Questions for After Reading the Script 1. Blanche arrives at Stella’s home by riding a streetcar named Desire. Explain the significance of the title and how it refers to the themes in the play. 2. The United States went through a dramatic transition after World War II. The rise of a middle class began shortly after the soldiers returned and with that ascending middle class came the demise of certain lifestyles, particularly that of the “Old South.” Southern gentility and family patronage gave way to a more egalitarian way of life. How do Blanche, Stella, and Stanley fare in this “New South”? 3. What was the reason Blanche left Belle Reve? What is Blanche hoping to accomplish by visiting Stella in New Orleans? 4. Stella tells Blanche that “I assure you I wasn’t blinded by all that brass,” referring to the photograph of Stanley in his Master Sergeant’s uniform. What else does Stella see in Stanley? 5. What is Mitch’s impression of Blanche when he first meets her? How does his view of her evolve throughout the play? 6. Beyond the symbolism of the play’s title, discuss some of the other symbols and metaphors that are found in A Streetcar Named Desire. 7. Blanche is not the only character who is scarred by her visit to her sister’s. How are Stella’s, Stanley’s and Mitch’s lives irrevocably changed? 8. Blanche delivers an impassioned speech to Stella at the end of act one, disparaging Stanley and encouraging her to embrace life’s more refined pleasures. What is your reaction to Blanche during this monologue? Should Stella take her advice? 9. Tennessee Williams uses stage directions to specify the poetic quality of certain scenes, and in doing so he sometimes removes the play from the realm of naturalistic drama. This often helps us enter Blanche’s thoughts. Review the script for scenes that contain elements of this heightened drama.
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