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Analysis of New Orleans- A Streetcar Named Desire- A Level
An extensive list of quotations for New Orleans, with analysis, in “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Designed for A Level English Literature.
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● “Named Elysian Fields”- allusion to the afterlife of nobility in Greek mythology,foreshadowing the demise of gentility
● “Raffish charm…weathered grey, with rickety outside stairs… Faded white stairs…
atmosphere of decay”- semantic field of deterioration. Everything was in the Classical
French style (like Blanche herself, with her French ancestry), but is now decaying
(showing the breakdown of Blanche and the American past). There is imagery of
poverty, but also joy, in complete juxtaposition with Blanche.
○ Scene Three- “We are French by extraction. Our first American ancestors
were French Huguenots”.- Blanche takes pride in a heritage that she deems
to be more “sophisticated”.
○ There is also an odd sense of beauty- “The sky… is a peculiarly tender blue,
almost turquoise”
● “The warm breath of the brown river… faint redolences of bananas and coffee… a
tinny piano”- The sensory language used creates a vibrant atmosphere, which is
overwhelming for the audience, placing them in the role of the outsider (Blanche).
○ “Red hot! Red hots!… waste your money in that clip joint!”- the disjointed
dialogue creates the impression of background chaos, abandoning
convention and embracing modernity in the opening. This chaos is
fundamental to the atmosphere of New Orleans.
● “Cosmopolitan city where there is a relatively warm and easy intermingling of races”-
a modern setting
● The blue piano is central to New Orleans (which was a vibrant hub for blues music,
and the birthplace of jazz). It is a recurring motif.
○ Pg 11- “The music of the ‘blue piano’ grows louder”- When the sisters fight,
this shows the discordant relationship, and is a clue to Blanche’s delicate
disposition.
○ Pg 16- “Stanley enters…leaving the door open on the perpetual ‘blue piano’
around the corner”- The stage direction shows how Stanley welcomes the
melancholy into the home.
○ The piano is usually a sign of Blanche’s loneliness.
○ Pg 25- “The ‘blue piano’ sound louder”- The piano is triggered by the
revelation of Stella’s pregnancy, creating a bittersweet tone. The baby is a
signal of Stella’s total dependence on Stanley, she will not be able to raise a
baby alone. The symbolises the handing over of power to Stanley, and the
new brutality of America. The baby shows Blanche’s loss of her sister, and
consolidates the permanent loss of tradition.
○ Pg 37- “Entertainers in the bar around the corner play ‘Paper Doll’, slow and
blue… The ‘blue piano’ plays for a brief interval…The low-tone clarinet
moans”- After the catastrophe of the poker night, the piano shows the
dysfunction of the marriage, as well as the misery within the house.
○ Pg 48- “The music of the ‘blue piano’ and trumpet and drums is heard”- When
Blanche realises that Stella has accepted Stanley, the piano highlights her
misery, and how she realises she has lost her home and sister. It emphasises
the tragic social dynamic and gender roles within New Orleans.
○ Pg 75- “The distant piano goes into a hectic breakdown”- This symbolises the
breakdown of Blanche’s hope for a happy future, as Stella (and the audience)
have just learned that Mitch is “through with her”.
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