Character Analysis Of Blanche In 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

Vocabulary

Narcotize- Verb- Stupefy with or as if with a drug. (Pg 70)

Gossamer- Noun- A fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, which is seen especially in autumn. (Pg 98)

Bestial- Adjective- Savagely cruel and depraved. (Pg 82)

II. Discussion Questions

When Blanche kissed Stella’s hand, do you think it was because she loved her sister dearly or did she have something else going on in her head that had caused her to show an overwhelming amount of affection?

Why do you think Blanche is so persistent on saying that Stella wants to get out of her current condition? Is that a reflection of the hardships that she is going through herself?

Blanche had feelings for Mitch and still went along to kiss the newspaper boy. Do you think Blanche gets sudden urges of desire or did she just find the newspaper boy attractive for that one incident?

Literary Device- Dramatic Irony In Scene 4, Stanley enters from outside and while he does that Blanche is stating her negative opinions about him. The narrator says “Under cover of the train’s noise Stanley enters from outside. He stand’s unseen by the women, holding some packages in his arms, and overhears their following conversation”. The reader knows that Stanley can hear the conversation between Blanche and Stella, but they do not know themselves. The use of this dramatic irony is made to give a hint of suspense to the reader because they are aware that Stanley is around meanwhile Stella and Blanche do not. Blanche continues to speak her mind about Stanley saying that he appears to be “sub-human” and have animal like qualities. Stella lets Blanche have her time to rant about Stanley even though she does not have a problem with him. When Stanley finally enters the room, he grins through the curtains at Blanche and stares at her. Blanche now realized that he was listening to her whole conversation meanwhile the audience had known the whole time.

IV.