning her fate.
Thus, the reader cannot
blame Blanche for her
downfall; more so, her
upbringing.
A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES

“Looking for…
Stella Dubois. I
mean- Mrs Stanley
Kowalski.” (4)

“Your home-place,
the plantation…
/Belle Rève?/ A
great big place
with white
columns.” (5)
Blanche’s past:

Blanche’s past connects
her to the ‘aristocracy’
and hierarchy, suggesting
her conflicting views.

All that Blanche does and
says further defines her
as an outcast in this
evolved society. It is
ironic that she insults
‘un-evolved’ Stanley
when she is the one who
has failed to adapt to new
world ideals.
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“Sits… stiffly…
shoulders slightly
hunched… legs
pressed close…
hands tightly
clutching her
purse…”
“Cat screeches…
She springs up…
removes a whisky
bottle… carefully
replaces the bottle
and washes out the
tumbler…” (5)

“Stella, oh, Stella,
Stella! Stella for
Star!” (6)

“Turn that overlight off! I won’t be
looked at in this
merciless glare!”

“Sister… shaken up
and hot and tired
and dirty… What
are you doing in a
place like this?” (6)
Blanche’s mind-set:

Blanche is presented as
mentally unstable from
the outset, though we
only notice fragments of
this aspect to start with.

Her alcoholism gives way
to her troubled past and
suggests she is keeping
her situation clandestine.

Although it is apparent
that she does not want
others to find out about
her alcoholism, she is in
actual fact, struggling
with coming to terms
with this herself.
Blanche and Stella’s relationship:

Stella seems somewhat
anachronistic when with
Blanche; where Stella has
moved away from Belle
Rève, Blanche is trapped
by it; the opposing clash
between fantasy
presented by the
sentence structure and
light motifs demonstrate
this.
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“Stella DuBois- Mrs Stanley Kowalski”- Word
order of Stella before referring to her sister as
belonging to Stanley, establishes the struggle
for power between S+B. It seems that status
comes before Stella being associated as
Stanley’s wife.
“-Mrs Stanley Kowalski”- Blanche’s traditional
views itself seem to suggest that men hold
power within a relationship as she omits
Stella’s name from the title. The hyphenation
is suggestive of her detachment and
disapproval of Stella’s marriage.
“Your home-place, the plantation”- The
comma within the sentence represents that
Belle Rève could never be seen as a
home/sanctuary. It was merely a place to
suggest status and power.
“Plantation- Word choice links to the
American civil war, further conveying her
prejudiced views.
“Great big place”- Word choice brings down
the importance of social status. Eunice and the
new world disregard hierarchy and opt for
equality in the social sense.
“White columns”- The structure refers to
French and Roman architecture and also links
to Blanche’s name. It emphasises the extent of
damage done to Blanche’s status.
“Stiffly… shoulder slightly”- Alliteration of ‘s’
permeates, creating a sinister and snake-like
atmosphere, almost echoing that Blanche has
walked into a trap- the final destination
before her downfall. Stanley’s name also
echoes this.
“Hunched… tightly… clutching”- Semantic field
surrounding her uptight nature highlights
how she is directionless in this world. The
phrases also act as a metaphor to reflect upon
how she clutches to Belle Rève, which is now
merely a skeleton.
“Cat screeches”- Sound amidst the silence acts
as an alarm, triggering memories of her
husband’s death and thus, forcing her to
drink.
“Carefully replaces… washes out”- The word
choice suggests her paranoid state. She is not
willing to allow reality to consume her, thus
she denies her drink problem by washing out
the tumbler.
“Stella”- Nomenclature suggests that Stella
means star in Latin, symbolising that Stella is
the only hope left for Blanche’s survival.
However, as Blanche shies away from the
burning brightness of Stella’s light, she fails to
take the opportunity to redeem herself.
“Merciless glare!”- Constant exclamation
marks suggest her panicked and breathless
state, almost as if she is constantly suffocating
in her past. She is almost stuck both in the
past and the present.
“Hot and tired and dirty”- The triple presents
Blanche in a fragmented light, almost as if she
has given up on living. Repetition of the
connective “and” creates a dragging tone to
suggest her weary state.
“You… in a place like this?”- Word order of
“you” and “place” gives power to the DuBois
name but the punctuation mark brings down
its importance to suggest the deterioration of
Belle Rève.

Society and class:
Descriptions of the
plantation further
connect to the slave
trade, thus Blanche’s
prejudices immediately
make the reader view her
in a negative light, which
is ironic as she struggles
to maintain a façade.

Gender roles: There
seems to be minimal
progress in gender roles
in both Blanche’s and
Stella’s world. The idea of
male dominance
permeates and Blanche’s
challenging nature
towards the idea of
masculinity also fuels her
downfall.

Fantasy and Reality:
Blanche is constantly
reminded of her past by
the sound effects present
in the setting she is now
in, thus the stage
directions also contribute
to sussing out the truth
and breaking her
illusions; Stanley merely
fuels this by revealing
what she truly cannot
face on her own.

Past: Blanche seems
stuck in the past, unable
to let go of Belle Rève, yet
she is also stuck in her
circumstances in the
present. In a sense, her
mind is also in limbo, as a
result of the future. Thus,
her growth is stunted.

Fantasy and reality:
Blanche still chooses to
believe that the
hierarchical structure is
maintained and fails to
see its destruction in the
progression of the new
world.
A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES
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I’m not going to be
hypocritical… be
honestly critical
about it!”
“You never did give
me a chance…
Blanche… I just got
in the habit of
being quiet around
you.”
“You thought I’d
been fired? / No… resigned”
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“I was on the verge
of- lunacy.” (5)
“Messy child...
you’ve spilt
something on that
pretty white lace
collar!” (8)
“Polacks?” /
“They’re a mixed
lot, Blanche.” (9)

“Try not to- wellcompare him with
men… at home.”

“I can hardly stand
it when he’s away
for a night… I
nearly go wild.”
(10)
Blanche’s old world
ideals are threatening
both Stella’s position in
the new world, and the
progression of it.
Blanche also struggles to
keep up with her lies; by
living in her fantasy, she
is eventually consumed
by it.
Both these aspects
suggest her state of
madness; perhaps, she is
dead before the play has
commenced.
Blanche:

The fact that Blanche
looks down on her own
sister lays the
groundwork for
Blanche’s own
destruction as Stanley
rises to her threats.
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Blanche:
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Society and class:
Williams suggests that
despite changing society,
attitudes towards
mental health remain
unchanged, thus Blanche
is left to fend for herself.

Power: It is ironic for a
current audience to note
Blanche as the
antagonist’s challenge of
the time, considering she
is a woman. Williams’
aims to suggest that
women of the time held
no power, even in the
changing society, thus
even status cannot offer
protection from
Stanley’s brutality.

Fantasy and reality:
One could argue that she
lives in her fantasy, as no
one in reality is willing
to help her.
“Messy… spilt”- Lexis suggests the
importance Blanche places on maintain a
pure image, akin to many rich figures of the
time.
“Pretty white lace collar!” Symbolises how
both Stella and Stanley contribute to
Blanche’s downfall, thus foreshadowing that
Blanche must soon face her reality.

Society and class:
Blanche’s concern over
her image reflects upon
the high society of the
time; the rich used their
status to hide their
corruption, yet the new
world uncovers the
truth.
“Polacks”- The fact that Blanche categorises
everyone based on image reveals how she was
brought up living in an illusion; thus, the
reader questions how she can ever escape her
fantasy.
“Mixed lot”- Word choice highlights that upon
Blanche’s influence, Stella’s past is also
triggered as she begins to refer to people by
race, but manages to escape it.
“Hardly stand it when he’s away for a night”Stella’s sexual dependence upon Stanley
reassures the reader that Stanley will
maintain power, regardless of Blanche’s
threats. The dialogue however, degrades
women, suggesting their lack of importance
outside the domestic world.
“Nearly go wild”- Develops upon how
Stanley’s primal nature has influenced Stella.

Gender roles: Women
are considered
dependent upon men,
both in the old and new
society; Blanche
epitomises the
destruction of women
when abandoned by her
“forefathers” whereas
Stella represents her
sexual dependence on
Stanley, which is
regarded an infatuation.

Society and class: The
continual segregations
between races is
somewhat redundant in
the new world, who
symbolise a sense of
acceptance.
The idea of feigned
innocence surrounds
Blanche; her paranoia in
how others view her is
accentuated.
Stanley and Stella vs. Blanche:

Blanche seems out of
place in a setting where
Stanley and Stella are
united, thus the struggle
for power is established.
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“Hypocritical… honestly critical”- Irony is
created in the contradictory nature of
Blanche’s dialogue, further indicating how
she imposes her attitudes upon Stella.
“Just got in the habit of being quiet around
you”- Stella and Blanche’s relationship also
suggests inequality akin to the one with
Stanley. Blanche and Stanley seem
domineering, thus forewarning the conflict
between the two.
“Thought… fired?”- Rhetorical question
suggests how she wishes to maintain her
illusion and fears any hint at the truth; her
paranoia also contributes to her downfall.
Her assumptions reveal the truth.
“Verge of lunacy”- Symbolises how she is
perhaps already mentally unstable. The
hyphenation detaches “lunacy,” almost
making it seem otherworldly. Williams
suggests the social stigma surrounding
mental health associated with and fuelled by
people, akin to how all the characters ignore
Blanche’s delicate state.
Blanche’s racist views
upon immigrants further
develop the
tension/conflict that is to
come.
Stella’s sexual and
financial dependence
upon Stanley is apparent
to establish that Blanche
is fighting a battle she
cannot win, forewarning
her downfall.
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
A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES


“I stayed in Belle
Rève and tried to
hold it together…
all the burden
descended on my
shoulders…”
“I stayed and
fought for it, bled
for it, almost died
for it!” (11)
Blanche and Belle Rève:

Blanche initially seems
attached to Belle Rève
but when we peel away
this illusion, we can note
that it is Belle Rève, a
haunting skeleton of the
previous hierarchy that
seems to have a hold on
her.
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Her faith in family, in
particular men, is lacking,
suggesting her
fragmented nature.
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“I, I, I took the
blows in my face…
long parade to the
graveyard!”

“Funerals are
pretty compared to
deaths… funerals
are quiet, but
deaths- not
always… their
breathing is
hoarse… rattles”

“Death is
expensive… Belle
Rève… slipped
through my
fingers!” (12)
Blanche and Belle Rève:

Blanche’s fight to keep
the old society alive only
increases her fear of
mortality; in a sense, she
is pushed to a world of
fantasy as a result of
depression,
abandonment and
continuous
disappointment.
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Her background and
status seems to break her
in this world, rather than
protect her, as the rich of
the time believed.
The rich society, which
she thought could save
her, destroyed her
instead as society
evolved.
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“I stayed”- Repetition of the personal pronoun
“I” is suggestive of her possessive nature over
the past. She cannot seem to escape Belle Rève
and the old world.
“Hold it together”- The phrasing is ironic as by
trying to maintain her social power, Blanche
deteriorates mentally, thus suggesting that
society regards Blanche as a pawn, used to
maintain order.
“Burden descended on my shoulders”- the rest
of the words overcrowd the personal pronoun
of “my”, and in terms of sentence structure,
this suggests how Belle Rève has mentally
destroyed Blanche, and her physical nature is
the only illusion capable of hiding her mental
instability.
“Fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it!”The triple emphasises the extent of Blanche’s
fragmented nature, however the repetition of
“it” brings don the importance of Belle Rève,
deeming it a mere skeleton; a sense of pathos
is evoked as we realise that Blanche was not
even responsible for her fate.

Society and class: It
seems that Blanche’s
society only fends for
itself by evolving along
with changing attitudes
and fails to protect the
people that are still stuck
in the traditional mindset. Rather than creating
order, society seems to
deteriorate those who
cannot survive its
change.

Fantasy and reality

“I, I, I took the blows in my face”- The
repetition of the personal pronoun “I” is
hyperbolic, suggesting her distress and sense
of grief. The word choice of “blows”
represents how she has deteriorated and she
almost puts importance upon the fact that she
has aged, when her beauty was the only
aspect that provided attention.
“Parade… graveyard!”- The oxymoron
suggests how she views death as perhaps a
better choice than trying to save Belle Rève.
Blanche seems to suggest that everyone
abandoned her in reality.
“Funerals are pretty”- The juxtaposition
suggests her fear towards death whilst
ironically conveying her acceptance to rest in
peace.
“Breathing is hoarse… rattles”- The disturbing
imagery created by the onomatopoetic word
choice echoes her fear towards the idea of
death.
“Slipped through… fingers!”- Blanche’s
powerlessness is exemplified by the passive
nature of Belle Rève. Blanche is the only one
who tried to grip onto her status whilst Belle
Rève merely “slipped” past, leaving her
behind.

Masculinity: Williams
mocks the idea of a
patriarchy, when it
cannot even protect the
women living within it,
which is ironic as
Stanley’s world faces a
new struggle between
gender roles; this
revolves around physical
and sexual dominance as
demonstrated by Eunice
and Steve
Mortality: The fear of
death is explored to
suggest Blanche’s
loneliness and justifies
her need to live in her
fantasy.
A Streetcar Named Desire- Study Notes: Scene 1
_scripted_ on TES

“Stanley… strongly,
compactly built…
Animal joy…
implicit in all of his
movements.”

“Centre of life has
been pleasure with
women… with the
power and pride of
a richly feathered
male bird…”

“His car, his radio,
that bears his
emblem…” (13)
Stanley:
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The primal descriptions
surrounding Stanley
evoke a tense
atmosphere; initially,
Stanley is unaffected by
Blanche.
The theme of masculinity
is symbolised by
Stanley’s character.
In a sense, Stanley
symbolises reality whilst
Blanche lives in her
fantasy; thus, he is the
only force that can break
her illusion.
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“Liquor goes fast in
hot weather…
Some people rarely
touch it (liquor)
but it touches them
often.” (14)
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“Cat screeches…”
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“I’ll strike you as
the unrefined
type… You were
married once,
weren’t you?” (15)
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“Music of the polka
rises up, faint in the
distance.”
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“The boy- the boy
died. (She sinks
back down) I’m
afraid I’m- going to
be sick! (…Head
falls on her arms).
(15)
Stanley vs. Blanche:
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Stanley is intuitive
whereas Blanche is
poetic; where Blanche
considers education as
superior, Stanley is able
to possess the features
need to survive evolving
society. (Society fails
Blanche)

Blanche’s reality is what
kills her; Stanley only
catalyses her downfall by
presenting her with this
information.

Stanley is the antithesis
of Blanche.
Blanche’s past:

It is evident that
Blanche’s past haunts
her, thus she is driven to
create an alternate past,
in order to prevent
breaking down.
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The fact that she is aware
of her own mistakes
contradicts the way she
treats those around her,
thus evoking a sense of
pathos.
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“Strongly, compactly”- Word choice highlights
the power held by Stanley’s physique, to
continually remind the reader that Stanley
will survive and Blanche will not, regardless
of intellect.
“Centre of life”- Word choice of “centre”
indicates how he holds the power in such a
patriarchy and those like Stella depend on it
to survive.
“Pleasure with women… power and pride”Fricative language permeates to suggest his
primal prowess, almost positioning him on a
pedestal in the new society, whilst Blanche is
in “medias ris” of her downfall.
“Richly feathered male bird”- Metaphor
alludes to a peacock, establishing that those
who threaten his power will be faced by
wrath.
Peacocks also symbolise the beauty of true
colours, akin to how Stanley seeks out
Blanche’s past, to reveal the truth. The kindheartedness nature of peacocks opposes
Stanley’s aggression to suggest his
manipulative nature to shatter Blanche’s
illusion.
“His… bears his emblem”- The possessive
pronouns of “His” suggests the extent of his
power in the household.
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Masculinity: This is
suggested by animal
imagery, encompassing
the result of patriarchal
pressures upon men like
Stanley, in order to
maintain power.
“Hot”- Pathetic fallacy of the heat permeates
through this scene, to suggest how Blanche is
almost placed in a suffocating situation, which
eventually forces her to face her reality; thus,
she is the cause of her own destruction.
“Rarely touch… touches them often”- Stanley’s
use of an aphorism forewarns how he will
shatter Blanche’s illusions through his
intuition and destructive nature needed to
survive in the new world.
“Strike… unrefined”- Word choice of “strike”
holds a harsh and raw consonance, which
aims to mirror his animalistic nature. It also
connotes a predatory nature on Stanley’s part.
The use of “unrefined” acts as a litotes; Stanley
purposefully degrades his social status,
perhaps to create an illusion to fool Blanche.
Although she regards him as “sub-human, he
ends up surviving.
“Married once…?”- Rhetorical question almost
hangs in the still atmosphere, lingering and
threatening to shatter Blanche’s illusion.
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Fantasy and reality:
Societal pressures seem
to fuel the use of an
illusion for many
characters. In Blanche’s
case, traditional views
restrict her from being
able to face her
alcoholism and mental
instability.
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Masculinity: The social
pressures of men of the
time are expressed; men
like Stanley are
immediately threatened
by challenging women,
and Stanley fails to see
the reason why Blanche
behaves the way she
does.
“Polka rises up, faint in the distance”Juxtaposition defined by the use of a comma
suggests how in reality, the music seems to
overpower Blanche due to her guilt, yet in her
fantasy, she pushes her husband’s death to the
farthest part of her mind.
The word choice of “faint” is symbolic of how
she tries to numb the pain by drinking and
bathing.
“Boy”- Repetition grieves the loss of her
youth.
“Sinks back down”- Stage directions are
oxymoronic as the music “rises up” almost
trying to lift her up with it in hopes of
redeeming her, yet her refusal to let go of the
past forces her to “sink” into her downfall.
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Mortality/ Fantasy and
Reality: Blanche seems
to fear death, as a result
of its permeating
presence throughout her
life; to her mind-set,
fantasy is a much better
option compared to the
decaying reality her body
is living in.