ASND Scene by scene notes

Ideas, notes quotes

Play context:
Williams’ writing of the play was a reaction to the post-war state of America and it’s changes.
TW recognises the rise of the New South and its limitations but does not promote either the
old or the new allowing it to be a source of open-ended conflict.

During the 1940s there was the oncoming boom of the New South blossoming from the
impoverished society with a transition from old to new money. There was also a boom in
terms of people of colour and women beginning to attract work in the industrial sector. This
was in part influenced by the New Deal which protected business systems and especially the
working class so that they could go for work and warn money.

New Orleans at the time was a cosmopolitan city with a warm inter-twining of races
especially in the old part of town which Williams refers to.

The name of the play and the streetcar suggests the idea of fate with a streetcar that runs
straight to its destination. The title suggests that Blanche is driven by desire.
Streetcar – ideal of human condition

Character context
Stanley
- Rose to rank of Master Sargent in the army having fought at Salerno
o Salerno was a blood bath
o Perhaps his animalistic nature stems from the horrors he saw
- Sexual gratification is the centre of his life
o His final moment on stage is him placing his hand into Stella’s blouse

Blanche
- Very smart and knowledgeable skills she needed as a teacher
o Speaks in French – voulez-vous coucher avec moi
o Understanding of literature – Poe
o American code of morality
 Blanche’s sexual uncleanliness
 Mixed feelings toward both sides
 - Driven by desire
o The streetcar driven by its name desire
o Blanche is driven by desire and is often overwhelmed by it
- Opposite of death is desire
o Stanley and Stella keep heir relationship alive through the “coloured lights”
- Blanche suffered many horrors at Belle Reve
o She witnessed the deaths of all her family
 Woman swollen by disease unable to fit in a coffin
o Shows that she had great physical and mental strength before the deaths and
Alan Grey’s suicide drive her to madness
- Alan Grey
o Blanche is still haunted by his death, the polka music is a motif that reminds
her and the audience of her trauma
o Her guilt of the whole situation leads to her promiscuity and alcoholism
o

Scene 1:
- “It has a raffish charm”
- An atmosphere of decay
Eunice:
- Wife of Steve
- More equal relationship where Eunice has a lot more power over Steve than Stella has
over Stanley
o “Tell Steve to get him a poor boy’s sandwich cause there’s nothing left
o Eunice is the breadwinner
- Eunice owns the Kowalski apartment

Negro woman:
- Never given a name
- Plot device to demonstrate the diversity of New Orleans
- Also to demonstrate audience feelings
o “Catch what!”

Stanley bellows “Hey there Stella baby!”

- Masculine
- Catch! Meat!
Stanley and Mitch are introduced wearing blue denim clothes with Stanley carrying his
bowling jacket.
- The blue denim is a reflection of the men’s social class
- Also a reflection of the societal context
- Stanley’s bowling jacket represents his arrogance
o He is going into a bowling tournament with this arrogant look
o Confidence in the result – intimidating his opponents

Blanche introduction – depicted as delicate and “incongruous” to the setting. Blanche means
white in French – the choice of name is reflected in her first appearance
- White suit, white bodice, and white gloves
- Seems like she were dressed for a cocktail party at the garden district
- About 5 years older than Stella (30 y/o)
- Her delicate beauty must avoid the light
o Introduces the motif of the light
- Blanche speaks hysterically to Eunice not believing where she is

- I’d like to be left alone

o Asserts power over situation

As Blanche is left alone she immediately thinks of alcohol. She finds liquor in Stanley’s
closet and pours herself some.
- This alcohol would normally be whiskey
- Contextually it would have been quite rare for a woman to consume it

Observations from Blanche’s conversation with Stella

They aren’t really that close although they have a love for one another
- Their embraces are spasmodic (irregular and uncomfortable)
- Blanche speaks with a “feverish vivacity” taking control over the conversation
Introduction of Blanche’s lying and dishonesty
- “look around for some liquor”
- Enhances the idea that Blanche is addicted to alcohol and therefore unstable
Blanche ridicules the Kowalski apartment
- Never in my worst dreams could I picture
- That you had to live in these conditions
 - What! Two rooms, did you say?

“You never did give me a chance to say much”

- Highlights Blanche’s historical power over Stella
“You haven’t said a word about my appearance”
- Blanche’s vain character and how much she cares about her appearance

“You’re just as plump as a partridge”

- Because Stella is pregnant
- She almost reveals that “Now Blanche –”
- But is cut off

Stella describes the people she is surrounded by (Stanley and his friends)
- Tells Blanche she won’t find them lovely
- Calls Stanley a different species
o Animalistic language (TW suggesting Stanley’s nature)

Stanley doesn’t know of Blanche’s coming – Blanche’s arrival is a surprise for him
- Leads into his discomfort with Blanche who is an uninvited visitor in his house
Tension between Blanche and Stella
- In bed with your Polack!
o While Blanche lost belle reve
- Blanche! That’s enough!

Stanley is briefly introduced and mentioned but when he arrives back to his apartment, he is
firmly in the spotlight, capturing all of the attention
- Medium height but strong and compactly built
- The centre of his life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it
- Sizes women up at a glance, with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his
mind and determining the way he smiles at them
- Where’s the little woman?
o Crude nature
Stanley goes to the closet and removes the whiskey bottle, holding it to the light
- Liquor goes fast in hot weather.
- Some people rarely touches it but it touches them often
In his first interaction with Blanche, he realises that she has drank some of his liquor and
realised that she is someone who is dishonest

At the end of the scene, the motif of the polka music is introduced
- Comes up every time Blanche thinks of Alan Grey

Scene Two

Starts off with Stella asking Stanley for money to go take Blanche to Galatoire’s for supper
- Stanley is annoyed because he doesn’t get to go while being the one who pays
- Introduces image of Blanche singing while bathing as Stella and Stanley dispute
Stanley brutally forces the handover of documents that explain the loss of Belle Reve
- He asks for the bill of sale
- He seeks the truth after having seen that Blanche is a liar from scene 1

Napoleonic Code
- The code is an idea that Stanley brings up that states that whatever belongs to a
husband belongs to the wife and vice versa
- What is interesting is the fact that the Napoleonic Code is a very old concept and
already out-dated in the time period of the play
o This shows that Stanley may not be always right on the things he says
although his conviction in making his arguments make him seem like the
person in the right

Stanley is also shown to be not too aware or acquainted with the livelihoods of the upper
class. This of course is due to his poor upbringing and his place in society as an industrial
worker. He believes that the contents of Blanche’s trunk are worth thousands of dollars.
However the tiara is made of rhinestone a cheap material but Stanley fails to recognise it’s
lack of value.
Stanley’s crude mind in terms of his sexualisation is further portrayed when he stays in the
living room to watch Blanche get dressed.

Romance to Stanley is purely about the sex.

- Lay her cards on the table

Normally Blanche attempts to and succeeds in controlling conversations. This time however
with Stanley, she is unable to with Stanley unfazed by Blanche’s usage of her sexuality.
- Although Stanley is unclear with what is happening and is confused by Blanche, he
knows better than most to stop her from controlling him.
- Blanche sprays herself with her atomiser then playfully sprays Stanley with it to
which Stanley smashes it into the table

As Stanley questions Blanche on the Napoleonic law, he takes matters into his own hands by
ravaging through the contents of Blanche’s trunk. He sees letters that Blanche has yet to
open. With a disregard to her wishes, Stanley rips them open stunning Blanche.

With Blanche in such a vulnerable state thinking of Alan Grey, she cracks revealing that Belle
Reve had been lost to Ambler and Ambler – a mortgage company. She diffuses the conflict
between herself and Stanley with the confession.

Stanley also goes against his wife’s wishes by revealing to Blanche that they are expecting a
child. This enhances the recurring theme that Stanley does whatever he wants because he is
the king of the house and therefore has total power and control.
Scene Three:

Scene opens to Stanley’s apartment where he and his friends are playing poker. The physical
descriptions of the men is very simple clear and direct. They are men at the peak of their
manhood. As the game goes on, Stanley is losing and clearly not in a good mood.

Mitch’s character is introduced

He makes a bit of fun at Stanley’s expense putting him on the audience’s side who have
maybe been disapproving of Stanley’s character early on. Mitch is also shown to be a good
person. He cares for his sick mother and leaves the early to go home and take care of her.

As Blanche and Stella enter the scene, Stanley is frustrated at their presence telling them to
leave the poker table and go up to Eunice’s. Stella complains that it is late (2:30 am) and
Stanley whacks her on the thigh to which his friends laugh to.

Stella also mentions that Stanley’s reason behind his success is his drive and motivation
- He is determined and will get what he wants

Mitch and Blanche’s first encounter

- Mitch tries to act gentleman-like but is far too clumsy
- He coughs shyly whilst looking at Blanche
- Blanche reciprocates this as she looks at him with “a certain interest”
Blanche conversation with Mitch
- Blanche lies to Mitch about her age saying she is younger than Stella by about a year
o This puts her age to be around 24
- She also lies about the reason she is in New Orleans. She states that she is down to
help her sister who is feeling unwell
- What is most important is that they are making good conversation and hitting it off in
a positive manner
o To Blanche, Mitch is receptive to her lies which is important

Their interaction here ends with Blanche turning on the radio and romantically dancing to a
waltz. Mitch tries to do the same but comes across like a bear dancing clumsily.
- Stanley having already shown his disain for the radio throws it out the window
Stella in response tells all the guests to leave calling Stanley a “drunk animal thing” to which
Stanley charges at her.
- Stanley then takes Stella off stage where a blow can be heard with Stella’s scream
- Stanley is clearly drunk and is subdued by two of his friends

Blanche takes matters into her own hands collecting Stella’s clothes and takes her up to
Eunice’s place upstairs for refuge

Stanley coming back to some sense tries to reach his baby by dialling Eunice who hangs up
- He hurls the phone to the floor
Stanley stumbles across the porch and down the wooden steps to the pavement before the
building bellowing “Stella!”
- Eunice pops her head out saying that Stella wouldn’t come down and that he’d be
lucky that law enforcement doesn’t come around like last time
o Alludes to Stanley physically abusing Stella in the past

After his constant begging, Stella comes out accepting Stanley again in an embrace. Stanley
then carries Stella back into the apartment. This shocks Blanche who chats a little longer with
Mitch and shares a cigarette with him.