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A Streetcar Named Desire- Analysis- A Level English Literature
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An extensive analysis, from “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Designed for A Level English Literature.
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Notes on Scene One● Both Stella and Blanche want Stanley’s approval to some extent.
○ “Will Stanley like me, or will I be just a visiting in-law, Stella? I couldn’t stand
that”- Blanche (Pg 10)
● “[They stare at each other across the yellow-checked linoleum of the table… The
music of the ‘blue piano’ grows louder…]”- the staging emphasises the divide
between the sisters. The sound highlights the discord and melancholy.
Notes on Scene Three
● “There is a picture of Van Gogh’s of a billiard-parlour at night…lurid nocturnal
brilliance, the raw colours of a childhood’s spectrum”. The brash, contrasting colours
create a harsh and overwhelming visual image. The men are compared to this, as
they are as “powerful as the primary colours” that they wear. Van Gogh described the
painting as “an attempt to express the terrible passions of humanity”. The painting of
billiard-parlour alludes to a male-dominated space, whilst the harsh colours imply
drunkenness. This creates a foreboding tone.
● The play's original title was “The Poker Night”, highlighting the significance of the
scene. Poker is associated with lies and bluffing, similar to Blanche. Stanley will be
the one to “call her bluff” by exposing her lies.
● The lighting is harsh and unnatural, creating a foreboding atmosphere which
foreshadows violence- “the raw colours of childhood’s spectrum… yellow linoleum…
an electric bulb with a vivid green glass shade”. The allusion to childhood indicates a
lack of sophistication, a primitive, immature state.
● The poker players “wear coloured shirts, solid blues, a purple, a red-and-white check,
a light green… at the peak of their physical manhood”. The men are immediately
portrayed as bold.
● “There are vivid slices of watermelon on the table, whisky bottles, and glasses”- the
staging alludes to the binge-drinking culture of the new South, and the uncouth
violence which accompanies this .
● The room is “relatively dim with only the light that spills… through the wide window”-
the lighting makes the scene seem distorted, implying secrecy to the audience.
● “Rhumba music comes over the radio”- the music is a symbol of the romantic and
sophisticated aspects of life and culture that Blanche favours. Even Steve and Pablo
appreciate it (saying “Aw, let the girls have their music” and “Sure, that’s good, leave
it on!” respectively).
● “[It begins to play ‘Wien, Wien, nur du allein’. Blanche waltzes to the music with
romantic gestures…Stanley stalks fiercely…to the small white radio and snatches it
off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out of the window]”- in
this stage direction, the music represents Blanche’s romantic inclinations. Stanley
destroys them violently, destroying her. This symbolises how Stanley’s new era will
eclipse and destroy Blanche’s.
● Faced with Stanley’s violence towards Stella, the men reply “[feebly] Take it easy,
Stanley. Easy, fellow”- the religion of “easy” indicates that they are well-practised in
witnessing Stanley’s outbursts, and that this is a relatively frequent occurrence. The
stage direction implies that Stanley’s behaviour is accepted to a degree. The
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