By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. He is about to leave when Blanche tells him that she has no money, but she calls him back and asks for a light. While conversing with Mitch, she asks him to place a Chinese lampshade on the bare lightbulb in the bedroom, claiming that the naked bulb is rude and vulgar. Bright light, whether from a naked bulb or the midday sun, reveals Blanches true age. the library book readinggroupguides com, a streetcar named desire reading guide . Here then is an example of Blanche's inability to tell the truth and her desire to be something different from what she actually is. Blanche introduces herself to him. The white is a play on Blanche's supposed innocence and the woods are used as another Freudian phallic symbol. The first part of this scene introduces us symbolically to the essential characteristics of Stanley Kowalski. Then, half-dressed, he stumbles out to the street and calls for his wife again and again: STELL- LAHHHHH! Eunice warns him to stop, but his bellowing cry continues. In addition, probing questions and honest speech function as a metaphorical light that threatens to reveal Blanches past and her true nature. It is around 2:30 a.m. Steve, Pablo, Mitch, and Stanley are playing poker in the Kowalskis kitchen, which is bathed in a sinister green light. Ethnically diverse, working class, quiet. You messy child, you, you've spilt something on the pretty white lace collar! After Eunice lets Blanche into the apartment, she runs around the corner to fetch Stella. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. When Stella asks how it happened, Blanche reminds Stella how there has been a long line of deaths in the family and that she had to stay there and fight while Stella was "in bed with your Polack." To hold front position in this rat-race you've got to believe you are lucky. What happened to Belle Reve, the DuBois family home? When he's away for a week I nearly go wild! She surrounds herself in her silks and rhinestones and fantasies of Sheps yacht to maintain the appearance of being an upper-class ingnue, even though she is, by all accounts, a fallen woman. Blanche also calls Stanley a Polack and makes snide remarks about the state of the Kowalski apartment in order to maintain her own sense of external social superiority. The "Varsouviana" rises audibly as Blanche enters the. He hurls a package of meat up to her and says that he and Mitch are going to meet Steve at the bowling alley. for a customized plan. Contact us Once he has left the room, Blanche remarks that there is something superior to the others in Mitch. Stanley and Blanche are characterized as polar opposites. Her explanation of how Belle Reve was lost and her recounting her frequent encounters with death serve in some ways to account for Blanche's present neurotic state. Blanches disapproval of Stellas lifestyle allows Blanche to reinforce her own sense of superiority. It is not until later that we learn Blanche had once married a young boy and had been terribly cruel to him when he most needed her. Stanley yells Catch! as he tosses the package, and a moment later the Blackwoman yells Catch what! Eunice and the Black woman see something sexual, and scandalously hilarious, in Stanleys act of tossing the meat to a breathlessly delighted Stella. A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams Study Guide Mastery Quizzes PLUS Flashcards PLUS Quick Quizzes Scene One Quiz 1 of 5 Who lives in the apartment above Stella and Stanley? The play offers a romanticized vision of slum life that nevertheless reflects the atypical characteristics of New Orleans. He follows her as she runs offstage, and the stage directions call for sounds of him beating her. Don't ever believe it. Blanche is in no mental condition to withstand such scrutiny, so she has fashioned a tenuous make-believe world. Blanche is immediately seen as Stanleys direct opposite: fluttering, insubstantial, and pale rather than a robust, muscular specimen. Stella shows her the folding bed and explains that Stanley won't mind the lack of privacy because he is Polish. He is the "emblem of the gaudy seed-bearer." I told you already I dont want none of his liquor and I mean it. Stanley's animalism almost destroys Blanche's sensibilities even in this first meeting. The tiara is attractive and sparkly, just like Blanche. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. for a group? 20% The scene also sets a tone of commonplace brutality and reality into which the delicate and sensitive Blanche is about to appear. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Around 2 a.m., Blanche and Mitch return to the Kowalski flat after their date. I won't be looked at in this, I thought you would never come back to this horrible place! Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. They discuss Mitchs sick mother, the sincerity of sick and sorrowful people, and the inscription on Mitchs cigarette case. The men settle on playing poker at Stanleys, and Steve and Mitch leave. Williams often dresses his most degenerate characters in white, the symbol of purity. Outside the apartment, Stanley discusses plans for poker the following day with Steve and Mitch. Stella is upset at both the news and the accusatory way Blanche broke it to her, and she goes into the bathroom to cry. Sometimes it can end up there. When Stanley abruptly asks what happened to Blanches marriage, Blanche replies haltingly that the boy died, then plops down and declares that she feels ill. Essentially, the play can be read as a series of encounters between the Kowalski world and the Blanche DuBois world. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! The Kowalskis live in the downstairs apartment, and Eunice and Steve live upstairs. Eunice and the Black woman find something hilariously suggestive in the meat-hurling episode, and their cackles indicate sexual innuendo. Tennessee Williams and A Streetcar Named Desire Background. Stella and Blanche continue their sisterly chat in the bedroom while the poker game continues. Spying a bottle of whiskey in the closet, she suddenly breaks out of her dejected stupor. Refine any search. Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 10 New orleans Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by jskarr Terms in this set (10) In what city is the play set? Stella for Star! Yet Stella sides with Stanley and his base instincts, infusing the play with an ominous sense of gloom. They're something like Irish, aren't they? Stella is packing Blanche's things. Left alone, Blanche surreptitiously takes a drink of whiskey, and puts the bottle and tumbler away. Struggling with distance learning? He holds the power in the apartment, even though Blanche sees herself as elite. Eunice, the neighbor, sees that Blanche is confused and assures her that this is the place where Stella lives. What am I saying? This is a first reference to Blanche's aversion to too much light. She cannot believe where she has ended up, standing at her sister's rundown New Orleans door step, or determine how she got there, on a pair of streetcars named Desire and Cemeteries. Subscribe now. She asks Stella to tell her how she looks, fusses over Stellas plumpness and disheveled appearance, and is surprised to learn that Stella has no maid. Life has got to go on. Where could it be, I wonder? Read more about the realistic and empathetic tone of the play. Eunice, somewhat offended, leaves to fetch Stella. Continue to start your free trial. Blanche is lost; her life is falling apart and she has nowhere to go. Summary and Analysis Scene 1. Ace your assignments with our guide to A Streetcar Named Desire! creating and saving your own notes as you read. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. When Blanche declines to go to the bowling alley, the Black woman goes instead to tell Stella of her sisters arrival. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Her fear of light will be seen to be connected with the death of her first husband and her fear of being too closely examined in the cold, hard world of reality. . Williams romanticizes the neighborhood: even though it is poor, all races and classes are mixed, and the constant music gives everything a slightly dreamy quality. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Whoever you are--I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. 20% creating and saving your own notes as you read. Summary and Analysis Scene 10. The outside world regularly penetrates the apartment, with visits from Mitch and Eunice and the occasional poker night. Almost immediately, Blanche appears trying to find a certain street number. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. They depart, and Stella soon follows to watch them. BLANCHE [with faintly hysterical vivacity]: At the sound of Blanche's voice Mitch's arm supporting his cards has sagged and his gaze is, And I'll be buried at sea sewn up in a clean white sack and dropped overboard--at noon--in the. Stella offers Blanche a drink, which she makes a show of accepting reluctantly. Cleans it Takes a drink Unpacks Alone, Blanche sits looking nervous and uncomfortable as she surveys the messy, dingy surroundings. Both metaphorically and literally, bright light threatens to undo Blanches many deceptions. Blanche, you sit down and let me pour the drinks. (Williams notes that the music from this piano is to set the mood throughout the play.) In Scene 1 of A Streetcar Named Desire, how does Blanche convey class differences during her speech about being "honestly critical" about Stella's apartment? We have only one set for the entire play the crowded apartment of the Kowalskis but thanks to transparent walls we have access to the street outside as well as the two rooms and bath. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. As the play progresses, the split between Blanches fantasy world and reality becomes sharper and clearer to every character in the play except Blanche, for whom the interior and exterior worlds become increasingly blurred. Blanche redirects the conversation by asking if Stella has any liquor in the flat. "Animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements." In bed with your Polack!, I took the blows in my face and my body!, Will Stanley life me, or will I be just a visiting in-law, Stella? An interesting choice of comparison, as moths are drawn to light the way Blanche is desperately drawn from it. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Aren't you being a little intense about it? SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. You're a fine one to sit there accusing me of it! However, rhinestone is fake, which could represent the, truth behind Blanches representations. Stella and Blanche return. (including. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. why is stanley home without stella? CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Read the Study Guide for A Streetcar Named Desire, Chekhov's Influence on the Work of Tennessee Williams, Morality and Immorality (The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Streetcar Named Desire), Traditionalism versus Defiance in a Streetcar Named Desire, Comparing Social and Ethnic Tensions in A Streetcar Named Desire and Blues for Mister Charlie, The Wolf's Jaws: Brutality and Abandonment in A Streetcare Named Desire, View our essays for A Streetcar Named Desire, View the lesson plan for A Streetcar Named Desire, View Wikipedia Entries for A Streetcar Named Desire. She babbles away at Stella, full of chipper gossip and cardboard reminiscences. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Her actions also suggest the fluttering of a delicate moth. Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light. Blanche comes across as a frivolous, hysterical, insensitive, and self-obsessed individual as she derides her sisters lesser social status and doesnt express joy at seeing Stella so in love. A summary of Scene Ten in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Eunice assures Blanche that the building is Stellas residence. He is antagonistic toward Blanche. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% She thanks him for his kindness and waxes poetic while he quietly listens. About your hair--. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Stanley leaves to go bowling after refusing to kiss Stella in front of Blanche. Stanleys physical presence dominates the apartment. The blue piano that frequently plays outside evokes tension and fraught emotions inside the apartment. You ought to lay off his liquor. shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close, She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle. Her appearance is incongruous to this setting, necklace and earrings of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as. A Streetcar Named Desire has been labelled as one of the greatest American plays ever, and Tennessee Williams produces what could be regarded as a poignant and troubled tale about the hostility of conflicting the old world with the new world. After throwing meat at Stella, where does Stanley go (Stella follows him there, to "watch")? Stanley pulls the whiskey bottle out of the closet and notices that it is running low. 1947 1 7.6K A Streetcar Named Desire [Scene 11] Lyrics It is some weeks later. You'll also receive an email with the link. At this point Blanche is about ready to faint. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Mostly white, working class, noisy. It correlates with her moth-like appearance and will later develop into one of the controlling motifs throughout the play. for a group? (one code per order). Williams provides copious stage directions in his plays, and they are both functional and poetic. Eunice tells Blanche that she has come to the right place Blanche's sister, Stella, lives on the first floor. Blanche is trying to keep up appearances in all aspects of her life. He then goes bowling and Stella follows. They stare at each other and then rush together with animal moans. He falls to his knees, tenderly caresses her face and belly, then lifts her up and carries her into their flat. Only desperation and a lack of other options has brought her to Elysian Fields, a tenement as different from its heavenly title as can be imagined by Blanche's sheltered mind. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. I said stand up! or You sit down, now, and explain this place to me!. Why is the mention of Shaw threatening to her? In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields are the final resting place of the heroic and virtuous. Mitch carries a large plastic statuette that indicates their date took place at an amusement park. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. But then she meets Stanley. He and Blanche stare each other down. SCENE ONE The exterior of a two-story corner building on a street in New Orleans which is named Elysian Fields and runs between the L & N tracks and the river. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at [email protected]. This, then, is Blanche's past life beginning to close in upon her. Mitch and Blanch's relationship is very much an illusion because What does Stanley tell Blanche about his acquaintance, Shaw? Stella, oh, Stella, Stella! Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. -Graham S. Blanche considers herself to be above her surroundings. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. He takes off his shirt and makes a shady remark to Stella, who is in the bathroom. Continue to start your free trial. Then she asks him about the rain and what he did when it rained. She asks for a drink in order to restore her nerves. His entrance also underscores the intense sexual bond between him and Stella, which is apparent to the other characters as well. Struggling with distance learning? You can view our. Blanche often mentions her love of poetry during the play as a sign of her cultured upbringing and sense of refinement. Central Idea Essay: Is Blanche a Sympathetic Character? -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 The other men pull him off. Eunice comes downstairs and into the apartment. He offers her a cigarette. Stage directions describe Stanley as a virulent character whose chief pleasure is women. The hum of voices in the street can be heard, as well as the bluesy notes of a cheap piano playing in a bar around the corner. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? After Stanleys drunken radio-hurling episode, Stella yells at him and calls him an animal thing, inciting Stanleys attack. Dismay. Eunice lets Blanche into the apartment and goes after Stella. Analysis. Teachers and parents! Stella is perfectly happy with her lot, and doesn't take kindly to Blanche's questions. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Tennessee Williams and A Streetcar Named Desire Background, Read more about the unnamed Black womans role. Free trial is available to new customers only. But ironically, in terms of the play, the streetcar leads her to the French Quarter which is certainly no Elysian Fields. This leads Blanche to tell Stella that Belle Reve, the ancestral home, has been lost. bowling. Subscribe now. SparkNotes PLUS LitCharts Teacher Editions. Eunice lets Blanche into the two-room flat, and Blanche investigates the interior of the Kowalskis apartment. She has just finished composing a letter to Shep Huntleigh pretending that she has been on a round of teas and cocktail parties. Also important is the detailed description of the set. Stanleys qualitiesvariously described as vitality, heartiness, brutality, primitivism, lust for life, animalitylead him over the course of the play into an unrelenting, unthinking assault on the already crumbling facade of Blanches world. She prefers, instead, the dim, illusionary world of semi-darkness. They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off atElysian Fields! At this point in the drama, the scene with the young boy might seem puzzlingly out of place. Furthermore, the "center of his life has been pleasure with women." In an outburst that builds to a crescendo of hysteria, Blanche reveals that she has lost Belle Reve, the familys ancestral home. After a clatter and crash of furniture, Eunice runs downstairs, screaming that she is going to call the police. Stanley dominates the table with his tough talk, while Mitch, who frets about whether or not he should go home to his sick mother, shows himself to be the most sensitive and sober man at the table. All of the major themes and elements of A Streetcar Named Desire are introduced as quickly as possible at the top of the play. Historical Context Essay: Post-World War II New Orleans, Literary Context Essay: Social Realism in the Play. Blanches health and her sanity are waning as a result. She then sends him away, saying that she must keep her hands off children. You're all I've got in the world, and you're not glad to see me! Want 100 or more? Stella arrives and they embrace happily, Blanche babbling excitedly about Stella's appearance and not giving her sister a chance to get a word in edge-wise. There are things that happen between a man and a woman in the darkthat sort of make everything else seemunimportant. He says youve been lapping it up all summer like a wild-cat! My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Stanley appears and calls for Stella, his wife, to catch a package of meat. Blanche promises to say no more about it. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% A few minutes later Mitch appears with a bunch of roses. He is antagonistic toward Blanche. Therefore, her sexual promiscuity returns to her guilt feelings over her failure to help her young husband. Blanche kisses the Young Collector. It was originally a Catholic settlement (unlike most Southern cities, which were Protestant), and consequently typical Southern social distinctions were ignored. Ace your assignments with our guide to A Streetcar Named Desire! Historical Context Essay: Post-World War II New Orleans, Literary Context Essay: Social Realism in the Play. In the first meeting between Stella and Blanche, Blanche tells Stella to "turn that over-light off!" On the other hand, Blanches delicate manners and sense of propriety are offended by Stanleys brutish virility. Discount, Discount Code When he goes about slamming drawers, she asks him what astrological sign he was born under. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Aw. Since earliest manhood the center of [Stanleys] life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it, not with weak indulgence, dependently, but with the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens. No matter what happens, you've got to keep on going. Blanche has been visiting now for three months. The polka music is only in Blanches mindeven though the audience hears itand its appearance signifies that she is haunted by her dead husband. Whoever you areI have always depended on the kindness of strangers. Its only a paper moon, Just as phony as it can beBut it wouldnt be make-believe If you believed in me! Character List. Blanche arrives in Scene 1 and reacts to her sister's new home with what? She can claim to be a woman of twenty-five in semi-darkness, but the glare of sharp light reveals a woman who has seen more, suffered more, and aged more. Blanche talks feverishly and seems nearly hysterical. She seeks to relive the past and longs for a young lover to replace the young husband who shot himself. Setting The Scene Before Reading . Steve and Eunice live upstairs, and Stanley and Stella live downstairs. At the end, when Stanley leaves, she is trembling and in need of a drink. Then the men attempt to revive the now limp and confused Stanley, but when they try to force him into the shower to sober him up, he fights them off. Blanche may be able to hide her alcoholism from devoted Stella, but not from Stanley. After the drink is poured, Blanche asks how Stella has allowed herself to stoop to such poor living conditions. This Blanche has been twisting and manipulating truths and lies for a long time, and her method seems at first like it will succeed in her new life as well. Stella leaves the bathroom, and Blanche impulsively turns the radio back on and begins to dance, slyly engaging the clumsy Mitch and preventing his leaving to go to the bathroom. ], A Streetcar Named Desire - Beauty Is Transitory, A Streetcar Named Desire - Hes Like An Animal, Microphonist Wanderlust byPeteRock & InI, View A Streetcar Named Desire (Scene One) samples. She then explains that she has come to New Orleans because her nerves have forced her to take a leave of absence from her job as a schoolteacher during the middle of the term. Stella finally cuts her off and leaves the room, crying. Immediately, Blanche wonders if Stella has heard some unkind gossip about her. In bed with your Polack!, Poetic Manner: I took the blows in my face and my body, Her appearance is incongruous to the setting, that of a summer cocktail party, She wears white, symbolizing purity, as well as her name, Blanche is compared to a moth. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Mitch returns and tells her not to worry because Stella and Stanley are crazy about each other. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% on 50-99 accounts. But for now, in the first scene, we only get tantalizing hints as Williams references all the major issues: the loss of Belle Reve; Blanche's drinking; the fear and adoration Stella feels for her husband; Blanche's fear of the light and preoccupation with appearances; the death of Blanche's husband. Stanley says that he will have this man check it out and "clear up any mistake." It is an early May evening, and the sky at dusk is almost turquoise. Since his earliest manhood, the center of his life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking, Wheres the little woman? and Catch! . Meat!, A gentle young woman, about twenty-five, and of a background obviously quite different from her, He heaves the package at her Stanley throwing raw meat to Stella. This scene, therefore, shows Stanley as the crude and uncouth man. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. He does not simply state the necessary movements, nor does he serve as a backseat director, programming every gesture before an actor has touched the text. and any corresponding bookmarks? Complete your free account to request a guide. SparkNotes PLUS Loading She has dressed herself in a white satin gown and her rhinestone tiara. Want 100 or more? Blanche hesitantly introduces herself to Stanley, who did not know Blanche was coming to town. Free trial is available to new customers only. Stella is quite in love with her husband, however. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. A Streetcar Named Desire study guide contains a biography of Tennessee Williams, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Blanche uses the streetcar named Desire symbolically, saying that carnal desire is not a way to run a life. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Readers should be aware of these and choose their own responses. Waiting for Stella to finish in the bathroom, he and Blanche talk. You can view our. Blanche fibs that she is actually younger than Stella, and that she has come to New Orleans because Stella is ailing and needs her assistance. It is some weeks later. Almost immediately, Blanche appears trying to find a certain street number. $24.99 Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Blanche makes it clear from the start that her actions are involuntary "they," some unknown entity, told her to take a street-car named Desire. "A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 1 Summary and Analysis". All the while, Stella still hasnt emerged from the bathroom. Its loss could signify the end of Blanches dream life or fantasy. [The music of the polka rises up, faint in the distance. See Important Quotations Explained Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of A Streetcar Named Desire and what it means. Blanche portrays herself as a lady who rarely drinks, but her words are directly opposite to her actions. But the funny thing about opposites is that they attract. Blanche DuBois means white of the woods. When Stella insults Stanley, he goes into a rage and hits her. When Blanche says that she took a "streetcar named Desire, and then . Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Stanley hollers for Stella, who comes out onto the first-floor landing and replies calmly to his tough, streetwise banter. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Social and class distinctions also point to the tension between interior and exterior. He tells her that the baby won't come before morning, and the doctors sent him home. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Stellas quietness unnerves Blanche, who suggests that Stella isnt happy to see her. Renews March 11, 2023 Blanche explains that she is nervous because Mitch is coming for her at seven. Blanche emerges from Eunices flat, frantically looking for Stella. She stops short at the entrance to the downstairs flat. Teachers and parents! Stanley stumbles out of the bathroom, calling for Stella. Though Stella has changed and moved into a new life, Blanche clings to her version of the past.