Blanche DuBois (up to scene 5)
deception
page 3: “her delicate beauty” and “suggests a moth” - deception of appearance
page 8: “one’s my limit” - lies about her alcohol consumption
page 19: Stanley criticising her clothes - uses this to deceive
page 43: “I ran into Shep Hutleigh” - lies to convince Stella to leave (and superiority with money?)
light
page 3: “suggests a moth” - moths are drawn to light and fly at dark
page 6: “turn that over-light off” - fear of light?
death
page 12: death at Belle Reve monologue - may explain bad mental state
page 15: “the boy died” - introduced to Allan who makes her feel sick (sadness)
page 23: Blanche is protective over Allan’s poems - wants to burn them when Stanley touches them
page 33: “sick people have such deep sincere attachments” - Mitch is introduced as diff to other men (more vulnerable)
madness
page 6: “your sister hasn’t turned into a drunkard” - dependence on alcohol for emotional stability
page 8: “one’s my limit” - lies about her alcohol consumption
page 39: thank you for being so kind! I need kindness now” - after seeing violence (fear)
page 43: “I ran into Shep Hutleigh” - lies to convince Stella to leave (and superiority with money?)
gender
page 33: “sick people have such deep sincere attachments” - Mitch is introduced as diff to other men (more vulnerable)
page 39: “I need kindness now” - dependent on Mitch for emotional stability
page 45: “that’s your job - not mine!” - gender roles that she’s against when with a man that’s against her class standards (sexual relationship)
page 47: monologue about Stanley - described as a brute and animalistic (commonly masculine features? - she sees them as inhumane)
violence
page 39: thank you for being so kind! I need kindness now” - after seeing violence (fear)
desire
page 21: “I was fishing for a compliment Stanley” - requires validation of looks
page 35: “drugstore Romeos” - mirrors her own relationships? (balcony scene)
page 46: “brutal desire - just - desire!” and “the devil is in you” - Blanche is scolding Stella for desiring Stanley as if she isn’t sane to be with him
social class
page 45: “that’s your job - not mine!” - gender roles that she’s against when with a man that’s against her class standards (sexual relationship)
page 47: monologue about Stanley - she sees him as “common” and under her because of social class
page 47: “don’t hang back with the brutes” - thunks Stella can do better with social class (sees him as underdeveloped and inhumane)
context