ASND key funcitons some quotes and methods and human condition

Scene 1

  • Establishes hamartia (dependence of illusion, motif of light ‘turn that off!’→ seen in motif of alcohol, forced purity and virginity through her opening stage directions)​, Sets up cause of tragedy:​

  1. Tragedy has already occurred – Allan​

  2. New South (Stanley)​

Nobility of tragic hero?

  • Blanches facade and her lies→ how she is in a vulnerable position to the fall of the old south (her dramatic monologue p12, ‘i took the blows in my face and body’

  • establishes stella and stanleys relationship and their codependent dynamic, as well as blanche being an intruder

Human condition

  • Desire & survival: Blanche DuBois arrives seeking shelter and security → humans are driven by basic needs and desire for stability.

  • Fragility & illusion: Blanche hides her past and presents herself elegantly → humans often mask vulnerability with appearances.

  • Conflict between classes & personalities: Tension with Stanley Kowalski → humans struggle with pride, power, and social differences.

  • Loneliness & dependency: Blanche relies on Stella → humans seek connection and support in unfamiliar or threatening situations.

Scene 2

  • Tragic flaw intensifies as ‘illusion’ is under increasing threat from New South (Stanley)

  • Class difference betqeen stella and blanche and stanley, estbalishes the tension as blanche seems like a wedge

  • Blue piano = Stanley’s dominance​, Bathing motif = cleansing sin/coping​, Napoleonic code , Letters​, Stanley’s ‘legal’ language

Human condition

  • Power & dominance: Stanley Kowalski asserts control over Stella and household → humans are driven by desire for authority and control.

  • Secrets & deception: Blanche hides truths about her past → humans manipulate reality to protect themselves or gain advantage.

  • Conflict between truth and loyalty: Stella struggles between Blanche and Stanley → humans often face moral dilemmas balancing honesty, love, and loyalty.

Scene 3

  • poker night, Peripetia begins (Stella leaves with Stanley)​

  • Crisis: violent threat of the New South

  • Blanche’s tragic isolation

  • Mitch as an escape to a new illusion

  • reality of abusive mecurial relationships

  • Poker- Stanley shift – threatened→ ‘stalks, fiercely, snatches, shouted, tosses’

  • Props: curtain, radio, cigarette case​

  • Contrast between Mitch and Stanley​

  • Blanche as seductres

Human condition

* Violence & emotion: Stanley Kowalski loses control → shows humans ruled by strong emotions.

* Need for love/connection: Stella Kowalski returns to Stanley → people seek intimacy even after harm.

* Human contradiction: Stanley is violent yet vulnerable when he cries for Stella.

* Dependence in relationships: Stella stays despite abuse → humans tolerate unhealthy relationships.

* Outsider perspective: Blanche DuBois is shocked → highlights clash between ideals and reality.

* Overall: humans are emotional, flawed, and deeply driven by desire and attachment.

Scene 4

  • Peripetia is confirmed (Stella chooses Stanley and rejects Blanche’s worldview ​

  • Hamartia is deepened into delusion and tragic inevitability becomes clear: Blanche is increasingly isolated.

  • stella chooses stanley

  • feminist outlook on this scene as blanche is encouraging stella to leave him

  • difference between stella and blanches world view→ Stella’s ‘lower-class’ identity and worldview ​

  • Blanche’s delusion about the world and Stella’s marriage ​

  • Description of Stanley listening​ to blanche violate him p47- animalistic evolutionary language

  • Final stage direction

Human condition

  • Self-deception: Stella Kowalski defends Stanley and minimizes the violence → humans often deny painful truths to protect relationships.

  • Illusion vs reality: Blanche DuBois wants Stella to escape Stanley → shows the human desire to replace harsh reality with hopeful illusions.

  • Power of desire: Stella stays with Stanley Kowalski because of physical and emotional attraction → desire strongly shapes human choices.

  • Class superiority: assert intellectual and cultural superiority over Stanley’s working-class masculinity→ shows humans judge others to feel superior, and highlights conflict between civilization vs primal instincts.

Scene 5

  • Tragic down fall commences, blanches illusions is directy threatened

  • hamartia is deepened, truth is starting to be revealed in her monologue p53- soft and hard people

  • all due to stanley- hes the replacmenet for fate

  • her past is being revealed through her prositituion and pedophillia- laurel, the young boy

  • Blanche’s lies are seen firs- hand by the audience and Stella​

  • Stanley’s references to Laurel ​

  • Blanche’s physical decline

Human condition

  • Fear of aging & loneliness: Blanche DuBois seeks validation from a young man → shows human insecurity and fear of being alone.

  • Illusion to escape reality: Blanche romanticizes life and avoids truth → humans create fantasies to cope with pain.

  • Desire for love: Blanche’s behaviour shows a deep need for affection and reassurance.

Scene 6

  • Blanche confesses trauma suggesting moral cleansing

  • Mitch= potential redemption for Blanche, this is the date scene

  • story of her tragedy- p66

  • locomotive and polka music being mentioned, linked to allen grey, varsouviana

Human condition

  • Loneliness & desire: Blanche DuBois seeks companionship and intimacy → humans crave connection to feel alive.

  • Illusion vs reality: Blanche lies about her past and fantasies about a future with Mitch → humans often create illusions to escape pain.

  • Fear of aging & mortality: Blanche worries about losing beauty and love → humans fear aging and being abandoned.

  • Vulnerability & trust: Blanche opens up emotionally to Mitch → humans risk exposing themselves in hope of understanding and acceptance.

Scene 7

  • Stanley reveals Blanche’s real story to Stella, everything, peripeteria has been completed

  • Power now completey shifted to stanley

  • Her lies have been revealed to stella stanley and mitch- tragedy is nigh (near) so the pissble temporary hope/respite has broken down completely

  • unity of time undoing- mid septemeber

  • motif of bathing and illusion-blanches song ‘it woudnt be make beleive if you belived in me

  • the ticket being bought for blanche by stanley

  • blue piano- hectic breakdown

Human condition

  • Cruelty & power: Stanley Kowalski exposes Blanche’s past to destroy her → humans sometimes hurt others to gain power.

  • Hypocrisy & judgement: Stanley condemns Blanche DuBois for her past → shows how people judge others while ignoring their own flaws.

  • Collapse of illusion: Blanche’s fantasy world begins to fall apart → humans often rely on illusions to cope with reality.#

Scene 8

  • Stanley has complete dominance, public humiliation for blanche

  • catharisis in this scene

  • old south cant exist within new south- stanley gives ticket to blanche

  • tragic of loss of dignity

  • 100% american speech- cheers\

Human condition

  • Cruelty & humiliation: Stanley Kowalski gives Blanche DuBois a bus ticket → shows humans can deliberately humiliate others.

  • Loss of dignity: Blanche becomes emotionally fragile → reflects human vulnerability when pride is attacked.

  • Power in relationships: Stanley asserts dominance over Blanche → shows the human struggle for control.

Scene 9

  • catharisis as theres an attempted rape and we se blanches perspective

  • exposes her hamartia- mitch tears off paper lantern, blanches ‘i;; tell you what i want. magic!

Human condition

  • Need for illusion: Blanche DuBois creates fantasies about her life → humans use illusion to escape painful reality.

  • Harsh truth vs comfort: Mitch confronts Blanche with the truth → shows conflict between honesty and emotional protection.

  • Desperation for love: Blanche begs for understanding → reflects the human need for acceptance and compassion.

Scene 10

  • Catharisis- Blanche’s rape scene by stanley

  • catastrophe, no restoartion of social order

  • cinematic destruction of the tragic hero→ old south conquered new south

  • all happens in same night- unity of time being messed up with, ehnahcing the tragedy for blanche

Human condition

  • Primal instincts: Stanley Kowalski asserts dominance over Blanche DuBois → shows the dark, animalistic side of human nature.

  • Total escape into illusion: Blanche retreats fully into fantasy → humans may rely on illusion when reality becomes unbearable.

  • Power and vulnerability: the scene highlights how the powerful can exploit the weak in human relationships.

Scene 11

  • many deaths in this scene- blanche dies osychologically, what she devoted herself to is apperance and ffanatasy but this has died due to stanley

  • mitch expereiences part of the tragedy with blanche- blunt, disassociated

  • old south dies and coneuqered by new south0 new baby boy is born- victory of patrharchy, new south

  • blanche is removed- restored social order

  • stella- cosncioiusly chooses to not believe blanche

  • for the new south to prsoper the old south must breakdow- perhaps society removes problemts instead of the cause

Human condition

  • Society rejects the vulnerable: Blanche DuBois is taken away → shows how society often removes or ignores those who cannot cope with reality.

  • Need for kindness: Blanche says she has “always depended on the kindness of strangers” → humans need compassion and support.

  • Denial to survive: Stella Kowalski chooses to believe Stanley Kowalski → shows humans sometimes ignore truth to protect their lives.