A Streetcar Named Desire

Translation for Belle Reve - The DuBois family home

"a beautiful dream" → dreams can be attainable → dreams can be destroyed → hard to let dreams go

According to Williams, the play (A streetcar named desire) is about:

"the destruction of the tender, sensitive, the delicate, by the savage and brutal forces of modern society."

Change in Society

- Industrialization saw a new working class emerge. A working class from a huge number of different background. The American dream! - This change in society caused the plantations to decay, and the white upper class began losing their wealth. - At the time a "melting pot" of different races and classes emerged in New Orleans.

Translation for Stanley Kowalski

- Stanley means Stone clearing - Kowalski means "common man" ○ common polish name → lower working class → ordinary

Translation for Stella Kowalski (DuBois - maiden name)

- Stella is Latin for star - Kowalski is a common polish name - DuBois means woods or forest (a magical place, where people fall in love)

Background - Author (Tennessee Williams)

- Thomas Lanier Williams born in Mississippi in 1911 - His mother was overprotective and a former Southern debutante. - His father was a violent traveling salesman. - He had an older sister, Rose and a younger brother named Walter. - In 1929, he went to the University of Missouri to study journalism. - When his childhood girlfriend, Hazel Kramer, also decided to enroll at Missouri, his father said he would withdraw him, and succeeded in breaking up the developing romance. It was his only known romantic relationship with a woman. - In a state of depression, Tom dropped out of school and, at his father's encouragement, took a job as a clerk in a shoe company. It was, he recalled, "living death." - He retreated to his room and wrote. - Had a nervous breakdown. Sent to Memphis to recuperate, the young Mr. Williams joined a local theater group. - 1937 - went to the University of Iowa where he wrote a number of plays. - 1938- his sister lost her mind. The family allowed a prefrontal lobotomy to be performed, and she spent much of her life in a hospital, and was left with the mental capacity of a child.

Scene 1 Question: What does Blanche learn about Stanley before she meets him?

- Travels a lot - In the Military - Different cultures - He doesn't know she's coming

Scene 8 Question: What gift does Stanley give to Blanche for her Birthday? a. Why is it a cruel gift? b. How does Blanche respond? c. How does Stella respond?

A bus ticket back to Laurel a. Kicking her out b. She throws up c. She get's mad at Stanley

Scene 11 Question: When does this scene take place?

A few weeks later

Scene 8 Question: How does the introduction stage notes set the mood for the upcoming scene?

Awkward

Scene 6 Question: Describe Blanche's and Mitch's mood as they come home from their date? Why do they feel this way?

Awkward and quiet (small talk)

"I don't want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic. I try to give that to people. I do misrepresent things. I don't tell truths. I tell what ought to be truth."

Blanche

"—you left! I stayed and struggled! You came to New Orleans and looked out for yourself. I stayed at Belle Reve and tried to hold it together."

Blanche

Scene 1 Question: Describe the conversation between the two sisters. How does Blanche treat Stella? Why do you think she does this?

Blanche is mean/judgemental towards Stella and says these things in an effort to make herself feel better

Translation for Blanche DuBois

Blanche translates to White - purity, innocent - sounds: pretty, elegant, sophisticated, upper-class DuBois means "of the woods" - magical, illusions - lost, encounter danger

Stella (DuBois) Kowalski:

Blanche's younger sister. Stella married lower-class Stanley, and their relationship is abusive and is based on lust, rather than love.

Scene 10 Question: What is the symbolism of Blanche's "soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown"?

Damaged goods

Scene 9 Question: What is the symbolism of the Mexican Woman at the door?

Death

Scene 1 Question: What do the stage directions reveal about Stanley and Stella?

Different social classes, their relationship is based on lust rather than love

Scene 11 Question: Who rings the doorbell? a. Why are they at Stella and Stanley's apartment? b. How does Blanche react to them being there?

Doctor and Matron a. To take Blanche to the insane asylum b. Afraid

Scene 10 Question: What is Blanche's condition? What is Stanley's condition?

Drunk

Scene 3 Question: Describe the poker players. How is Mitch different from the other men? a. What does Blanche expect of the poker players when she arrives? b. How does Stanley react?

Drunk, full of themselves (at their peak manliness). But Mitch lives/cares for his sick mother who worries about him being alone a. To get up and greet her b. They didn't plan on it

Scene 11 Question: How does Mitch seem to feel about Blanche? Explain. a. How does Blanche seem to feel about him when Mitch's name is mentioned?

Feels sorry for her, still cares about her a. It sends her deeper into insanity

Scene 4 Question: How does Blanche offer to "save" Stella? What is Stella's reaction?

Getting an old boyfriend (Shep Huntleigh) to give them money to move out and open a store. Stella thinks Blanche's idea is crazy

Scene 3 Question: What happens after Stella calls Stanley a drunk animal? a. How does Blanche react? b. What does Stella decide to do? c. Explain the following quotation, "What's the matter? What's happened?" What does this reveal? d. How does Stanley react when he realizes Stella left him? e. What does Stella decide to do? Why do you think he does this? f. How does Blanche react to this? Why do you think she reacts in this way?

He beats her a. Blanche starts screaming and primarily concerned about the baby b. She goes upstairs to stay with Eunice c. Stanley's anger and drunkenness caused him to blackout d. Upset, remorseful; tells her that she loves him and begs her to come back home e. She forgives Stanley, because she "loves" him f. She's upset and confused

Scene 1 Question: What do the stage directions on page 29 suggest about Stanley?

He believes that women are objects and finds himself to be more dominant to them

Scene 2 Question: What does the opening conversation between Stanley and Stella reveal about their character?

He expects her to wait on him hand and foot (cook, clean, etc.)

Scene 11 Question: The scene opens with another poker night. How has Stanley's luck changed since the first poker night? a. How is this game symbolic?

He got lucky (Slept with Blanche, she's leaving etc.) a. He's gotten everything he wanted

Scene 9 Question: What is the symbolism of Mitch turning the light on and destroying the paper lantern? a. What does he realize?

He is done putting up with Blanches lies a. That she has been lying about her age

Scene 6 Question: How does Mitch respond to Blanche's secret about her past? a. What might Blanche have meant in her last line of this scene?

He is sweet and comforts her. He also suggests that they take care of each other a. She has hope for the future

Scene 2 Question: What secret does Stanley reveal? Why do you think he did this? a. How does Blanche react to the secret?

He reveals that Stella is pregnant in an effort to upset Blanche a. She was happy and excited for a "new beginning"

Scene 2 Question: Why is Stanley's suspicion concerning the loss of Belle Reve? a. What is the Napoleonic Code? b. What evidence does he give Stella about his suspicion? Do you agree?

He thinks that Blanche sold the house and kept the money for herself a. In a marriage, the husband and wife share everything b. The things in Blanche's trunk

Scene 3 Question: How does Stanley show his dominating personality over Stella?

He yells at her and slaps her thigh (hard)

Scene 3 Question: Stella introduces Blanche to Mitch. What is Blanche's immediate reaction to Mitch?

He's different from the other guys; he's polite (a gentleman)

Scene 3 Question: Why does Stanley throw the radio out the window? How does this affect the others?

He's jealous; doesn't like the fact that Mitch is dancing with Blanche. He starts to take his anger out on the others

Scene 3 Question: What are some of the lies that Blanche tells Mitch?

Her drinking, she says Stella's older than her, and that she's here to help Stella who has been feeling under the weather

Scene 9 Question: The doorbell rings. Blanche discovers it is Mitch. What does she do before she answers the door?

Hides the bottle and cleans herself up

Scene 6 Question: What questions does Mitch ask of Blanche? a. Why do you think Mitch wants to know this?

How old she is a. He didn't believe her answer the first time he asked

Scene 3 Question: Explain the significance of Mitch's silver cigarette case? a. How does this connect with Blanche?

It is an inscription of a poem (Blanche's favorite) that a former lover gave him a. They have both lost a lover

Scene 4 Question: How did Stella react to what Stanley did on their wedding night?

It turned her on (sexually)

Scene 9 Question: What do we learn about Varsouviana music? a. What always accompanies the music? What event does this music bring Blanche back to?

It's the same music that played when Blanche's husband killed himself

Scene 11 Question: What is Blanche's condition? a. How is Stella dealing with it?

Mentally unstable a. Sending her to an insane asylum

"You're not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother."

Mitch

Scene 8 Question: Who did not show up for Blanche's birthday dinner? a. Why wasn't he there?

Mitch a. Because of what Stanley had told him about Blanche

Scene 2 Question: What papers does Stanley find in Blanches trunk? a. What does Blanche say they are? b. What does she say about her husband?

Old love letters a. " " from her dead husband b. She had something to do with her husbands' death

Scene 1 Question: When Stanley, Mitch, and Steve return from bowling, what do they agree to do the next day?

Play poker at Stanley's house

Scene 10 Question: What can you infer from the ending stage direction? (Hint: pay attention to key words and music)

STANLEY RAPED HER

Scene 5 Question: What has Stanley found out about Blanche's past in Laurel? a. How does Blanche react when confronted with this situation

Shaw allegedly met her at a hotel (known for its prostitution) a. She gets all awkward

Scene 2 Question: When Blanche comes out of the bathroom, what does she ask of Stanley? a. Why do you think she does this? b. How does Stanley react?

She asks him how she looks a. She is insecure and is in constant need of reassurance b. He refuses to give her a compliment and tells her she looks ~okay~

Scene 4 Question: What is Blanche's attitude toward money? Explain.

She believes that you need money in order to be happy

Scene 1 Question: What happened to Belle Reve? a. How does Blanche use this to make Stella feel guilty? b. What did Blanche experience at Belle Reve after Stella left?

She couldn't pay for it and lost it a. She claims that Stella left her to deal with everything (family deaths and bankruptcy) and only came for the funerals b. Her entire family died

Scene 3 Question: Why does Blanche ask Mitch to place the paper lantern over the light bulb? What does the lantern symbolize, and what does covering the light bulb symbolize?

She doesn't want him to see her face because she is insecure about her looks

Scene 1 Question: How is Blanche's drinking problem introduced?

She downs a tumbler of whiskey but then lies about not knowing where the liquir is when Stanley asks her if she wants some

Scene 9 Question: Why does Mitch refuse to marry Blanche now?

She has slept around so much that he feels as though he can't bring her home to his mother

Scene 1 Question: What do we learn about Blanche's love life? What happened?

She is a widow

Scene 9 Question: Describe Mitch's condition and Blanche's reaction.

She is absolutely clueless about how mad Mitch is Both have been drinking

Scene 10 Question: Where is Stella for the night? What does this mean?

She is in labor and is spending the night at the hospital

Scene 1 Question: What does the author mean by "Blanche's appearance seemed incongruous to this setting"? What does this suggest about Blanche?

She is out of place, she believes that she's too good for lower class housing

Scene 6 Question: Describe Blanche's behavior with Mitch, Why is this behavior ironic?

She keeps her distance even though she had no problem kissing the paper boy

Scene 5 Question: How had Blanche deceived Mitch?

She lied about her age

Scene 9 Question: What upsets Mitch the most about Blanche? How did he verify the truth about her history in Laurel?

She lied about her pureness. He asked the supply man that travels to Laurel and a merchant from Laurel.

Scene 8 Question: What does Stella say that angers Stanley? a. What is Stanley's reaction? Why?

She orders him around a. He gets mad - throws dishes on the floor

Scene 10 Question: What lie does Blanche tell Stanley about Mitch? Why does she do this?

She say's that she couldn't forgive Mitch, when it was actually the other way around

Scene 4 Question: Describe the conversation Stanley overhears between Blanche and Stella. a. What was Stanley's reaction? b. How does Stella respond when Stanley enters the room? Why?

She says that he's not one of us (social classes) and that he has no humanity a. He pretends to know nothing b. She embraces him (basically a middle finger to Blanche)

Scene 5 Question: Explain Blanche's statement that she doesn't show how much longer she can "turn the trick."

She says there is no way she could ever be a prostitute because she can no longer hide her age

Scene 1 Question: How does Blanche react to Stella and Stanely's home? Why does she act this way?

She tells her that it's nice but a little small. She's grown up privileged.

Scene 10 Question: How has Blanche fallen victim to her own illusions?

She thinks Shep Huntleigh has called and asked her to go on a cruise with him

Scene 7 Question: What news does Stanley reveal about Blanche? a. What is the Flamingo Hotel? b. What did Blanche do at the Flamingo Hotel? c. Why did Blanche leave her job? d. How does Stella react to this news?

She told Mitch she was saint-like even though she's the complete opposite a. Second-class hotel b. Prostitution c. Got fired after it was revealed that she was sleeping with a student d. She's completely shocked and in denial

Scene 9 Question: What is Blanche like when scene 9 begins?

She's drinking away her feelings

Scene 1 Question: When Stella arrives home, Blanche tells her to turn off the overhead light. Why does she say this?

She's insecure

Scene 5 Question: What does Blanche's letter to Shep Huntleigh reveal about her?

She's lying to him about what she's been doing

Scene 1 Question: Describe Blanche's body language on page 18. What does this suggest?

She's proper and culture shocked

"What do you think you are? A pair of queens? Remember what Huey Long said—"Every man is a king!" And I'm the king around here, so don't forget it!"

Stanley

Scene 6 Question: What does Blanche tell Mitch about life with Stanley? a. What is Mitch's reaction?

Stanley and Blanche don't like each other, she feels uncomfortable around him a. He is surprised

Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

Stanley's friend, who tries to date Blanche. He is kind, a gentleman, and more sensitive than Stanley is.

"I'm not in anything I want to get out of."

Stella

Scene 4 Question: How is Blanche's understanding of desire different from Stella's?

Stella = Lust Blanche = Love

Scene 11 Question: Explain the following quotation by Stella: "I couldn't believe her story and go on living with Stanley." a. What does this imply? b. What is Eunice's advice to Stella?

Stella doesn't believe Blanche a. She's done b. To not believe Blanche and send her away

Scene 4 Question: Contrast Blanche and Stella's appearances the morning after the fight. a. How does this reflect their varying attitudes towards Stanley's violence?

Stella is calm and angelic while Blanche is the complete opposite a. Stella normalized it which made Blanche upset and confused

Stanley Kowalski

Stella's lower class husband. He is abusive, hot headed, and has no patience for Blanche's distortions of the truth.

Blanche DuBois:

Stella's older sister. She is a former debutante. Blanche is a talkative and fragile woman around the age of 30. She avoids reality, preferring to live in her own imagination and in the past.

Scene 2 Question: What news do we find out about Stella? Why do you think she doesn't want Blanche to know?

Stella's pregnant, and is worried that the news could upset Blanche

Scene 8 Question: What happens at the end of the scene?

Tells Stanley to take her to the hospital, implying that her water just broke

Scene 9 Question: How does Blanche justify her sleeping around?

Tells herself and others that she is heartbroken and lonely

Scene 3 Question: How does Stella view her husband Stanley in relation to the other men?

That his career is going somewhere

Scene 1 Question: What reason does Blanche give for her arrival in New Orleans?

The Super-intendant has taken a leave of absence from teaching because she was on the verge of a mental breakdown

Scene 8 Question: Why is Stanley anxiously awaiting Blanche's departure? a. What does the reveal about his relationship with Stella?

The lust they have now is different from the lust they had before Blanche arrived a. It's all lust

Scene 1 Question: What is Belle Reve?

The plantation that Stella and Blanche grew up on

Novel Background

The play focuses on the transition between the old traditions of the American South and the newly industrialized South. (specifically New Orleans) - Up until the 1940s, the American South had an agricultural driven economy which allowed for a distinct white upper class.

Scene 6 Question: What does Blanche tell Mitch about her past? a. How does this incident in Blanche's past affect her present life?

The story of how her husband died and the reason a. She's emotionally damaged, she's lonley but also has trust issues

Scene 7 Question: What is the irony of the song Blanche sings in the bathtub?

The theme of the song is being a phony

Change and the Characters

These two character represent the two different outlooks and change in society: **Blanche - romantic old-fashioned, traditionalist and elitist views **Stanley - new America, American dream, anyone can succeed if they work hard. **Stella is a hybrid character: one who was of the old traditions, but has moved with the times as a result of her marriage to Stanley.

Scene 10 Question: Why does Stanley get out his silk pajamas?

They're his celebratory pjs: He has worn the, om his wedding night and is now wearing them on the birth of his child

Scene 3 Question: What do the comments made by Mitch, at the end of the scene, tell us about the relationship of Stanley and Stella?

This is normal for Stanley and Stella

Scene 5 Question: Why does the teenager come to the apartment? a. What happens between Blanche and him? b. What do we learn about Blanche from this encounter?

To collect money for the newspaper a. She flirts with him and then kisses him b. She is desperate and lonely

Scene 5 Question: What does Blanche hope for in a relationship with Mitch?

To earn his respect

Scene 7 Question: How does Stanley destroy Blanche's plans for her future? a. What are Stanley's plans for Blanche?

Told Mitch everything he had heard a. To send her back to Laurel

Scene 10 Question: What images/noises does Blanche begin to see/hear?

idk

Scene 11 Question: Cite evidence that Blanche seems to be obsessed with purity.

the grapes, shampoo and hair, church bells