Scene Analysis of Scene Seven of “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams
As a connection to Stanley’s questioning Blanche about her affair in the “Hotel Flamingo” in Scene Five, Scene Seven starts with his revelation of Blanche’s past life in Laurel. Having “thoroughly checked on [the] stories” (187) about what Blanche has done there, Stanley is confident to nail the “pack of lies” (186) that are used so skilfully to deceive Stella and Mitch – she has never been kissed by a fellow and she quits her job because of her poor nerves.
The competition between the two extreme, dominating powers of Blanche and Stanley is one of the main concerns in the development of the play. In Scene Seven, Tennessee Williams, the playwright of the play, delicately renders the shift of dominating power from Blanche to Stanley through the Stella’s response about the “stories”. At first, Stella reacts strongly to the stories about Blanche’s past life, stating them as “contemptible lies” (187); however, her strong defence of Blanche is gradually defeated by Stanley’s powerful statements and reliable evidences – she feels sick when she knows that Blanche “[gets] mixed up with a seventeen-year-old boy” (188), and even walks in a “dazed way” (189) when she hands the towel to Blanche.
