Stanley bellows “STELL-LAHHHHH!” into the night like a wounded beast calling for the return of his mate Mitch and Blanche clearly feel attracted to one another, perhaps because both have a broken quality as a result of their experiences with the death of loved ones. However, whereas Mitch’s experiences have engendered in him a strong sincerity, Blanche seeks refuge in make-believe and insincerity The difference in their reactions to similar experiences and in their approaches to life suggests that they are not an ideally matched pair.
Scene 4
Blanche is greatly relieved to find Stella safe and sound. She demands to know how Stella could go back and spend the night with Stanley after what he did to her. Stella feels Blanche is making a big issue out of nothing, Stanley has always been violent—on their honeymoon, he smashed all of the lightbulbs with her shoe. Blanche is horrified, but Stella
she begins to rant that she and Stella need to find a way out of their situation. She recounts how she recently ran into an old suitor named Shep Huntleigh ,he would be able to provide the money they need to escape. Not knowing that Stanley is listening, Blanche holds nothing back and describes Stanley as a common, apelike, primitive brute. When telling Stella that sheer desire is no basis for a marriage, Blanche points out that there is a streetcar in New Orleans named “Desire” She invokes the streetcar as a metaphor for what she believes Stella feels. Blanche’s acts of desire are indeed what led to her expulsion from life in Laurel,
Scene Five
Untruthful letter she has just finished writing to Shep Huntleigh, he has acquired knowledge of Blanche’s past Blanche fiercely denies Stanley’s accusation
Stanley’s remarks leave Blanche horribly shaken Blanche confesses Stella that she has behaved badly during the past two years date that evening with Mitch. She has not gone to bed with him because she wants Mitch’s respect, but she’s worried he will lose interest in her. stella runs off to join Stanley at the bar.
Blanche waits for Mitch. A young man comes Blanche flirts with him, offers him a drink, and launches a seduction. Blanche declares that he looks like an Arabian prince, then kisses him on the lips and sends him on his way, saying, “I’ve got to be good—and keep my hands off children.
Even without Stanley around Blanche cannot bring herself to explain her belief that Mitch is her last chance of salvation from ruin. the scene with the newspaper boy prepares us to learn the truth about the circumstances surrounding Blanche’s departure from Mississippi.
Scene 6
Do you want to sleep together this evening? You don’t understand? What a shame!”
→ making him feel like a stupid
Mitch thinks that Stanley simply doesn’t understand her. Blanche argues that Stanley wants to ruin her.
Bl asked for the weight and age
She fixes another drink for herself and gives a revealing account of what happened with the tender young man she married.
Mitch comes to her and holds her, comforting her. He tells her, “You need somebody. And I need somebody, too.” They kiss, even as she sobs. Blanche says, “Sometimes—there’s God—so quickly
Scene 7
Bl's birthday
St has dirt on Blanche
Bl-> bathing
Blanche earned a notorious reputation after taking up residence at the seedy Flamingo Hotel. The hotel asked her to leave, presumably for immoral behavior unacceptable even by the standards of that establishment.
he was not given a leave of absence by her school—she was kicked out after a father reported his discovery that Blanche was having a relationship with a seventeen-year-old boy.
in Laurel Blanche is seen as a crazy woman.
He has told Mitch the bad news about Blanche
birthday present: a one-way bus ticket back to Laurel
St → unsympathetic
Williams juxtaposes Blanche’s merry rendition of this song with Stanley’s malicious revelations about her character, creating a situation of tense dramatic irony as Blanche sings about a future that will never come to fruition
scene 8
birthday dinner → gloomy silence
Stanley, Blanche, and Stella become increasingly short-tempered.
St out of control smashing plates
Blanche announces that she should never have called Mitch
Even though Stella recognizes that Blanche was worn down by “people like” Stanley, she does not reject him or realize that she could wind up in Blanche’s place
he goes into labor
He is once again in control as he takes her to the hospital.
Scene 9
Mitch comes round - unshaven - in his work clothes.
Blanche -has been drinking, but hides the bottle in a closet.
-greets Mitch in a forgiving manner, but he ignores it - -won’t even respond to the his accusation. Mitch then says he wants to see her in the light.
has never seen her in the light before
Blanche admits-1)that after her husband’s suicide → she was so distraught n lonely she did have intimate relations with strangers. . -2)to the affair with the 17-year-old at the school. Mitch accuses her of lying to him, but she denies it, saying she never lied in her heart
Mexican woman
if he wants to stay, he should marry her. Let him go away
Scene 10
B lied to S→ received invita' by wire from SH to join him on a cruise
He confronts Blanche with her lies, claiming that he has known from the day she arrived what sort of person she is
He grabs her and carries her to the bed
Stanley brutally shatters all her illusions, and this, together with the physical assault, drives Blanche into a complete mental breakdown.
Scene 11
The two sisters’ roles reverse. Stella admits that she may have entered a world of make-believe when she acknowledges that she cannot believe Blanche’s story about the rape and continue to live with Stanley
Bl has lost her mental balance
When Blanche hears she has a visitor, she assumes it is Shep, When Blanche sees the doctor, she exclaims that he is not who she was expecting
there is a struggle in catching Bl
finally Blanche accepts the doctor's help, although she has no idea of who he is saying Whoever you are,” Blanche says, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers
Bl couldn't find what she needed, no matter how hard she actually look
