A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 10 Summary & Analysis The white is a play on Blanche's supposed innocence and the woods are used as another Freudian phallic symbol. Note that as soon as Blanche says that she was born under the sign of the virgin, Stanley chooses this moment to ask her about the man named Shaw. Mitch discourages their discussion of borrowing money and refuses to host poker at his mothers house. He cries remorsefully and then telephones upstairs, but Eunice wont let him speak to Stella. It is a stark contrast to the, Snobbery: Where were you! $24.99 When Stella insults Stanley, he goes into a rage and hits her. Stanley, the son of Polish immigrants, represents the changing face of America. The neighborhood is poor but has a "raffish charm." Blanche explains that in the last few years after she began to lose Belle Reve she was too soft and was not strong enough, and there were some stories spread around about her. Mitch emerges into the bedroom from the bathroom and is sheepish and awkward upon meeting Blanche, indicating that he is attracted to her. This depends on what scene you are referring to. Removing #book# These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Streetcar Named Desire. Wed love to have you back! 1947 1 7.6K A Streetcar Named Desire [Scene 11] Lyrics It is some weeks later. Blanche is immediately seen as Stanleys direct opposite: fluttering, insubstantial, and pale rather than a robust, muscular specimen. Then the men attempt to revive the now limp and confused Stanley, but when they try to force him into the shower to sober him up, he fights them off. He enters in a loud-colored bowling jacket and work clothes and is carrying "a red-stained package." A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 11 Summary & Analysis Next Themes Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis It is several weeks later. she feared for either of them to stop and think. The neighborhood is poor but has a raffish charm.. PDF A Streetcar Named Desire - Asociaia Visum pentru Educaie i Cultur And I with my pitiful salary at the school. It was originally a Catholic settlement (unlike most Southern cities, which were Protestant), and consequently typical Southern social distinctions were ignored. Stanley stumbles out of the bathroom, calling for Stella. Williams provides copious stage directions in his plays, and they are both functional and poetic. But then she meets Stanley. She has just finished composing a letter to Shep Huntleigh pretending that she has been on a round of teas and cocktail parties. Historical Context Essay: Post-World War II New Orleans, Literary Context Essay: Social Realism in the Play. Stella brings her a coke and tells her to quit talking morbidly. But this is not Williams prescribing the elements of what we see, but rather the overall effect "there is something about her uncertain manner that suggests a moth." Steve and Eunice, like Stanley and Stella, have a relationship that blows hot and cold and has ferocious underpinnings. Purchasing The Varsouviana polka music can be heard from offstage. Wed love to have you back! Scene 1: At rise, we see a two-story building in a poor, charming, diverse section of New Orleans, called Elysian Fields. Eunice lets Blanche into the apartment and goes after Stella. And we will learn that throughout Blanche's adult life, without any agency, she has been riding two metaphorical streetcars named Desire and Cemeteries the dual themes of lust and death that will be paired constantly through the play. Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc. Sometimes it can end up there. A few minutes later Mitch appears with a bunch of roses. The section is poor but, unlike . Complete your free account to request a guide. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. She thanks him for his kindness and waxes poetic while he quietly listens. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. In a few minutes, a young man comes to the door. The scene also sets a tone of commonplace brutality and reality into which the delicate and sensitive Blanche is about to appear. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Stanley comes in and is apparently irritated. Blanche has been drinking steadily since Mitch left. Blanche notices that the apartment has only two rooms and she wonders where she will sleep. Stella is perfectly happy with her lot, and doesn't take kindly to Blanche's questions. Her actions also suggest the fluttering of a delicate moth. Mitch carries a large plastic statuette that indicates their date took place at an amusement park. $24.99 We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. The neighbors laugh over the package of bloody meat an obvious sexual symbol which depicts Stanley in the same way as Blanche later describes him to Stella: He is a "survivor of the stone age! I couldn't believe her story and go on living with Stanley. Dressed in a fine white suit appropriate for an upper-crust social event, Blanche moves tentatively, looking and apparently feeling out of place in Stellas neighborhood. Blanche comes across as a frivolous, hysterical, insensitive, and self-obsessed individual as she derides her sisters lesser social status and doesnt express joy at seeing Stella so in love. Blanche hesitantly introduces herself to Stanley, who did not know Blanche was coming to town. Tennessee Williams and A Streetcar Named Desire Background. When she hears the Varsouviana Polka, the audience hears the polka, even though it is only playing in her mind. He follows her as she runs offstage, and the stage directions call for sounds of him beating her. The quality of the neighborhood comes up quickly; Blanche is appalled that Stella is living in such conditions. You're a fine one to sit there accusing me of it! And as a moth is often attracted by light and consequently killed by the heat, later we will see that Blanche is afraid of the light and when Mitch forces her under the light, this act begins Blanche's destruction. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. While Stella is busy in the bathroom, Blanche turns on the radio, further angering Stanley. When Blanche says that she took a "streetcar named Desire, and then . Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? 2017 Workbook ANSWER KEYS.pdf - Tennessee williams' A Streetcar Named Stella shows her the folding bed and explains that Stanley won't mind the lack of privacy because he is Polish. Both also nursed their parents through lingering deaths. MOTIFS: BATHS 1. I stayed and struggled! Blanche reacts with faint shock and fear when Stanley brings up Shaw, as Shaw knew her in Laurel, where he met up with her at a hotel called the Flamingo. She then explains that she has come to New Orleans because her nerves have forced her to take a leave of absence from her job as a schoolteacher during the middle of the term. She claims she could use the drink to calm her nerves, but insistswithout being askedthat she isnt a drunk. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Blanche is sitting in her red satin robe in the bedroom. Refine any search. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Read the Study Guide for A Streetcar Named Desire, Chekhov's Influence on the Work of Tennessee Williams, Morality and Immorality (The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Streetcar Named Desire), Traditionalism versus Defiance in a Streetcar Named Desire, Comparing Social and Ethnic Tensions in A Streetcar Named Desire and Blues for Mister Charlie, The Wolf's Jaws: Brutality and Abandonment in A Streetcare Named Desire, View our essays for A Streetcar Named Desire, View the lesson plan for A Streetcar Named Desire, View Wikipedia Entries for A Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche stares at the building in disbelief her directions brought her to Elysian Fields, but it looks nothing like what she expected. A tale of hypocrisy, betrayal and utter madness, Williams captivates our attention through his vibrant characters, vivid descriptions, and a narrative hook that is bound to grip you. You'll also receive an email with the link. The second scene brings in the elements particular to Blanche and Stanley's relationship, and from there all the foundation is laid to send the story hurtling down the tracks towards its conclusion. In the first meeting between Stella and Blanche, Blanche tells Stella to "turn that over-light off!" Contact us The surrounding areas dim out as the, Two rooms can be seen, not too clearly defined. Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle; and you you here waiting for him." The reader should be especially aware of Williams' description of Stanley. Stella is quite in love with her husband, however. Dont have an account? Want 100 or more? Therefore, her sexual promiscuity returns to her guilt feelings over her failure to help her young husband. It is an evening in early May in the 1930s. A long string of deaths in the family ate up all the money, while the process of nursing dying loved ones took their toll on Blanche's psyche, and in the end Belle Reve was lost. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. They grab their poker winnings and leave. Blanche uses the streetcar named Desire symbolically, saying that carnal desire is not a way to run a life. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% However, rhinestone is fake, which could represent the, truth behind Blanches representations. 12 of 25. "A Streetcar Named Desire": The Rape Scene - ThoughtCo Whoever you are--I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. A Streetcar Named Desire | Discussion Questions 1 - 10 - Course Hero Once he has left the room, Blanche remarks that there is something superior to the others in Mitch. | Ace your assignments with our guide to A Streetcar Named Desire! She pours a healthy shot, downs it immediately, replaces the bottle, cleans her tumbler, and returns to her original pose. He then goes bowling and Stella follows. Yet Stella sides with Stanley and his base instincts, infusing the play with an ominous sense of gloom. Teachers and parents! Sex and violence are paired on both floors of the house. [The music of the polka rises up, faint in the distance. When Stella arrives, Blanche blurts out how awful the apartment is but then tries to laugh off her comment. Eunice and the Black woman find something hilariously suggestive in the meat-hurling episode, and their cackles indicate sexual innuendo. Stella is upset at both the news and the accusatory way Blanche broke it to her, and she goes into the bathroom to cry. When Stella asserts that its time to stop playing for the night, Stanley refuses her request, tells her to go upstairs to Eunices, and disrespectfully slaps her on the buttocks. A Streetcar Named Desire Summary and Analysis Scene 5 Summary Blanche has been visiting now for three months. Aw. The play immediately establishes Stanley and Blanche as polar opposites, with Stella as the link between them. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Compare and contrast themes from other texts to this theme, The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Interior and Exterior Appearance appears in each scene of. A key to Blanche's character is given to us in this first scene by her reliance upon and need for whiskey. Animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes. Though the protagonist Blanche Dubois of Tennessee Williams ' famous play attempts to talk her way out of an attack, a violent attack takes place. Stanley asks Blanche if she wasn't once married. The polka music is only in Blanches mindeven though the audience hears itand its appearance signifies that she is haunted by her dead husband. Mitch and Blanch's relationship is very much an illusion because What does Stanley tell Blanche about his acquaintance, Shaw? This is both meaningful in the present tense and on a deeper thematic level. Its loss could signify the end of Blanches dream life or fantasy. Blanche's dress hides her inner sins and contributes to her mothlike appearance. Read an in-depth analysis of Blanche DuBois. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Stanley appears and calls for Stella, his wife, to catch a package of meat. After initially expressing her thrill at seeing her younger sister, Blanche lets slip a critical comment on the physical and social setting in which Stella lives. You ought to lay off his liquor. Central Idea Essay: Is Blanche a Sympathetic Character? This is the opposite of the delicate and ethereal Blanche. The Bridge At Melville's Tomb The Broken Tower The Hurricane Previous section Scene Eleven Quick Quiz Next section Plot Overview Quick Quiz Do you mind if I make myself comfortable? She screams piercingly and Stella wonders why. New orleans He offers her a cigarette. This is a first reference to Blanche's aversion to too much light. When he goes about slamming drawers, she asks him what astrological sign he was born under. Ace your assignments with our guide to A Streetcar Named Desire! Refine any search. Its loss could signify the end of Blanche's dream life or fantasy.A Streetcar Named DesireTennessee williams' Scene 1KEY SOUND IN THE PLAY Like the woman in the song, Blanche is now a "captive maid," as she has nowhere else to go except Stella and Stanley's apartment. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Analysis. This Blanche has been twisting and manipulating truths and lies for a long time, and her method seems at first like it will succeed in her new life as well. Summary and Analysis Scene 1. Stella arrives and they embrace happily, Blanche babbling excitedly about Stella's appearance and not giving her sister a chance to get a word in edge-wise. why is stanley in good spirits? Blanche declares that the "rattle-trap street-car" named desire is no basis for a life. She stops short at the entrance to the downstairs flat. Instant PDF downloads. To hold front position in this rat-race you've got to believe you are lucky. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Blanche introduces herself to him. Set among the back drop of the multicultural landscape of New Orleans during the post-war period, Williams explores the boundaries between the traditional and modern lifestyles of America, predominantly represented through sisters Blanche DuBois, and Stella Kowalski. A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 9 Summary & Analysis Stella yells at Stanley, and he advances violently toward her. Williams uses music to play with the boundary between the interior and the exterior. on 50-99 accounts. Blanche has been visiting now for three months. You haven't said a word about my appearance. Finally, a disheveled Stella slips out of the apartment and down to where Stanley is. A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 1 Summary & Analysis Next Scene 2 Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis The play is set in a two-story, white-frame, faded corner building on a street called Elysian Fields, which runs between the train tracks and the river in New Orleans. The action begins with the arrival of Blanche DuBois, dressed in white, and both looking and feeling entirely out of place on this downtrodden street. Blanches journey is both literal these are real places in New Orleans and allegorical. She tells Stella that she has created an illusion with Mitch that she is all prim and proper. She babbles away at Stella, full of chipper gossip and cardboard reminiscences. Now don't get worried, your sister hasn't turned into a drunkard. Underscored is the cramped claustrophobia that enters the apartment with Blanche, and the heightened emotions of the bunker as Blanche's hide-out extends longer and longer. Blanche portrays herself as a lady who rarely drinks, but her words are directly opposite to her actions. Eunice, the neighbor, sees that Blanche is confused and assures her that this is the place where Stella lives. Blanche explains to Stella that she had to resign from her high school teaching position because of her nerves. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. She is distinctly overcivilized and has repressed her vitality and her sexuality. Stella is packing Blanche's things. Blanche is in the bath. Continue to start your free trial. This, then, is Blanche's past life beginning to close in upon her. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Blanche takes another drink, and then worries about the privacy and decency of her staying in the apartment with no door to separate her from Stella and Stanley in the next room. A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 10 Summary & Analysis Next Scene 11 Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis It is still later that night. Soon after Stella leaves, her sister, Blanche, arrives, carrying a suitcase and looking with disbelief at a slip of paper in her hand and then at the building. (For example, aside from Blanche, Chance Wayne in Sweet Bird of Youth and Sebastian in Suddenly, Last Summer are always dressed in white.) Stella offers Blanche a drink, which she makes a show of accepting reluctantly. She pours a half tumbler, carefully replaces the bottle and washes out the tumbler at the. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Not affiliated with Harvard College. As the conversation progresses, it is revealed that Blanche is taking a leave of absence from her position as a school teacher, and plans to stay with Stella for an unspecified period of time. What is the symbol of the searchlight in A Streetcar Named Desire . Setting The Scene Before Reading . "Animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements." Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# She surrounds herself in her silks and rhinestones and fantasies of Sheps yacht to maintain the appearance of being an upper-class ingnue, even though she is, by all accounts, a fallen woman. Blanche also calls Stanley a Polack and makes snide remarks about the state of the Kowalski apartment in order to maintain her own sense of external social superiority. This is also the beginning of Stanley's plan to destroy Blanche, and she feels herself being trapped. He enters the apartment, sizes Blanche up, and makes small talk with her, treating her casually while she nervously tries to engage with him. In an outburst that builds to a crescendo of hysteria, Blanche reveals that she has lost Belle Reve, the familys ancestral home. (one code per order). The fact that Stanley bowls suggests symbolically his characteristic of summing everything up in terms of sexuality. creating and saving your own notes as you read. a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries, Blanche slowly follows her into the downstairs flat. In this way, Stanley and Blanche are like the sun and the moon. Read an in-depth analysis of Stanley Kowalski. Blanches disapproval of Stellas lifestyle allows Blanche to reinforce her own sense of superiority. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Thus in this encounter between Blanche and Stanley, Blanche is seeing her own valued world disintegrate under the force of Stanley's attack. He tells her that the baby won't come before morning, and the doctors sent him home. But the funny thing about opposites is that they attract. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Known by many as "The Rape Scene," scene 10 of " A Streetcar Named Desire " is filled with dramatic action and fear inside the flat of Stanley Kowalski. Moths are drawn to artificial light and are known to flitter around. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Dont have an account? A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 3 Summary | Course Hero Blanche explains that she is nervous because Mitch is coming for her at seven. He bellows to Stella and throws her the raw meat which she catches as she laughs breathlessly. At the end, when Stanley leaves, she is trembling and in need of a drink. He takes pride in everything that is his. She then sends him away, saying that she must keep her hands off children. Tiring of Eunices questions, Blanche asks to be left alone. She asks Stella to tell her how she looks, fusses over Stellas plumpness and disheveled appearance, and is surprised to learn that Stella has no maid. Blanche is trying to keep up appearances in all aspects of her life. Please wait while we process your payment. After throwing meat at Stella, where does Stanley go (Stella follows him there, to "watch")? Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus, Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines. On the other hand, Blanches delicate manners and sense of propriety are offended by Stanleys brutish virility. Related Characters: Blanche DuBois (speaker) There are things that happen between a man and a woman in the darkthat sort of make everything else seemunimportant. the library book readinggroupguides com, a streetcar named desire reading guide . He takes off his shirt and makes a shady remark to Stella, who is in the bathroom. Subscribe now. What happened to Belle Reve, the DuBois family home? Continue to start your free trial. A streetcar named desire- scene 1 Flashcards | Quizlet It is around 2:30 a.m. Steve, Pablo, Mitch, and Stanley are playing poker in the Kowalskis kitchen, which is bathed in a sinister green light. Stella and Blanche return. An interesting choice of comparison, as moths are drawn to light the way Blanche is desperately drawn from it. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Discount, Discount Code (Williams notes that the music from this piano is to set the mood throughout the play.) Historical Context Essay: Post-World War II New Orleans, Literary Context Essay: Social Realism in the Play. I'll make myself scarce, in that case. Stanley laughs contemptuously when he hears this and then abruptly asks her about a man named Shaw who had known Blanche in a Hotel Flamingo. Blanche tells him yes, but the boy died; then, she leaves thinking that she is going to be sick. But don't you look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till later, not till, And turn that over-light off! from your Reading List will also remove any This leads Blanche to tell Stella that Belle Reve, the ancestral home, has been lost. Blanche insists on powdering her face at the door of the house in anticipation of the male company. I cant stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. At rise, we see a two-story building in a poor, charming, diverse section of New Orleans, called Elysian Fields. We have only one set for the entire play the crowded apartment of the Kowalskis but thanks to transparent walls we have access to the street outside as well as the two rooms and bath. Blanche lost her husband and Mitch the girl who gave him the cigarette case with the poetic inscription. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Weinbloom, Elizabeth. After exchanging a few harsh words with Stanley, Mitch rises from the table to go to thebathroom. | Then later when Stanley asks her if she wants a drink, she tells him that she rarely touches it. She has ridden Desire to the end of the line and has hit rock bottom before arriving here. You came to New Orleans and. Elysian fields is the final resting place for gods and heroes in Greek mythology. You can view our. He sizes her up with a glance; she hides her eyes from him. Stanley leaps up, rushes to the radio, and hurls it out the window. Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 10 New orleans Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by jskarr Terms in this set (10) In what city is the play set? Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Below you will find the important quotes in A Streetcar Named Desire related to the theme of Interior and Exterior Appearance. It is as if he were bringing it back to his cave fresh from the kill. He does not simply state the necessary movements, nor does he serve as a backseat director, programming every gesture before an actor has touched the text. Read more about the use of piano music as a theatrical device. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. The exterior of a two-story corner building on a street in, Songs That Sample A Streetcar Named Desire (Scene One). Stella is shamed and joins Blanche, who is planning to take another bath, in the bedroom. Later that night, Stanley bellows STELL-LAHHHHH! into the night like a wounded beast calling for the return of his mate. She has absolutely no place to go and no one to turn to or else she would not be here in these surroundings. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. It is an early May evening, and the sky at dusk is almost turquoise. Contact us Scene 5 - CliffsNotes Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. The difference in their reactions to similar experiences and in their approaches to life suggests that they are not an ideally matched pair. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. And when he comes back I cry on his lap like a baby you left! Spying a bottle of whiskey in the closet, she suddenly breaks out of her dejected stupor. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. from your Reading List will also remove any Her effort to create a more flattering, untruthful portrait of herself for Mitch continues in upcoming scenes. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. Stanleys cruel abuse of his wife convinces the audience that genteel Blanche has her sisters best interests in mind more than Stanley does. one called Cemeteries," Williams seems to be implying that desire leads to death which is then an escape to the Elysian Fields. He is the "emblem of the gaudy seed-bearer." Outside the apartment, Stanley discusses plans for poker the following day with Steve and Mitch. What am I saying? Turn that off! Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Just as Blanches fantasy blurs into reality, Blanches point of view and the perspective of the whole play become blurred. Rather than face the consequences of her actions, Blanche blames Stella for choosing the lower-class, Polish Stanley over the DuBois family. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Which of the following accurately describes Elysian Fields? Blanches health and her sanity are waning as a result. A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams Study Guide Mastery Quizzes PLUS Flashcards PLUS Summary Scene Three Summary It is around 2:30 a.m. Steve, Pablo, Mitch, and Stanley are playing poker in the Kowalskis' kitchen, which is bathed in a sinister green light. Blanches commentary on Stellas body and the appearance of the apartment draw a contrast between the physical life that Stella has chosen and the dream world that Blanche desperately wants to inhabit. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Stanley says that he will have this man check it out and "clear up any mistake." The Kowalskis live in the downstairs apartment, and Eunice and Steve live upstairs. Blanche is concerned about living in such close quarters with Stanley, and makes no effort to hide her discomfort with his blue collar background. Blanche may be able to hide her alcoholism from devoted Stella, but not from Stanley. Just as circumstance has led her to the Kowalskis' doorstep, so too did circumstance lead her to a life driven by desire and death. Aside from the use of the raw meat, he uses the bowling balls and pins, and the columns of the Belle Reve plantation home as obvious, overt phallic and sexual symbols.
