A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 2

Just a small mindmap on Blanche and Stanley in Scene 2

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  • Created by: sheercaan
  • Created on: 07-01-15 15:40
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  • A Streetcar Named Desire
    • Blanche
      • The audience's compassion for Blanche grows as Williams reveals just how destitute she is by showing that all her belongings in the world fit into one trunk
      • Blanche takes her first of many baths
        • Symbolism and Imagery
          • Blanches constant need for washing her body symbolises her emotional, spiritual and mental cleansing
          • Her bathing foreshadows the eventful revelation of her sordid past
      • Blanches baths will significantly increase the tension in the apartment and is extremely irritating
      • Desires to rid herself of her social blemishes and start over again after leaving Laurel
      • Blanches Red Robe
        • Symbolism and Imagery
          • Blanche posturing in her red robe is symbolic of the scarlet woman of the Bible
          • Blanche’s reference to “The blind are leading the blind” is symbolic of Matthew 15:14 which reads “And if the blind shall lead the blind, both shall fall into a ditch”.  The implication here is of impending disaster
      • Her flirty manner arouses Stanley's suspicions
      • Stanley believes Blanches behavior is more suited to a prostitute than a school teacher
    • Stanley
      • Stanley's antagonism to Blanche grows and so does his suspicions about her
      • Stanley's hostility is rooted in his sharp awareness of the class differences between himself and Blanche
      • Stanley wants to bring Stella down to his level
      • The class antagonism is intensified by Stanley's suspicions that Blanch has cheated him and his wife Stella
      • He is unaware that Blanches costume jewlellery is fake and his resentment grows when Stella mocks him
      • His references to the Napoleonic Code show that he is ignorant of legal technicalities because Belle Reve being in Mississippi would not fall under New Orleans jurisdiction
      • These repeated references highlight the fact that his conflict with Blanche is also a gender showdown.
      • Stanley feels that as a man whatever Stella has belongs to him
      • He also hates Blanche as a woman and as a person with a far more prestigious family name.  He therefore suspects that her business dealings have been dishonest

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