Based on the stage direction at the beginning of this scene, and in the context of the previous scene, why does the atmosphere between Mitch and Blanche seem strained?
Mitch is in the dark about Blanche and her real intentions while Blanche tries to manipulate Mitch. This is the only scene in the play in which we can observe that Blanche knows she is play-acting – for two brief moments, she "breaks character" and we can see her awareness of her hypocrisy and moonshine. At her own prudish behavior ,Blanche rolls her eyes, visible to the audience but not Mitch. And when she has determined that Mitch cannot speak French, she riskily asks that famous question, "Voulez-vous couches avec moi c'est soi?" - "Do you want to go to bed with me tonight?" But this scene is the first and last time she shows any awareness of playing a role, and what signifies her descent from illusion to delusion is her inability, in the last few scenes, to any longer distinguish between her game and reality
