Scenes 1-11 quote banks. Each quote is fully analysed and has a page number and context.
This resource is useful for essay writing or just general revision around this play.
This helped me get an A* in my exam!
SCENE 1
Quotation Character Analysis Contextual/Thematic significance
“Elysian fields” Stage directions of description pg 1 -low social class here juxtaposes with the -Greek mythology, Elysian fields is final
“The houses are mostly white frame, weather and atmosphere resting place for heroic & virtuous
weathered grey, with rickety outside stairs” -Romanticizes the neighbour hood (real street & symbolic resting place)
“tender blue” -Mix of races & classes
“warm breath of the brown river” -dreamy quality constant music
“blue piano”
“Re-e-ed h-o-o-t!” Vendor pg 2 Created cacophony to the scene which
emphasises New Orleans
“Catch!” Stanley throwing meat at Stella pg 2 Symbolises Stanley & Stella’s sexual Raw physical lust forms part of the life-
“Meat!” relationship hurls himself at her & she blood of New Orleans
accepts
-Adds animalistic element to relationship
-Stanley speaking in exclamatory sentences
“dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice” Stage direction referencing Blanche -epitome of wealth + juxtaposes the -Blanche has ridden Desire to end of line
“avoid a strong light” // “suggest a moth” neighbourhood and hit rock bottom before arriving
“streetcar named Desire” -Juxtapose of her being a moth yet avoiding (Metaphor of Cemeteries)
“Cemeteries” Blanche attempting to locate where she is light symbolises her destiny representation of past
“Elysian Fields!” pg 3 -Blanche’s literal AND metaphorical journey
“This – can this be – her home?” Blanche attempting to settle into seeing the -Question signifies disgust/worry Belle Reve meaning Beautiful dream in
“No.” home + talking to Eunice -short/blunt sentences French ((that is all that is left of it)
“Belle Reve” pg 4-5 nervousness of questions signifies fear of
past + there is more to her seemingly
innocent appearance
“sits in a chair very stiffly” Blanche taking note of her surroundings pg -Blanche is symbolised to be above her -wants to maintain her outlook to
“clutching her purse” 5 surroundings people//only time there is energy is for
,“springs up and crosses to it, and removes a -concecealed drinking = desire to escape alcohol.
whisky bottle.” society & reality
“Stella, oh, Stella, Stella!” Blanch being hysterical when meeting -Errative language with erratic punctuation Light being symbolism of knowledge and
“turn that over-light off! Turn that off! Blanch pg 6 symbolises her state of mind truth
-Exclamatory sentences references her
intense fear of light
“I just got in the habit of being quiet around Stella pg 7 -clear divide between Stella & Blanche -Stella has moved on yet Blanche is stuck to
you.” Blanche’s commentary on Stella and the past
“abruptly” (stage direction Blanche) apartment draws contrast physical life Stella
“Daylight never exposed so total a ruin!” chosen and dream world
“plump as a little partridge!” Blanche pg 8 -chooses to degrade Stella to make herself
feel better
“only two rooms?” Blanche pg 9 -clear divide, 2 rooms low social class, no Blanch further tried to push others down to
“Polacks?” privacy enhance herself
“if you’ll just try not to – well – compare Stella pg 10 -Stan holds power in apartment even if
him with men we went out with at home” Blanche sees herself as Elite
-Stella adds sense of realism to the
conversation // emphasising she has moved
on
-The dash in stella’s sentence references the
divide between present and past
“you are the on that abandoned Belle Reve, Blanche referencing Stella leaving pg 11 -Blanche loses her beautiful dream and Uses the element of class divide and the
not I!” places the blame on Stella extremes of both ends.
“All of those deaths!” Blanch monologue pg 12 monologue represents lack of care for her Metaphor of funerals being pretty is simply
“funerals are pretty compared to deaths.” thoughts the aftermath of it all
“Does that surprise you?” Stella crying pg 12 -Stella is deeply upset at the thought of this
“More laughter and shouts of parting come Men parting pg 13 -Blanche seen as Stanley’s direct opposite ‘little women’ Stan represented the
from the men” e.g. sun and moon epitome of a man when referencing Stella
“animal joy” “strongly, compactly built” Description of Stan pg 14 with crossovers in alcoholism
“Where’s the little woman?” Stan pg 14 Stanley is seen to be animalistic and overtly
masculine
, “Some people rarely touch it, but it touches Stan pg 14 -Stanley’s character crosses over to Blanche -Polka music references haunting of dead
them often.” and makes a foreshadowing remark/irony husband (only in Blanche’s mind yet
Removes his shirt -Removing shirt dominance audience hear it)
“You going to shack up here?” +questioning -Blanche has already overcome a lot of
“music of the polka rises up, faint in the Stage directions pg 15 -The boy died + dash add the past into the death
distance” present
“The boy – the boy died” Blanche pg 15
SCENE 2
Quotation Character Analysis Contextual/Thematic significa
“Blanche is bathing” Stage directions p16 -Blanch continually bathing symbolises her -Symbolism of Bell Reve contin
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sophiastevens. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.40. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
