A Streetcar Named Desire complete quote bank with analysis (over 100 quotes to use in every possible question!)
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Course
Unit 1 - Drama (9ET0)
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
A list of all useful quotes and stage directions in the play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' by Tennessee Williams, and analysis for each one. Each quote can be used for multiple exam questions, and there are quotes from all characters including Blanche DuBois, Stanley and Stella Kowalski, as well as mi...
Page Quote Analysis
SCENE “The section is poor but unlike corresponding Immediately differentiates this part of New Orleans
ONE sections in other American cities, it has a raffish from the rest of America
charm”
1
1 Elysian Fields is “weathered grey” and “rickety” Not a sturdy building, poor quality
1 “corresponding air is evoked by Negro This part of New Orleans is multi-cultural and accepting
entertainers” of others. Shows progression of new values in America
“cosmopolitan city” which clashes with Blanche’s old Southern belle values.
“easy intermingling of races”
2 Stanley “roughly dressed in blue denim work Masculine appearance
clothes”
2 Stanley (bellowing) “Hey, there! Stella, Baby!” Rough but loving personality
2 Stella is a “gentle young woman” Contrast to Stanley – possible effect of the patriarchy on
women?
2 Stella is “of a background obviously quite Contrast to Stanley, but again shows the acceptingness
different from her husbands” of New Orleans
2 Stanley “Catch! Meat!” Symbolism of throwing meat = sexual innuendo. Shows
Stella “laughs breathlessly” Stanley’s sexual control over her. Stella’s laugh shows
she is sexually pleased/delighted with Stanley.
3 Blanche “daintily dressed in a white suit with a Blanche immediately seen as out of place here due to
fluffy bodice, necklace and ear-rings of pearl (…)” her luxury appearance.
“looking as if she were arriving at a cocktail White and fluffy clothes = trying to portray innocent
party” persona as this is what men of the time wanted as per
old Southern values. This shows she hides her true self
5 Belle Reve was “a great big place with white Very nice place – contrasts Elysian Fields massively.
columns”
5 Blanche “I’d like to be left alone.” Blanche immediately dislikes the atmosphere of Elysian
Eunice (offended) “Aw. I’ll make myself scarce” Fields and isn’t interested in getting to know Stella’s
neighbours. This could also be symbolic of Blanche not
accepting the new American values and clinging onto
the old Southern values.
5 “Blanche sits very stiffly with her shoulders Blanche is very nervous. By keeping all of her body close
hunched and her legs pressed close together and together it shows she feels she is in direct danger. An
her hands tightly clutching her purse” audience would find this amusing as there is no danger.
5 Stella (joyfully) “Blanche!” Happy to see eachother
“Blanche springs up and runs to her with a wild
cry”
6 Blanche “I wont be looked at in this merciless Wants attention but not scrutiny. Blanche doesn’t want
glare!” all her secrets to be found out, and the light is a
metaphor for this.
6 Blanche describes Elysian Fields as a “horrible Can’t hide how she truly feels in front of Stella. She is a
place” to Stella brutally honest person.
6 “What are you doing in a place like this?”
7 “You’re all I’ve got in the world, and you’re not Relationship already declining according to Blanche.
glad to see me!” Stella maintains that this isn’t true. Blanche is very
gaslighting/manipulative.
7 “I was on the verge of – lunacy.” “leave of Blanche’s version of why she left the school is different
absence” to the real version. The dash before lunacy shows
hesitation; back then mental health/lunacy wasn’t taken
seriously and was mocked by society.
8 “you’re just as plump as a little partridge” Blanche and Stella embody old vs new value conflict
“Now – Blanche” here – Blanche more focused on appearance than Stella.
8 Stella (She is embarrassed) Blanche judges Stella about living here, which makes her
feel embarrassed. Power imbalance.
9 “Oh you do have a bathroom!” Blanche’s sarcasm intended to put Stella down.
10 Stella “I can hardly stand it when he is away for a Stanley and Stella are almost traditional in their
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