13508842
Description
Mind Map by Grace Fawcitt, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Grace Fawcitt
over 6 years ago
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A Streetcar Named Desire: Characters- Blanche
- Colours
- White: typically connotes
purity, although is used
ironically for Blanche given
her sexual 'impurity'. It may
be used to indicate
vulnerability.
- In Scene 1, she arrives dressed
all in white, but throughout
the play we see her being
corrupted; her white skirt is
stained, and she wears a
'soiled and crumpled' white
gown
- This may be used by Williams as a manner of
criticising the New America, as shown through
Stanley, which corrupts the chivalry and civilisation
of the Old South
- This may be used by Williams as a manner of
criticising the New America, as shown through
Stanley, which corrupts the chivalry and civilisation
of the Old South
- In Scene 1, she arrives dressed
all in white, but throughout
the play we see her being
corrupted; her white skirt is
stained, and she wears a
'soiled and crumpled' white
gown
- Red: used to suggest
desire, such as
Blanche's red satin
wrapper, however also
danger- desire
inevitably leads to
harm, and even death
- In Scene 9 and 11, Blanche is
wearing a 'scarlet satin robe' and a
'red satin robe'- these scenes encase
Scene 10, when Stanley rapes
Blanche. Scene 11 also includes
Blanche being taken away to a
mental institution, which we can
assume will be unpleasant- link to
Wlliams' sister Rose
- In Scene 9 and 11, Blanche is
wearing a 'scarlet satin robe' and a
'red satin robe'- these scenes encase
Scene 10, when Stanley rapes
Blanche. Scene 11 also includes
Blanche being taken away to a
mental institution, which we can
assume will be unpleasant- link to
Wlliams' sister Rose
- White: typically connotes
purity, although is used
ironically for Blanche given
her sexual 'impurity'. It may
be used to indicate
vulnerability.
- Characteristics
- Blanche is essentially stuck in a stereotype that no
longer exists- the Southern Belle is an archaic
construct from nearly a century prior to when the
play is set, and so her personality clearly conflicts
with Stanley's- who represent the New America-
hence her mental breakdown; she can't deal with
the reality which is forced on her
- There is no doubt that Blanche is a liar- she lies
about her age, her weight, and her past at Belle
Reve. However, this doesn't necessarily make her a
bad person. Rather, it seems like she uses these lies
to construct an illusion that allows her to deal with
daily life. Stanley rips that all down every time he
reveals the truth about her
- Blanche and Stella both came from an aristocratic
background, but took very different roads in life-
Stella chose to conform to the New America
alongside Stanley, while Blanche has to watch her
relatives all die one by one. This is perhaps symbolic
of the decay of the Old South and the vitality of the
New America- Blanche has been losing her family,
while Stella and Stanley have been creating one
- While Blanche is certainly a victim in many ways, she
is also a wrongdoer- she is racist, and preys on young
men (the soldiers at Belle Reve, the Young Man, and
the 17 year old at the school she taught at
- Blanche's madness isn't evident immediately- she is
clearly eccentric, but we could put that down to
personality. However, we see her progressive descent
into madness throughout the play, most prevalently
in her speech- the content of her speech shifts from
coherent, if slightly erratic, to barely understandable-
she sings 'El pan de mais sin sal' in Scene 8, which
translates from Spanish to 'cornbread without salt'
- Blanche is essentially stuck in a stereotype that no
longer exists- the Southern Belle is an archaic
construct from nearly a century prior to when the
play is set, and so her personality clearly conflicts
with Stanley's- who represent the New America-
hence her mental breakdown; she can't deal with
the reality which is forced on her
- Context
- Blanche as Williams' sister, Rose
- Rose most likely suffered from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and was lobotomised prior to
Williams writing Streetcar. Her actions before the lobotomy were often hysterical- 'her good spirits
were turning into a kind of hysteria; her laughter was more nervous than natural; she was moody and
was developing a strange little hunch . . .'
- Interestingly, Williams' own words regarding his sister's feigned
promiscuity echoed those of Blanche's to Allan Grey before he shot
himself: "Rose, I heard you offer yourself to Colin, and I want you to
know that you disgusted me."
- Blanche: ' I know! I know! You disgust me...'
- Blanche: ' I know! I know! You disgust me...'
- Interestingly, Williams' own words regarding his sister's feigned
promiscuity echoed those of Blanche's to Allan Grey before he shot
himself: "Rose, I heard you offer yourself to Colin, and I want you to
know that you disgusted me."
- Rose most likely suffered from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and was lobotomised prior to
Williams writing Streetcar. Her actions before the lobotomy were often hysterical- 'her good spirits
were turning into a kind of hysteria; her laughter was more nervous than natural; she was moody and
was developing a strange little hunch . . .'
- Blanche as Williams
- Williams struggled with his sexuality at times,
not realising it until his late twenties, and of
course suffering from the discriminatory
behaviour that was typical of the times. This
punishment for his sexuality (both internalised
and from external sources) is reflected in
Blanche; her sexual promiscuity is frequently the
subject of discrimination; while she is punished
for her promiscuity, mostly due to her gender,
Stanley receives no punishment for his actions
of raping her while married to Stella
- Williams struggled with his sexuality at times,
not realising it until his late twenties, and of
course suffering from the discriminatory
behaviour that was typical of the times. This
punishment for his sexuality (both internalised
and from external sources) is reflected in
Blanche; her sexual promiscuity is frequently the
subject of discrimination; while she is punished
for her promiscuity, mostly due to her gender,
Stanley receives no punishment for his actions
of raping her while married to Stella
- Blanche as Williams' sister, Rose
- Key Sections
- Scene 1
- Blanche's arrival to Elysian Fields
- The death speech
- Blanche meets Stanley
- Blanche's arrival to Elysian Fields
- Scene 2
- Blanche and Stanley- trunk/ papers scene
- Blanche and Stanley- trunk/ papers scene
- Scene 3
- Blanche meets Mitch
- Blanche meets Mitch
- Scene 4
- Blanche talks to Stella about Stanley
- Shep Huntleigh
- Ape speech
- Blanche talks to Stella about Stanley
- Scene 5
- Star signs
- Speech about being soft
- Spilling coke on skirt
- Blanche and Young Man
- Star signs
- Scene 6
- Mitch and Blanche return from date
- Blanche's distaste for Mitch's lack of chivalry/ gentlemanly behaviour
- Blanche tells Mitch about Allan Grey
- Mitch and Blanche return from date
- Scene 7
- (Blanche is bathing for the majority of the scene)
- (Blanche is bathing for the majority of the scene)
- Scene 8
- Blanche's birthday supper- lack of Mitch, and Stanley's 'present'
- Blanche sings 'El pan de mais'
- Blanche's birthday supper- lack of Mitch, and Stanley's 'present'
- Scene 9
- Mitch and Blanche talk about her past
- Mexican Woman: 'Flores para los muertos'
- Mitch and Blanche talk about her past
- Scene 10
- Stanley and Blanche talk about Shep Huntleigh and Mitch
- Stanley rapes Blanche
- Stanley and Blanche talk about Shep Huntleigh and Mitch
- Scene 11
- Blanche speaks about wanting to be buried at sea
- Doctor and Matron arrive and take Blanche away
- Blanche speaks about wanting to be buried at sea
- Scene 1
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