Streetcar reading questions (midterm)

what has happened to Belle Reve? how does Blanche try to make Stella feel guilty for what has happened?

Blanche could no longer pay for it so it was taken away, she makes her guilty by saying she was trying to protect the plantation while Stella ran away to New Orleans

what celebration is in the works as the scene opens and why is this irony?

Blanche's birthday is in the works. this is ironic because she lies about her age and Stella is covering up for her by using 25 candles

why are Steve and Eunice quarreling? how does Blanche react when she hears it?

Eunice accuses Steve of cheating on her which he denies. Blanche is concerned that Steve killed her but is also jotting slang terms down in her notebook to remember.

what does Eunice say that indicates this isn't the first time he has struck Stella?

Eunice says what the others did to punish Stanley last time, meaning it has happened before

what does Blanche learn about Stanley before she meets him? what image does she form of him?

He is Polish, a Master Sergeant in the Engineers' Corps, has a civilian background, and he travels, he also is unaware that Blanche is coming. she thinks he is primitive and an animal

Stanley tells Stella that he told Mitch about Blanche's past. why did he tell him? what was Mitch's response?

Mitch is his best friend and he does not want him living a lie in a relationship with Blanche. Mitch was surprised and now wants nothing to do with Blanche.

who rings the doorbell? what does Blanche do before she opens the door? describe the visitor's condition and Blanche's reaction.

Mitch rings the doorbell and Blanche puts perfume and powder on quickly before opening the door. he has been drinking and seems aggressive, and Blanche is excited that he is there but also angry that he did not show up to their birthday dinner.

what news does Stanley reveal about Blanche and how does Stella respond?

Stanley reveals all the lies Blanche has told, including that she lived at the Flamingo instead of Belle Reve before living with them. Stella is in denial and does not believe Stanley.

what feeling prevails at the end of the play, and how is this feeling communicated?

Stanley shows love for Stella by hugging and soothing her

what is the situation at the end of the scene? discuss the significance of Stanley's final line in this scene.

Stanley succeeds in sexually assaulting Blanche. she tries to save herself but cannot. his final line signifies that this was bound to happen from the get-go.

what does Blanche hope for in a relationship with Mitch?

a real relationship and for him to not find out her real age

how does Stella ask Stanley to understand and be nice to Blanche?

because of how sensitive Blanche gets if people do not compliment her appearance. she knows Blanche will get upset because of her previous meltdown and wants to prevent it

Stanley disappears into the bathroom. how does Blanche now attempt to save herself from disaster?

by calling Western Union so she can leave quickly

how has Stella deluded herself?

by forcing herself to not believe that Stanley cheated even though she knows deep down it's true

what is Eunice's advice to Stella?

disregard Blanche's statements, do not believe them, and move on

explain Stella's assessment of Stanley in relation to the other men.

he has a drive and is determined to work hard

how does Mitch respond to Blanche's offer of a drink?

he immediately denies a drink because he does not want Stanley's liquor

what impression of Mitch is created during this opening scene?

he is a very caring person who is considerate of his mom because he leaves the poker game with his friends to be with her

why does Mitch embrace Blanche?

he wants to sleep with her instead of having a full-on relationship

why is Stella's labor and the suggestion of birth appropriate at the end of this scene?

it adds a dramatic mood to the scene that just occurred

explain the dramatic use of the piano music in the background.

it adds intensity and enhances the mood in the end of the scene. it shows the dramatic effect the scene had on the characters

how is Stella described in the stage directions? how does she contrast with Stanley?

nice, gentle young woman who is originally from the higher class which is different than Stanley

how does Blanche respond when Mitch asks to kiss her? why is her response ironic?

she asks why he asks if he may kiss her. it is ironic because he has manners and is a gentleman

how does Blanche respond to the doctor and matron's arrival?

she becomes frightened and anxious

how does Blanche react to Stella's apartment?

she does not believe Stella lives there because they come from so much money and it is very small. she is shocked to see her live here because she does not know any different

Explain Blanche's statement that she doesn't know how much longer she can "turn the trick".

she does not know how much longer she can lie about things like her age and how she acts younger than she actually is. she gets worked up about her age and thinks that men will not like her because she is too "old"

what is Blanche's reaction when she discovers she has arrived at Stella's home?

she is horrified of the location and is hesitant to enter

what is Blanche's attitude about money? how does she react when Stella offers her pocket money?

she prioritizes money before love. she denies pocket money from Stella

what does Blanche reveal about her past? why does she confide in Mitch?

she tells him how she got married at 16 to a man who was depressed, and he dragged her down to his level. he ended up killing himself. she confides in him because she needs someone close to talk to.

what does Blanche tell Stanley about truth and illusion? what "truth" does she tell Stanley?

she tells him that a woman's charm is 50% illusion, but she tells the truth when something is important. she tells Stanley that she has not cheated him or Stella with anything

what is the significance of Blanche's final line?

she was never treated well by others and it was masked over desire

what expressionistic effects are created just before and after Blanche is attacked by Stanley? what mood is created?

there is tension and fearful effects created during this exchange. the mood turns into a shocking and sad effect.

how do Stanley, Pablo, and Steve react Mitch's desire to quit the game?

they make fun of him and know it is because of his mother so they mock him

what dramatic function do Steve and Eunice, as a couple, serve?

they symbolize Stanley and Stella in the future as a couple

what are Stanley's plans for Blanche?

to move Blanche out as soon as possible and make her leave on her own by train

what is the purpose of Mitch's appearance at the end of the scene?

to show how Blanche leads people on and to show how unphased she is by what just happened

what is Stanley's birthday present for Blanche? why is this a cruel gift? how does she react?

train ticket to Laurel, which is cruel because it tells her that he wants her to leave. she laughs at first, then runs away and starts to have an anxiety attack.

what does Stella say that angers Stanley? what is his reaction and why?

when she calls him a pig and asks him to help clean up. he reacts by throwing his plate on the ground because he thinks he is the king of the house and does not need to

how is Blanche's drinking problem introduced?

when she drinks whiskey as soon as she is left alone in the room. she acts sneaky about it as if she needs it to calm her nerves

Blanche hears the cathedral bells chime. what does this chiming represent?

chiming represents the time passing and shows that Blanche must be leaving soon

what mood do the opening stage directions and setting description create? what effect is created with the "blue piano" music?

creates a 1920s-1930s jazz-era mood with piano in the background. gives a sense of what the neighborhood is like and time period

describe the situation at the beginning of the scene.

everyone is finishing their dinner and there is tension

what might Blanche have meant in her last line of this scene?

god has sent someone to her so she can finally have a source of love

when does the flower vendor appear? what purpose does he serve?

he appears as Mitch and Blanche are fighting over Blanche's lies. he symbolizes the death of their relationship

how does Mitch respond to her secret about her past?

he comforts and kisses her, telling her that she always has him to lean on

what does Stanley conclude about the loss of Belle Reve?

he concludes that she is lying about Belle Reve and still has something to do with it

Mitch reveals that he knows about Blanche's past. how did he verify the truth about her past?

he got information from Stanley, the supply-man, and the merchant from Laurel

who is the young man, and why does he come to the apartment? what happens between him and Blanche? what do we learn about Blanche from this scene?

he is a collector who collects for "the evening star". Blanche ends up kissing him and we learn that she has had romantic history with "children"

tell how tension is created with the appearance of Stanley.

he is drunk, foreshadowing something bad

why is Stanley, and not Mitch or Blanche, the best character to now tear the paper lantern from the bulb?

he is most likely to tear it because of his aggression and is symbolically ripping away her protection

what has Stanley learned of Blanche's past in Laurel? how did he learn this?

he learns that she was not the type of person that went to hotels like the Flamingo. he asks Blanche if she knows someone named Shaw from Laurel, who said he saw her at the Flamingo many times.

describe the conversation Stanley overhears between Blanche and Stella. give Stanley's reaction. how does Stella respond when Stanley enters the room? why?

he overhears Blanche ranting to Stella about his animal-like tendencies and how she needs to get away from him. he walks in afterwards and greets the two, acting like nothing happened. Stella immediately embraces him with a hug to show Blanche that she disagrees with her and is on Stanley's side

Blanche claims to have forgotten something. what is Stanley's response to this, and how does this response become symbolic?

he says she should take her paper lantern. the lantern covers the light and provides protection and comfort

describe Mitch's reaction after he turns on the light.

he stares at Blanche then turns it off again

the scene opens on another poker night. how has Stanley's luck changed since the first poker game? how is this game symbolic?

he starts believing he is lucky and puts down a rule that 4 out of 5 would not come through. it's symbolic because he is actually lucky with becoming a father

what does the appearance of the tamale vendor suggest at the end of this scene?

he suggests that there might be tension in the next scene, or it could reflect on the tension in the last scene

how does Stanley exhibit his "commonness" when he first meets Blanche?

he takes his shirt off and treats her like a normal person, does not show mannerism when meeting her which offends her modesty

how does Stanley know that Blanche is lying about her encounter with Mitch? how does he react to this last episode of lies?

he talked to Mitch after he ended things with Blanche. he has had it with her lies and explodes violently at her

Stella demands to know why Stanley has done this to Blanche. what does he tell her and how does Stella respond?

he tells her that Blanche ruined their relationship and Stella begins to go into labor

how does Mitch become involved when Blanche retreats? what does this indicate about his temperament?

he tries to save her and strikes Stanley when he pushes him away, it indicates that he still cares for Blanche and loses his temper when she is being harmed

why does Stanley disregard Stella's request to keep her pregnancy a secret? how does Blanche respond when she learns Stella is pregnant?

he wanted to use it as an excuse to get Blanche's papers through the Napoleonic Code. she is thrilled about the pregnancy and acts very excited

why does Mitch destroy the paper lantern? why is this symbolic?

he wants to see Blanche's face in plain light for once. this is symbolic because he rips off all the lies she has been hiding and she can no longer hide in the dark

why does Stanley slap Stella?

he was drunk and knew she would not do anything to stop it and defend herself

why does Blanche say she can't forgive Mitch? why is this ironic?

he was not being realistic enough. this is ironic because she said she would rather have magic than realism in the last scene

how does Stanley react to the news that Belle Reve has been lost?

he was suspicious of the news and was prying for more information as to how Belle Reve was lost

what is the color of the dress Blanche has chosen for her departure? how does this color become symbolic?

her dress is blue, which is symbolic because it represents sadness, which symbolizes the mood of the scene. it also represents loyalty which is ironic because Stella is being disloyal to Blanche.

Blanche says that she has been foolish to cast her pearls before swine. what are Blanche's "pearls", and why does she feel that she has cast them before "swine"?

her pearls are her personality and she feels she has cast them before swine because no one appreciates her when she did

what is Mitch's response when he hears Blanche's voice? what does this suggest about his feelings for Blanche?

his arms sag and his vision gazes when he hears her voice. it suggests that he is not completely over Blanche

as the play opens, how is Stanley's primitive nature revealed?

his language and physical appearance described by the author. he calls Stella "baby" in front of other people and wears denim pants and a bowling jacket, showing he is in the working class

why does Mitch want to know her age?

his mother wanted to know how old she was and he did not know, and he was unable to tell her

what does Blanche tell Mitch about life with Stanley and what is his reaction?

how Stanley is impolite and walks around in his underwear at night without shutting doors. Mitch does not think Stanley hates Blanche

when does scene 10 begin? what is Blanche's condition at the beginning of the scene?

it begins a few hours after Blanche kicked Mitch out. Blanche is intoxicated and has lost her mind.

why does she ask Mitch to place the paper lantern over the light bulb? what does the lantern symbolize, and what does covering it symbolize?

it brings less light to her face, and the lantern symbolizes a cover to all her lies she tells and covering it symbolizes Blanche covering her true self with lies

how does this incident in her past life affect her present life?

it gives her PTSD and trust issues with other people

how does the use of color imagery set the scene and create mood?

it gives the reader details of what working class men wear and it shows their painting attire

why does Stanley get out his silk pajamas?

it is a "special occasion", just like his wedding night which is when he wore them

describe the story Stanley tells Blanche about his cousin. why does he tell this story?

it is about his cousin who used to break bottles open with his teeth until he eventually broke his teeth off. he tells this because he opens a bottle and it remind him, also foreshadowing a bad event in the near future

explain the significance of Mitch's silver cigarette case and how it helps to increase the attraction between Blanche and Mitch.

it is good quality and shows wealth which Blanch is impressed by

Blanche tells Mitch the meaning of her name. how is it both ironic and symbolic?

it is ironic that Blanche means white/light because she hates the light. it is symbolic because white also refers to luxury, such as pearls, and Blanche has a lot of money and luxurious items

Blanche recalls a death scene. then she tells Mitch that the opposite of death is desire. what does this mean?

it means she would die to have desirable moments back

what is ironic about the song Blanche sings in the bathroom?

it talks about phony and make-believe things, just like what she has been doing to everyone

why does Stanley throw the radio out the window? describe the immediate effect this has on Blanche.

it was making too much noise during poker, and Blanche immediately protected Stella

what expressionistic devices are coupled with the doctor's arrival, and what effects do the devices create?

literary expressionism, which shows inside Blanche's mind, and visual and sound expressionism which shows imagery in the scene

what does the opening dialogue suggest about the poker players?

poker is a routine thing men do once a week and they are very serious about it

the author often relies on stage directions to establish character rather than dialogue. explain what the stage directions reveal about Stanley's character.

reveals that he is a toxic and animalistic character who only takes pleasure in women

why is Blanche depressed at the opening of this scene?

she did not have a good time with Mitch and she felt responsible because it was the social norm for the woman to keep the mood happy and light

what is Blanche's immediate reaction to Mitch? what does she tell Stella?

she feels attracted to him and is interested in their conversation. she tells Stella that Mitch seems superior to the other men

describe Stella's return to Stanley. why is Blanche so shocked? what is Mitch's comment about their reconciliation?

she has a dramatic return as she walks down the stairs and pets his head. Blanche is shocked because Stella went back so quickly after he hit her. Mitch comments that they are crazy about each other.

explain what ironies exist during Blanche's "special moment"

she has a fear of showing her true self in front of Mitch, so she goes back and forth between romantic and resenting

Blanche indicates that she will be leaving soon. why is she planning to leave?

she has overstayed her welcome

what reason does Blanche provide for her arrival in New Orleans?

she is a teacher and was paid early to leave before spring break because she was having a nervous breakdown

what is known about Blanche before she speaks her first line?

she is described as a frail woman in the higher class and is concerned of the location Stella is in

what is Blanche doing as the scene opens? why?

she is drinking liquor and sitting very tense because she is scared about what might happen between her and Mitch

what is Blanche's condition? what action has Stella taken regarding Blanche?

she is not in good condition and people think she is hallucinating about being assaulted by Stanley. Stella calls a doctor to bring Blanche to a mental hospital.

describe Stella's reaction to Stanley's violence. what does he do to her? how do the others in the apartment respond to this outburst?

she is scared and wants to get away from Stanley. he hits her and the others try to hold him back and calm him down

what deceptions surface in Blanche's conversation with Mitch?

she lies that two glasses of alcohol is her limit, that she is older than Stella by less than a year, that she is adaptable, and that Stella was run down when she came to live with her.

what important detail does Blanche reveal about her past and how does she react to this?

she reveals her husband died and then falls on the chair and says she feels ill

Stanley asks Blanche why she is all dressed up. what reason does Blanche give? what is Stanley's response?

she says she received an invite to a Caribbean cruise and she is trying to find an outfit. Stanley knows she is lying and responds sarcastically

what does Blanche say about realism and magic? why does she prefer magic? what has he been trying to do for Mitch with her magic?

she says she wants magic instead of realism. she prefers magic because she does not like the truth, but what ought to be the truth. she has been trying to seem like a better person in front of Mitch.

what lies does Blanche tell Stanley about Mitch, and why does she tell them?

she says that he came back to her and she had to tell him to leave, but their relationship ended up on good terms. she tells him this so she does not seem desperate and ruin her image

how and why does Blanche drive Mitch away at the end of the scene?

she screams "fire" because he says he wants a physical relationship, then denies marrying her because she is not clean enough.

why does Blanche take the tin box from the trunk? what is in it?

she takes the tin box out to prove she does not have any papers Stella does not know about from Belle Reve. there were love letters inside.

what does Stella say when she learns of Blanche's shock over the reconciliation? what does Stella reveal about her wedding night that further shocks Blanche?

she tells Blanche to calm down because she does not think its a big deal. she reveals that Stanley acted like this on their wedding day by throwing things around violently

what does Blanche urge Stella to do? what is her response? how does Shep Huntleigh figure into this scheme?

she tells her to leave Stanley because of his violent tendencies. Stella laughs it off and says no, thinking it's normal. Shep Huntleigh was the boyfriend of Blanche, and Blanche tries to get her and Stella a place to get away from Stanley

how is Stella's understanding of desire different from Blanche's?

she thinks love is blind with her and Stanley and confuses love with lust. Blanche acts practical and knows the relationship is unhealthy.

when Stella comes home, why does Blanche tell her to turn off the over-head light? what does this reveal about her?

she thinks she looks bad and will only look at her when she is fully made up. this shows her insecurities of her looks and how self-absorbed she is

what does Blanche do that seems flirtatious? how does Stanley react?

she tries to get Stanley to compliment her while describing her pretty dress, asking him to button it, and spraying him with her perfume. he does not fall for it and completely rejects her

who does Blanche try to phone and why? what does she do when she learns this person is not home?

she tries to phone Mitch to see is he is coming to the party. she becomes anxious when he does not pick up and thinks he left her.

why is Stella taking Blanche out for the night? what is Stanley's reaction?

she wants her to get comfortable at a party while Stanley is at poker. Stanley does not care about what Stella does and all he asks is where his supper is

why is Blanche nervous when preparing for her date with Mitch? how has she deceived him?

she wants respect from Mitch and feels bad for lying

why is Blanche writing Shep a letter? what do the contents of the letter reveal about Blanche?

she wants to visit him in Dallas while she is in New Orleans with Stella. the contents reveal that Blanche is very flirtatious towards men when she wants to be in a relationship. she leads people on and tries to be romantic when she wants or needs something.

at the beginning of the scene, Blanche is taking a bath. what is the symbolic meaning of this?

symbolizes Blanche brightening her physical image because of her concern of how she looks, and washing away the sins

Stanley returns home. why? what condition is he in?

the doctors told him to get sleep since the baby would not come home until the next day. he is drunk along with Blanche.

Stanley tells Stella that his life has been interrupted by the arrival of Blanche as well as Stella's pregnancy. what kind of life does he want to return to?

the life where their relationship was only based on physical affection

what is the napoleonic code? when Stanley mentions the code to Blanche, how does she respond?

whatever belongs to the wife also belongs to the husband in a relationship. she does not feel threatened by this and acts rather playful towards him