Key Streetcar Quotes
Quote Analysis Who says it/ Themes
to who
‘I can’t stand a naked light bulb, That she speaks of talk and action as analogous to a light-bulb shows Blanche Illusion v reality
any more than I can a rude that she considers the remedy for uncouth behaviour and
remark or a vulgar action’ appearance to be a paper lantern, as external over, rather than a
change from within. Blanche hides from bright lights because they
expose the truth, but she also avoids them because there is no longer
any light inside her to match.
‘Poker should not be played in a This characterises Mitch as someone who believes women are soft Mitch Women
house with women’ and gentle, that need protecting from the roughness of poker.
However he doesn’t blame Stanley for his actions, he dismisses the
blame as though the testosterone stirred up was unavoidable.
‘There are things that happen Stella explains her overwhelming love for Stanley as a physical Stella to Love
between a man and a woman in passion. Blanche correctly sums this up as ‘desire’ just like the ‘rattle Blanche Sex
the dark – that sort of make trap street-car’ Blanche can recognize desire, but she tries to pretend
everything else seem – she can’t, and refuses to get on board. She cannot experience desire
unimportant’ separately from shame.
‘I don’t know how much longer I Phrase ‘turn the trick’ is an old idiom for prostitution. Women in
can turn the trick’ Blanche’s world view must sell themselves, and when they are no
longer a sellable commodity they are in a desperate situation, shown
by Blanche’s need for love and secuirity.
‘I don’t want realism. I want Blanche’s battle cry – it doesn’t matter whether the magic is real. It’s Blanche Illusion v reality
magic!’ important for Blanche to have the option of fantasy, so she can
believe in a better real world. She is a self-aware Don Quixote, forcing
the world to be as beautiful as she imagines it.
Quote Analysis Who says it/ Themes
to who
‘I can’t stand a naked light bulb, That she speaks of talk and action as analogous to a light-bulb shows Blanche Illusion v reality
any more than I can a rude that she considers the remedy for uncouth behaviour and
remark or a vulgar action’ appearance to be a paper lantern, as external over, rather than a
change from within. Blanche hides from bright lights because they
expose the truth, but she also avoids them because there is no longer
any light inside her to match.
‘Poker should not be played in a This characterises Mitch as someone who believes women are soft Mitch Women
house with women’ and gentle, that need protecting from the roughness of poker.
However he doesn’t blame Stanley for his actions, he dismisses the
blame as though the testosterone stirred up was unavoidable.
‘There are things that happen Stella explains her overwhelming love for Stanley as a physical Stella to Love
between a man and a woman in passion. Blanche correctly sums this up as ‘desire’ just like the ‘rattle Blanche Sex
the dark – that sort of make trap street-car’ Blanche can recognize desire, but she tries to pretend
everything else seem – she can’t, and refuses to get on board. She cannot experience desire
unimportant’ separately from shame.
‘I don’t know how much longer I Phrase ‘turn the trick’ is an old idiom for prostitution. Women in
can turn the trick’ Blanche’s world view must sell themselves, and when they are no
longer a sellable commodity they are in a desperate situation, shown
by Blanche’s need for love and secuirity.
‘I don’t want realism. I want Blanche’s battle cry – it doesn’t matter whether the magic is real. It’s Blanche Illusion v reality
magic!’ important for Blanche to have the option of fantasy, so she can
believe in a better real world. She is a self-aware Don Quixote, forcing
the world to be as beautiful as she imagines it.
