A Streetcar Named Desire
Stella asks Stanley "Why did you do this to her?" (137). What is his answer?
It was better before she came and you did not mind common life (S8)
Where is Blanche from?
Laurel, Mississippi (S1)
What is Harold Mitchell's nickname?
Mitch (S3)
Who offers Blanche a shoulder to cry on after the events of the evening?
Mitch (S3)
Who is the old beau that Blanche says she will call to help them leave?
Shep Huntleigh (S4)
Who is the muscular and unrefined auto parts supplier?
Stanley (S1)
Stanley explains to Stella that it is "gonna be all right after she goes" (133). Explain.
Stanley & Stella were happy before Blanche came (S8)
Stanley brings up a man named Shaw to Blanche. Explain.
Stanley does not like Blanche & is trying to dig up some dirt from her past. (S5)
"So I have been told. And told and told and told!" (118). What does this reveal?
Stanley is stick of how Blanche acts superiour (S7)
"Oh! So you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house!" What follows this line by Stanley?
Stanley rapes Blanche (S10)
Why isn't Mitch coming to celebrate?
Stanley told Mitch everything (S7)
How does scene 8 end?
Stella is in labor (S8)
What does Stanley lecture Stella on as he tries to determine what happened to Belle Reve?
The Napoleonic Code (S2)
What does Blanche think will kill her?
an unwashed grape (S11)
What is the drink of choice at the poker game?
beer (S3)
What does being straight mean as used by Mitch?
being honest (S9)
Where does Stella decide to go in order to join Stanley for the evening?
bowling alley (S1)
According to Blanche, Stanley is...
common (S4)
How does Stella react to the lies?
defends her sister (S7)
"Don't ever believe it. Life has got to go on. No matter what happens, you've got to keep on going" (166). What does Eunice's line reveal?
during this time, a woman with a baby needs a man to provide/survive (S11)
What is Blanche's plan?
for Shep Huntleigh to set her and Stella up in a "shop of some kind" so she can leave Stanley. - Blanche admits that she's broke (S4)
What do you notice about Mitch during scene 11?
he felt bad for Blanche and started to get upset/angry (S11)
What does Stanley do when Stella asks them to wrap up their game?
he hits her (S3)
"Now, honey. Now, love. Now, now, love" (179). Why is Stanley acting like this to Stella?
he thinks this is what Stella wants/needs, he also misses being intimate w/his wife (S11)
Blanche tries to justify her past behavior to Mitch. What does she say?
her empty heart, she was trying to fill her empty heart w/men after losing Allan (S9)
What will Stanley be doing when the women are out?
hosting the poker game (S2)
What is the main focus of Scene 4? (AFTER the Poker game)
it focuses on Blanche's reaction to Stanley's abuse. She doesn't understand how Stella, raised in Belle Reve, could choose this type of life. (S4)
Why doesn't Blanche like the light?
it reveals the truth, which is her age (S9)
What does Blanche squirt onto Stanley, trying to flirt with him?
jasmine perfume (S2)
Why isn't Blanche teaching at this time?
leave of absence (S1)
What topic do Blanche and Mitch connect on?
loss; death (S6)
What does Stanley grab roughly from Blanche's trunk?
love letters from her dead husband (S2)
Where does Blanche think she is going?
on a trip with Shep Huntleigh (S11)
How do the men attempt to calm Stanley down?
put him in a cold shower (S3)
According to Stanley, what is lie #1?
she gave Mitch the impression that she has only kissed a fellow; however, she was a prostitute at the Flamingo and kicked out (S7)
What is Blanche doing at the beginning of scene 10?
she is playing dress up (S10)
When Stanley offers Blanche a drink, how does she react?
she said she rarely drinks (S1)
Why is Stanley angry with Stella?
she serves Blanche (S7)
What is lie #2?
she was fired for having relations with a 17-year old boy (S7)
What does Stella reveal about Blanche's past?
she was tender and trusting, but people abused her forcing her to change (S8)
What does Stanley fear Blanche has done with Belle Reve?
sold it for money (S2)
What does Blanche call Stanley that gets him angry?
swine (S10)
What does Blanche do in order to prepare for her nights out with Stella?
take a bath (S2)
What is Blanche doing at the beginning of scene 11? Why?
taking a bath to wash away what Stanley has done to her (rape) (S11)
What is Blanche doing as the scene opens? (scene 7)
taking a hot bath (S7)
What does the blind woman selling flowers represent to Blanche?
the death of Allan and death in the sense of losing herself (S9)
"Whoever said you are- I have always depended on the kindness of strangers" (178). What does Blanche's line refer to?
the many men she was intimate w/at the Flamingo & the fact that her family is not there for her. (Stella w/the rape) (S11)
At the beginning of scene 11, Eunice says, "I always did say that men are callous things with no feelings, but this does beat anything" (164). Why is she saying this?
the men are playing poker as Blanche is being taken away to the mental institute (S11)
What does Stanley throw to Stella which amuses Eunice?
the package of meat (S1)
In this scene, Steve & Eunice are fighting. What does this reveal?
their relationship parallels Stella & Stanley's relationship - low class lives - male dominance through physical abuse - Eunice accuses Steve of cheating & he hits her (S5)
What are the guys doing at the opening of scene 11?
they are playing cards (S11)
What happend after Blanche walked in the room?
they pretended nothing had been discovered & all 3 of them drove out to Moon Lake Casino very drunk (S6)
What does Stanley do with the radio?
throws it out the window (S3)
Blanche asks Mitch a sexual question in French knowing he can not understand her. Why do you think she does this?
to release her guilt; this is what she wants (S6)
What does Blanche do that annoys Stanley?
touches the radio; turns it on (S3)
"I couldn't believe her story had to go on living with Stanley" (165). What does Stella's line reveal?
wheather she believes Blanche or not, she has to side with Stanley in order to stay with him (S11)
"Never for one moment since has there been any light that's stronger than this- kitchen candle..." (115).
when Blanche was married the light was bright- ever since his death, the light is dim (S6)
What causes Blanche to yell "Fire"?
when Mitch says, "you're not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother" (150). (S9)
What does Blanche find to drink as she is waiting in Stella's apartment?
whiskey (S1)
How old was Blanche when she met him? Explain their marriage.
- 16 - they ran away and got married (S6)
Explain Belle Reve
- Blanche & Stella grew up on this plantation - big white columns - represented wealth - Blanche lost it b/c she had to pay money for many funerals - Blanche feels that Stella abandoned her when she needed her most - for Stanley this causes resentment toward him - no money left - in the country
Why is a doctor at the flat?
- Blanche is completely broken - the doctor is taking her to a mental institution (S11)
What happens when Stanley eats a chop with his fingers?
- Stella calls him a pig & tells him to wash up and clean up the table - Stanley is angry with the way she is speaking to him and cleans his plate by throwing it on the floor (S8)
The scene closes with Stella embracing Stanley, while Stanley smilies at Blanche. What is significant?
- Stella is showing Blanche that she chooses Stanley - Stanley is telling Blanche that he wins (S4)
Describe Stanley
- cool farcade - married to Stella - on a bowling team - enjoys drinking, cars, girls, & poker - 5'8" / 5'9" - stong build - arrogant; pig
When the loud train passes, what opportunity does Stanley have? What does he hear?
- eavesdrop - Blanche verbally attacks Stanley's character calling him ape-like and not having gentleman like qualities. (S4)
Describe Stella & Stanley's flat
- first floor - 2 rooms - no door dividing the rooms - pull out bed for Blanche is in the kitchen - small bathroom
How do we know Mitch really likes Blanche? (TWO major reasons)
- he told his mom about her - he tells her he wants to be with her (S6)
Describe Stella
- married to Stanley - 25 years old - comes from money; married poor - lives in first floor flat in Elysian Fields - put on some weight (pregnant) - proud of Stanley - obsessed with Stanley - pregnant
According to Blanche, how was he unlike a man?
- nervousness - softness - tenderness (S6)
Describe Eunice
- owns the flats & lives upstairs to Stella & Stanley - nice & helpful - married to Steve
"This game is seven-card stud" (179). Why do you think they play ends this way?
- poker entails deception: poker face, bluffing=Blanche - all of Blanche's lies have been revealed - Stanley won the game between him & Blanche
Describe Mitch
- polite - a gentleman - opposite of Stanley (S6)
How does Blanche react to "we should all go out together some night" (109-111).
- she explains that Stanley does not like her - she's looking for sympathy & for him to rescue her - she's trying to find out if Stanley talks about her (S6)
Why is his death so painful to Blanche?
- she loved him - she feels responsible - she feels that he was asking for help their whole marriage (S6)
What doesn't Blanche like about her living conditions?
- she overstayed her welcome - Stanley walks around in his underwear - no privacy - Stanley doesn't close the bathroom door (S6)
Blanche will be meeting Mitch this evening. What does she reveal to Stella?
- she will act prim & proper to win him over - she's aging and fears it - she wants Mitch to save her (S5)
What becomes clear to the reader about Blanche when she arrives to Elysian Fields?
- she's judgemental; rude - she's not from there - she doesn't fit in - she doesn't like how her sister is living
Describe Blanche
- snobby - Stella's older sister (5 years) - lost Belle Reve - drinks - english teacher on leave - high maintence - lonely - widow - sensitive - needs compliments - kept her weight
"I've got th' dope on your big sister, Stella" (118). What is Stella's response to this?
- stop picking on her - she's senstive - Blanche and I grew up under very different circumstances (S7)
Blanche says to Eunice when she arrived at her sisters, "They told me to take a street-car named Desire" (6). Explain the significance.
- this street car takes Blanche from where she was to where she desires to go. (point A to point B)
Explain the meaning of the Varsouviana (polka music) & the gunshot
- this was the music playing at the casino when Allan shot himself - Blanche now hears it when she talks about him & it stops with the sound of a gunshot (S6)
What 2 major lies does Blanche tell in scene 10?
- winning a cruise with Shep Huntleigh - Mitch came to apologize with flowers (S10)
How many candles does Stella put on Blanche's cake?
25 (S7)
What was Blanche's husband's name?
Allan Grey (S6)
What did Blanche see in the room she expected to be empty?
Allan with an older man who had been his friend for years (S6)
On what plantation was Stella raised?
Belle Reve (S1)
What does the young man, the newspaper boy, reveal?
Blanche is a pedophile (S5)
"Sometimes-there's God-so quickly!" (116).
Blanche is referring to Mitc saving her (S6)
Why does Stanley have to tell Blanche that he is a 100% American? (134)
Blanche keeps calling him a Polack, which is offensive (S8)
Describe the night at the casino
Blanche yells at Allan "I saw! I know! You disgust me..." He runs out of the casino and sticks a revolver in his mouth and fired (S6)
In the start of scene 7, what day is it?
Blanche's birthday (S7)
What does Stella confess that Stanley did on their wedding night?
Break a light bulb with her slipper (S4)
Where do Stella & Blanche retreat?
Eunice's appartment upstairs (S3)
