Blanche points, quotes and context

Introduction

Introduction

“her appearance is incongruous in the setting. she is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice […] her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light” southern belle and costuming, plastic theatre

Foreshadowing

“They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at at - Elysian Fields!” meaning of elysian fields, symbolism, Mood’s essay on the structure of street car

letters

“these are love-letters, yellowing with antiquity, all from one boy. [he snatches them up. she speaks fiercely.] Give those back to me […] the touch of your hands insults them!” symbol for her connection to old America and its destruction alongside the growth of a new america

Artist

“I like an artist who paints in strong, bold colours. I don’t like pinks and creams and I never cared for wishy-washy people” Williams made his own brightly coloured paintings, colours are representative of emotion in the play

name

“it’s a French name, it means woods and Blanche means white, so the two together mean white woods. Like an orchard in spring” colonisation of America by the French, old America, woods in fairy tales representing danger and the unknown

drinking

“I’m not accustomed to having more than one drink. Two is the limit- and three [she laughs.] Tonight I had three” Williams and his father both struggled with alcoholism

Classism

“there’s even something- sub-human - something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! yes something - ape like about him” racist south

Reliance

“I ran into Shep Huntleigh […] you’ve heard of oil-wells? […] he has them, all over Texas. Texas is literally sprouting gold in his pockets” patriarchal society of America, American capitalism and the obsession with money, old America thriving

leaky roof

“I’ve run for protection, Stella, from under one leaky roof to another leaky roof - because it was storm - all storm, and I was - caught in the centre” metaphor for blanches sexual promiscuity

soft

“Soft people have got to - shimmer and glow - put a - paper lantern over the light […] I don’t know how much longer I can turn the trick […] I’m fading now” the moth

young man

“young man! young, young, young, young - man! has anyone ever told you that yu look like a young prince out of the Arabian Nights"?” Williams often had relationships with younger men

fantasy

“We are going to be very bohemian. We are going to pretend that we are sitting in a little artists’ café on the left bank of Paris [she lights a candle stub and puts it in a bottle] je suis la dame aux camellias! Vous êtes - Armand!” parallels between this novel and the play especially the similarities between la dame aux camellias a prostitute who wears red when menstruating and unavailable for sex and blanche, she is in search for her true love

Varsouviana

“polka music sounds, in a minor key faint with distance.] we danced the varsouviana! suddenly in the middle of the dance the boy i had married broke away from me and ran out of the casino. a few moments later - a shot! [the polka stops abruptly. blanche rises stiffly. then the polka resumes in a major key.]” musical harshness of the varsouviana, plastic theatre

paper moon song

“It’s a Barnum and Bailey world, just as phony as it can be - but it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me” P.T. Barnum and Ella Fitzgerald representing new america

Hydrotherapy

“in the bathroom the water goes on loud; little breathless cries and peals of laughter are heard […] oh, i feel so good after my long, hot bath, I feel so good and cool and - rested!” William’s sister being institutionalised and lobotomised she would have used hydrotherapy

Downfall

“Blanch tries to smile. Then she tries to laugh. Then she gives both up and springs from the table and runs into the next room. She clutches her throat and then runs into the bathroom. Coughing and gagging sounds are heard” William’s breakdown while working under his father in a shoe factory

spanish

“el pan de mais, el pan de mais , el pan de mis sin sal” symbolic of Blanche’s mind cracking as she is completely intolerant of other nationalities living in America, Williams also had an abusive relationship with a Mexican-American man

magic

“I’ll tell you what I want. Magic [Mitch laughs] yes, yes magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell the truth. I tell what ought to be the truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it”

Purity

“she has decked herself out in a somewhat soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown and a pair of scuffed silver slippers with brilliants set in their heels” contrast in costuming from the beginning of the play, plastic theatre

Lighting

“lurid reflections appear on the walls around Blanche. the shadows are of a grotesque and menacing form […] the night is filled with inhuman voices like cries in the jungle” plastic theatre lighting

Varsouviana 2

“the ‘Varsouviana?’ the polka tune they were playing when Allan - wait! [a distant shot is heard, Blanche seems relieved.] There now, the shot! it always stops after that. [the polka music dies out again]” break in the 4th wall, plastic theatre

Mary

“its Della Robbia blue. the blue of the robe in the old Madonna pictures” symbolism of the virgin Mary and who she desires to be in her holiness and purity, Williams’ maternal grandfather was a minister

Exit

“ whoever you are - I have always depended on the kindness of strangers […] she allows him to lead her as if she were blind” his guilt following the institutionalisation of his sister after she had been sexually abused by their father

Whole acronym

I.F.L.A.N.D.R.C.L.S.Y.F.V.H.D.P.S.V2.M.P.L.M.E

Acronym meaning

Introduction, Foreshadowing, Letters, Artist, Name, Drinking, Reliance, Classism, Leakey, Soft, Young, Fantasy, Varsouviana, Hydrotherapy, Downfall, Paper, Spanish, Varsouviana 2, Magic, Purity, Lighting, Mary and Exit