Scene 4, Blanche rushes in and it is clear that Stanley and Stella have had sex. This is the first mention of Shep Huntliegh (an old boyfriend of Blanche’s). However, we later learn that he is part of the fantasy. Blanche tells Stella what she thinks of Stanley, neither of them realise that he hears this. “(Undercover of the train’s noise unseen by the women… and over hears their conversation). Blanche: well- well… he’s common!”
Scene 5,the girls hear Eunice and Steve fighting. Blanche’s past is catching up with her, Stanley has found out about what she used to do before she came to New Orleans. Blanche believes that he has told Stella and so confesses everything to Stella. Stanley and Stella go out. The paper boy calls and Blanche kisses him. Just as he is leaving Mitch arrives to take Blanche out. This is significant because of her affair with a 17 year old boy, back in Laurel.
Scene 6,they arrive back from their date, Stella and Stanley are not back yet. Mitch asks if he can kiss Blanche if he can kiss her goodnight and she wonders why he always asks if he can. “Mitch: can I - uh- kiss you- goodnight? Blanche: why do you always ask me if you may?” she speaks French to him and asks him to get to bed with her, but he doesn’t understand. Blanche tells him how rude and horrid Stanley is to her and he also tells him of her lost love, from her youth.
Scene 7, Stella tries to get Stanley to be nice to Blanche. But he has found out why Blanche had to leave her job at the school in Laurel. He tells Stella about Blanche’s affair and how his father found out and wrote to the school and got her sacked. Stella tells Stanley about Blanches’ marriage. When she comes out of the bathroom, Blanche knows something has been said. The atmosphere, in the tiny flat, is very tense.
Scene 8, the dismal birthday tea. Mitch never turns up because Stanley told him about Blanche’s past. She tries to get Stanley to tell a funny story but he gets angry when asked to help clear dishes and hurls them to the floor. As a present, Stanley gives Blanche a one- way ticket back to Laurel. Stella is angry. When Stanley wants to go bowling, he can’t because Stella is in labour: “Stella: take me to the hospital.” This is significant because Stanley is used to getting his own way.
Scene 9, the same night Mitch comes to see Blanche. She keeps hearing the music from the night that her husband shot himself. It is clear that she is insane. She looks for the Southern Comfort and pretends not to know that it is liquor. Mitch knows that she has been drinking it all summer. Mitch wants to see Blanche in the light and forces her into the light, she is horrified. Then he asks about the things that Stanley told him. And she tells him everything, including the deaths of her family. A blind Mexican woman is selling flowers for the dead, this symbolises lost hope. Mitch wants to have sex with Blanche but she says that he must marry her first. He tells her that she isn’t “clean” enough to share a house with his dying mother. Mitch tries to have sex with her anyway, but she screams “fire!” He leaves. Mitch is referring to the way that Blanche lived before she lost Belle Reve and came to New Orleans.
Scene 10, Blanche is really is really insane now. She is dressed in dirty, crumpled white clothes and is talking to invisible admirers. Stanley enters. She tells him that she has been invited on a cruise of the Caribbean by Shep Huntleigh. Stanley wants to celebrate but Blanche doesn’t want to: “Stanley: shall we make it loving- cup? Blanche: no thank you.” Stanley gets out his special silk pyjamas. Blanche then tells him about Mitch coming back to beg her forgiveness with red roses. But Stanley knows it is a lie. When Stanley is in the bathroom, she tries to call someone but is unable to. She tries again when emerges from the bathroom but he just takes the receiver. Blanche knows that he is going to do something horrible to her, so she breaks bottle top use it as a weapon. But he takes it from her. He claims that this is the date they’ve had set from the beginning. “Stanley: we’ve had this date with each other form the beginning!”
Scene 11, no- one believes that Blanche was raped by Stanley because is she is insane and living in a fantasy world. Stella and Eunice are packing her trunk, while the men play poker. They have decided to put her in an institute but Blanche believes she is going on holiday with Shep Huntliegh, and she goes in to a fantasy about the seaside. The doctor and matron arrive and Blanche puts up a fight as she is confused. The doctor is kind to her and she comes out with the famous line “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” As they take Blanche away Eunice has to hold Stella back and Blanche doesn’t look back as the car drives away.
