Lecture notes
A Streetcar Named Desire - Conflict Between Stella and Blanche quotes and analysis
- Module
- A Streetcar Named Desire
- Institution
- OCR
A Streetcar Named Desire - Conflict Between Stella and Blanche quotes and analysis.
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Extract: P.7 Stage direction ‘During the pause, Blanche stares at her. She smiles at Blanche’ –P.9 and Blanche ‘I don’t see where you’re going to put me!’
Question: Explore how Williams presents Blanche and Stella in this extract from A Streetcar
Named Desire,
(WIDEN YOUR ANSWER TO INCLUDE SOME REFERENCE TO THE OTHER EXTRACTS
STUDIED FROM ACT ONE, AND ANY ASPECTS OF THE SCENE 4, 5 OR 8 EXTRACTS
DISCUSSED).
Topic ideas: Stella acts as a mediator between Blanche and Stanley however it is left to the
audience's individual trust in Blanche’s words which sculpts how they see Blanche
(hero/villain/antihero/damsel). Introduction - Fundamental flaw in the sister’s relationship is
the secrets they keep from each other Main essay - (Stella doesn’t tell Blanche about the
pregnancy, why Mitch doesn’t arrive at the birthday dinner & glosses over her living
conditions in her letters to Blanche) & Blanche - lies about how she lost her job, Shep
Huntleigh, not being a “drunkard”. Conclusion - Arguably, it’s a ‘boy who cried wolf’
situation where, at the end of the play, Stella doesn’t know what to believe as she, like
the audience, are shown alternative stories of Blanche’s past & believes in Stanley’s (the
dominant man who has done his research). Why is Stanley’s account of Blanche’s past
believed? - he is threatened by Blanche & therefore could make up these stories - raping her
could be him bringing Blanche into the reality that he has created where she is a woman with
‘loose morals’
One should not burden one’s problems onto someone else.
Blanche = pathological liar & audience is left to decide which lies to believe.
Content, From, Structure:
What happens in the extract: building tension between sisters, hints into childhood (who the
dominant sister is), Blanche’s job (lies), foreshadowing of “lunacy”, alcohol, appearances &
vanity, patronising, class difference & hints at Belle Reve.
Context of the whole play: Introduction to many themes in the play - alcohol, appearances, lies,
mental health, class differences, facades of superiority. First act of the play (understanding the
characters & the role they’ll play). Indicates some of the things that led to Blanche’s arrival at
Elysian Fields as well as some things that will contribute to her downfall.
Events foreshadowed: “You’re all I’ve got in the world” - contradicts the idea that Blanche can
rely on Shep Huntleigh (some part in the play where Blanche is telling the truth). “Forgotten
how quiet you were” - foreshadows the ending when Stella doesn’t speak out against
Stanley for what he did to Blanche. “Habit of being quiet around you” - foreshadows
when Stella won’t tell Blanche why Mitch didn’t turn up for her birthday dinner.
Foreshadows what happened at the school however, the audience may believe what
Blanche is saying. Foreshadows Blanche’s consistent lying & dependence on alcohol (lack of
self control). Foreshadows Stella’s pregnancy - why doesn’t she tell Blanche straight
away?
, Naturalistic dialogue: dashes to show pauses, unfinished sentences & context specific
understanding (Blanche worked at a school, they both have a higher class background).
Symbolic: light & dark - “daylight never exposed so total a ruin” - Blanche talks in a very
poetic manner (could be because she’s an English teacher but could also show that she
is good at telling stories - lies).
How Williams presents Blanche: leading the conversation, switches the conversation when
she wants to talk about herself & when she wants to draw the attention away. Shows
Blanche as wanting compliments (shows contrast between Stella who “dutifully”
compliments Blanche & Stanley who openly doesn’t & dodges her flirtation). She’s high
class as she expects Stella to have a maid & is surprised when she finds out how many
rooms there are in the apartment. There’s still insecurity - nervous & looking for Stella’s
acceptance. Lies from the beginning - weaving a web of lies from the beginning (might be
hard to maintain - reason for her downfall) - foreshadows the name of the hotel she
stayed in “Tarantula”. By Blanche maintaining a facade in front of Stella & not revealing
anything of her true reality, Blanche guards herself from criticism that, if she was looking
upon herself, would receive. Williams sets up Blanche as a character that the audience
doesn’t trust from the beginning which results in them believing Stanley’s rendition of
Blanche’s past over her own.
How Williams presents Stella: Quiet, more passive sister who tried her best to not say
anything wrong to Blanche (doesn’t want to upset her - can see how fragile Blanche is
from the beginning). She waits on Blanche & “dutifully” compliments her as if she has
fallen into the role she perhaps had when they lived at Belle Reve (Blanche’s constant
want from other people is perhaps what made Stella leave as she had wants of her own -
sexually - that only Stanley could satisfy). She is uncomfortable around Blanche which
perhaps shows she has either fallen for Blanche’s facade / she knows that there is
something different about Blanche & she doesn’t want to bring it up incase she insults
Blanche - this is similar to the audience who would perhaps be divided into who believes
Blanche & who doesn’t.
Dramatic & Literary techniques:
Opening stage direction: “[During the pause, Blanche stares at her. She smiles at Blanche.]” -
verb “stares” seems intense following a disagreement between the sisters (Blanche may be
trying to read whether she has insulted Stella too much as Stella is Blanche’s last hope - trying
to maintain control of Stella). Verb “smiles” has connotations of love & support (hints that Stella
is aware of Blanche’s mental instability). Paralanguage shows an unspoken interaction -
Blanche is the dominant sister who seeks support & acceptance from Stella & Stella gives her
that support. Earlier in scene 1 - “For a moment they stare at each other.” when they first see
each other - up to directors & actors with the length of this look - could be love, tension,
confusion. “She feared for either of them to stop and think” - contrast with “stares” - Blanche
knows that there is a tension between the sisters & wishes to hide this reality with the hysterics
of seeing each other. “[She laughs but her glance at Blanche is a little anxious]” - adjective “little
anxious” (doesn’t want to worry Blanche / question her - both sisters try to almost read each
other's minds without speaking - polite to not burden oneself with one’s problems - aren’t as
close as they make out to be / pretend to be). Stella remains passive & hides emotions as she
would do with Stanley (only starts to stand up to Stanley when Blanche arrives). “[She smiles at
him radiantly]” - shows contrast between sisters - Stella’s smile was perhaps supportive & loving
however Blanche’s seems flirtatious. Adverb “radiantly” shows Blanche has pretending to be
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