Street car named desire

1. Why do Eunice and the Negro woman laugh when Stanley throws a package of meat to
Stella? Of what is this act symbolic?
2. How does Blanche react when she discovers where her sister lives?
3. How do Stella and Blanche differ in character?
4. What evidence is there in this scene that Blanche is not trustworthy?
5. How, according to Blanche, was Belle Reve lost?
6. Describe the first meeting between Blanche and Stanley.
7. What happens to Blanche after she mentions her husband’s death?
Scene 2
1. What is the Napoleonic Rule? What does stanley’s insistence on this suggest about his
character?
2. What does Stanley believe really happened to Belle Reve? What does he use to prove
his point?
3. How does Blanche try to deal with Stanley when he confronts her about Belle Reve?
4. What are the letters that Blanche is so protective of? Why does she say she must burn
them now that Stanley has touched them?
Scene 3
1. How does Blanche manipulate Mitch?
2. how does Mitch differ from the other men?
3. What evidence is there to show that Mitch is still a product of his environment?
4. What dramatic purpose does Stanley’s violent outburst serve?
5. Why does Stella go back to her husband?
Scene 4
1. Do you agree with Blanche that Stella is married to a madman?
2. Is Stella in a worse fix than Blanche?
3. Why does Stella want to stay with Stanley? Is there any validity behind her reasoning?
Why else do you think she might chose to stay with her husband?
4. Who is Shep Huntleigh? Why is he just a pipe dream?
5. What is Blanche’s opinion of Stanley? Is she accurate in her assessment?
6. Of what is the streetcar named “Desire”symbolic?
Scene 5
1. How does Eunice and Steve’s relationship parallel Stanley and Stella’s? How does
Eunice differ from Stella?
2. Why does Blanch think Stanley is Aries?
3. What is the irony behind Blanche’s sign?
4. Who is Shaw? how does Blanche react when Stanley asks her about him?
5. Provide evidence in this scene of Blanche’s obsession with appearance and age.
6. Using the stage directions, provide evidence of Blanche’s drinking problem.

Scene 6
1. What is a neurasthenic personality? How is this evident in Blanche’s voice and manner?
2. Why is Mitch clearly not the man for Blanche?
3. Is Mitch a gentleman?
4. What are the mind games Blanche plays with Mitch in this scene?
5. What evidence is there in the play thus far to prove that Stanley is indeed Blanche’s
executioner?
6. How does blanche avoid answering Mitch’s question about her age?
7. What does Blanche’s story about her past tell us about her current
emotional state?
Scene 7
1. What annoys Stanley about living with Blanche?
2. What is Lie #1? What evidence does Stanley provide to prove this to be true?
3. How is Blanche’s song “Paper Moon” symbolic of her mental
deterioration?
4. What is Lie #2? What evidence does Stanley produce to prove this to be true?
5. In what way is Stella similar to her sister Blanche?
6. How does Stanley act as Blanche’s executioner in this scene?
Scene 8
1. According to Stanley, after Blanch leaves he and Stella can return to the way things were
between them. Based on everything that has happened so far in the play can Stella and
Stanley ever go back to the way things were?
Scene 9
1. Why does Blanche really forgive Mitch?
2. Why does Blanche choose not to “cross-examine the witness”?
3. How does Blanche justify her lies?
4. How does she answer the charge laid against her regarding Kiefaber?
5. How does Blanche justify her numerous intimacies with strangers?
6. How does the Mexican Woman affect Blanche?
7. How does Blanche compare death and desire? How is this reflective of her life?
Scene 10
1. Identify Blanche’s desperate lies?
2. Why Does Tennessee Williams have the image of the street become transparent through
the walls just prior to the rape?
Scene 11
1. What is your opinion of Stanley’s philosophy: “To hold front position in this rat-race
you’ve got to believe you are lucky.”? How is this concept reflected in the play?
2. Was Stella right not to believe Blanche’s accusation that Stanley raped her?
3. What does Blanche’s death fantasy foreshadow?
4. How does Tennessee Williams use sound and shadows to reflect Blanche’s madness?
5. How is Blanche’s final line indicative of her character?
6. Why does Eunice hand Stella her baby as Blanche is leaving?
7. Why does Tennessee Williams have the play end on Steve’s line?