A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 7
[Mid-September]- during term time- Blanche has outstayed her welcome.
"Washing out some things?"- Stanley bashfully imitates and ridicules Blanche's incessant
need of cleansing, and desire to maintain a facade of purity. Perhaps this is foreboding
Blanche's exposure, as Stanley finds her attempts to appear virginal amusing.
"I've got the dope on your big sister."- "Dope" means gossip here but could also have a
double meaning in reference to drugs, which are valuable as well as destructive; just like the
news Stanley has.
The contrasting characterisation of Stanley and Blanche- It's demonstrative of the outcasted
environment in which Blanche lives and suggests that she isn't mentally present.
"Sister Blanche is no lily."- Stanley makes jest at Blanche by undermining her purity façade
by sarcastically characterising her as a nun through the word 'sister'. Furthermore, he
attempts to bring reality to the surface when establishing that Blanche is 'no lily'; the flower
lily symbolises something unaltered and virginal, which we find out that Blanche contradicts.
[Blanche singing blithely]- The adverb “blithely” alludes to the contemporary view that
women should be seen and not heard. Therefore, the fact that Blanche juxtaposes this and is
in fact quite careless in this context exposes the idea that Blanche is mentally absent to what
is happening on stage.
Blanche singing “It's a Barnum & Bailev world, just as phonv as can be” is a deliberately
ironic choice by Williams as the quote, particularly the adjective 'phony', is in parallel to the
false world that she has built around her on a foundation of lies. Furthermore, it is
demonstrative of Blanche's slipping grip on reality; her light-hearted singing is contrasted
with the serious discussion that is taking place between Stella and Stanley. She is almost
unknowingly imbuing the situation with a sense of levity, and it emphasises how much
Blanche is out of touch with what's happening around her.
The quote 'regarded as not just different, but downright loco-nuts' reflects society’s views at
the time regarding the subject of mental health. It wasn't seen as a serious topic of discussion
and there was a lack of genuine concern; mental illness victims were seen as burdensome and
just 'loco-nuts'. The choice to refer to mental illness in this way could perhaps be Williams'
way of shedding light on a topic that he had some semblance of familiarity with; his sister
Rose had schizophrenia and after her lobotomy, was left to rot by the American health
system. His intention was to portray mental illness authentically and to show the graveness of
it's effects aren't to be understated.
'Washed up like poison'; snake-like connotations, a creature of deceit and lies. Arguably
Blanche personified. 'Washed up'- could be attributed to Blanche's obsession with
cleanliness, or her failed attempts to mystify her age.
'Give me another bath towel'. The use of the imperative "give" could suggest that Blanche's
recent experiences have been too traumatic to handle and her coping mechanism is to go
back to her old ways, a place in which she is comfortable and has dominion over. In her
mind, she is back in Belle Reve, where she's in control and Stella is just another one of her
slaves.
Blanche uses the word "honev" — which most is commonly used in times when people are
holding back from saying what they truly want to say- in this case what Stella is finding is
finding out about her sister. This shows how the sisters are not genuine with each other.
Awkwardness in the conversation continues but changes from Stella to Stanley. Multiple
exclamatives are used between Stanley and Blanche, which could suggest a power battle
between the two. The continuous use of exclamatives may also allow for there to be some
sort of emotion between the two as we know they have some animosity against each other.
Stanley says "it's not mv soul I'm worried about", indicating that he's worried for her soul
presenting how he is a tragic villain as he wants to destroy her whole being. He could be
worried for her soul due to her previous prostitution or the fact that she is going to lose
Mitch. Stanley also already knows what she went through with losing her husband.
[Blanche slams the door. Stanley laughs harshly. Stella comes slowly back into the kitchen.
This stage direction depicts an image of who holds the power out of the three, it clearly being
Stanley. As even though Blanche, "slams the door", stating that she is attempting to show that
[Mid-September]- during term time- Blanche has outstayed her welcome.
"Washing out some things?"- Stanley bashfully imitates and ridicules Blanche's incessant
need of cleansing, and desire to maintain a facade of purity. Perhaps this is foreboding
Blanche's exposure, as Stanley finds her attempts to appear virginal amusing.
"I've got the dope on your big sister."- "Dope" means gossip here but could also have a
double meaning in reference to drugs, which are valuable as well as destructive; just like the
news Stanley has.
The contrasting characterisation of Stanley and Blanche- It's demonstrative of the outcasted
environment in which Blanche lives and suggests that she isn't mentally present.
"Sister Blanche is no lily."- Stanley makes jest at Blanche by undermining her purity façade
by sarcastically characterising her as a nun through the word 'sister'. Furthermore, he
attempts to bring reality to the surface when establishing that Blanche is 'no lily'; the flower
lily symbolises something unaltered and virginal, which we find out that Blanche contradicts.
[Blanche singing blithely]- The adverb “blithely” alludes to the contemporary view that
women should be seen and not heard. Therefore, the fact that Blanche juxtaposes this and is
in fact quite careless in this context exposes the idea that Blanche is mentally absent to what
is happening on stage.
Blanche singing “It's a Barnum & Bailev world, just as phonv as can be” is a deliberately
ironic choice by Williams as the quote, particularly the adjective 'phony', is in parallel to the
false world that she has built around her on a foundation of lies. Furthermore, it is
demonstrative of Blanche's slipping grip on reality; her light-hearted singing is contrasted
with the serious discussion that is taking place between Stella and Stanley. She is almost
unknowingly imbuing the situation with a sense of levity, and it emphasises how much
Blanche is out of touch with what's happening around her.
The quote 'regarded as not just different, but downright loco-nuts' reflects society’s views at
the time regarding the subject of mental health. It wasn't seen as a serious topic of discussion
and there was a lack of genuine concern; mental illness victims were seen as burdensome and
just 'loco-nuts'. The choice to refer to mental illness in this way could perhaps be Williams'
way of shedding light on a topic that he had some semblance of familiarity with; his sister
Rose had schizophrenia and after her lobotomy, was left to rot by the American health
system. His intention was to portray mental illness authentically and to show the graveness of
it's effects aren't to be understated.
'Washed up like poison'; snake-like connotations, a creature of deceit and lies. Arguably
Blanche personified. 'Washed up'- could be attributed to Blanche's obsession with
cleanliness, or her failed attempts to mystify her age.
'Give me another bath towel'. The use of the imperative "give" could suggest that Blanche's
recent experiences have been too traumatic to handle and her coping mechanism is to go
back to her old ways, a place in which she is comfortable and has dominion over. In her
mind, she is back in Belle Reve, where she's in control and Stella is just another one of her
slaves.
Blanche uses the word "honev" — which most is commonly used in times when people are
holding back from saying what they truly want to say- in this case what Stella is finding is
finding out about her sister. This shows how the sisters are not genuine with each other.
Awkwardness in the conversation continues but changes from Stella to Stanley. Multiple
exclamatives are used between Stanley and Blanche, which could suggest a power battle
between the two. The continuous use of exclamatives may also allow for there to be some
sort of emotion between the two as we know they have some animosity against each other.
Stanley says "it's not mv soul I'm worried about", indicating that he's worried for her soul
presenting how he is a tragic villain as he wants to destroy her whole being. He could be
worried for her soul due to her previous prostitution or the fact that she is going to lose
Mitch. Stanley also already knows what she went through with losing her husband.
[Blanche slams the door. Stanley laughs harshly. Stella comes slowly back into the kitchen.
This stage direction depicts an image of who holds the power out of the three, it clearly being
Stanley. As even though Blanche, "slams the door", stating that she is attempting to show that
