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S & Desire - David (Character (S1 P10 - Blanche shows her sexual…
S & Desire - David
Setting
S6 P73 - "There's no privacy here. There's just these portieres between the two rooms". Blanche complains about the lack of privacy, displays a whiff of arrogance and superiority, and shows that Stella's apartment is rather primitive and simple.
S3 P43 - "Stella slips down the rickety stairs in her robe… her eyes are glistening with tears and her hair loose about" - Stella shows that she desires Stanley even when he abuses her, because there exists a dependent relationship between them (rickety stairs show subpar apartment building).
Tone
S5 P61 - "But I'm scared now.I don't know how much longer I can turn the trick... I'm fading now!" Sad, pessimistic about her fading appeal towards men.
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S2 P24-25 - "In my youth I excited some admiration. But look at me now!" Sad, pessimistic tone regarding her self-believed lack of sexual appeal.
Character
S1 P10 - Blanche shows her sexual insecurity: "I still have that awful vanity about my looks even now that my looks are slipping!"
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S2 P29 - "Under the Napoleonic code, a man has to take interest in his wife's affairs". Stanley's desire to control Stella and Blanche shows the greedy, violent, bossy side of him.
S3 P45 - "Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh". Stanley shown as arrogant believer of male superiority (sexual, violent).
S4 P47 - "It wasn't anything as serious as you seem to take it... when men are drinking... anything can happen". Stella defends Stanley (clearly still desires him).
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S1 P10 - "You know I haven't put on once ounce in ten years, Stella?" Suggests Blanche is condescending, thinks she is the only beautiful one around (cares a lot about self).
S5 P63 - Blanche talks about wanting to deceive Mitch to get his love: "I want to deceive him enough to make him - want me". Shows she knows that something about her isn't right, she has to hide certain qualities or information.
S5 P66 - Blanche flirts with newspaper boy before Mitch arrives with roses in his hands: "Has anyone ever told you that you look like a young Prince out of the Arabian Nights... Mitch appears around the corner with a bunch of roses".
S6 P68 - "Can I, uh, kiss you good night?" Mitch asks to kiss Blanche good night, shows shyness, contrast to the other forceful men in the play.
S6 P70 - "I better leave it [the clothing] on". Mitch doesn't want to make Blanche uncomfortable, shows he cares about Blanche's well being.
S6 P76 - "Then I found out. In the worst of all possible ways... two people". Blanche shows her in- acceptance of gay men and men that don't fit her definition of masculinity
S2 P29 - Improvident men in the family lost Belle Reve due to their "epic fornications" - Blanche characterizing men in general, suggests she grew up in family of playboys.
S1 P16 - Stanley "sizes up women at a glance, with sexual classifications". Portrayed as playboy - typical lustful male.
S7 P81 - "A seventeen year old boy - she'd gotten mixed up with!" Blanche, allegedly, has had inappropriate relations with teenage boys when she taught
S7 P81 - "After two or three dates with her and then they quit, she goes on to another" - Blanche jumps from man to man (prostitution?), link to her flirtations with newspaper boy and Mitch at the same time
S7 P83 - "When she was young... she had an experience that - killed her illusions!" Explains Blanche's "man hopping" and desire for love/sex/intimacy, related to Freudian psychology
S9 P100 - "Yes, I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan - the intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty head with". Traumatic experience with Allan lead Blanche to become lustful and seek "love" in many men, or so she excuses her behavior with.
S9 P103 - "I don't think I want to marry you anymore... dropping his hands from her waist". Mitch no longer wants to be responsible for Blanche in marriage, he only wants to have sex with her, big change from his attitude towards Blanche in earlier scenes.
S10 P112 - "Oh! So you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house!" Stanley's words show that he is very animal like and violent in his sexual desire.
S11 P117 - "I don't want to pass in front of those men". At the beginning of the play, Blanche wanted the men to be attracted towards her. She shows a change in attitude towards the end of the play (doesn't want sexual attraction).
S11 P122 - "I'll kill you!" Mitch is angry about Stanley hurting Blanche or angry about her being sent away. This shows Mitch still desires Blanche, obviously only physically (wants to have sex with her).
Symbols
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S5 P58 - Freudian psychology (men, violence, sex): "astrological sign... now that you're out [of the army], you make up for it by treating inanimate objects with such a fury!"
S1 P2 "throwing meat" - Reference to Stanley's genitals. Find humorous remark by colored woman on P3.
S6 P70 - Blanche gets two shots for her and Mitch, desire to escape tough realities of life through alcohol.
S7 P80 - "The Flamingo is used to all kinds of goings-on. But even the management of the Flamingo was impressed by Dame Blanche!" Stanley meant last part sarcastically, "Flamingo" hotel is a symbolizes prostitution, Blanche's promiscuity.
S10 P111 - "The Blue Piano goes softly. She turns confusedly and makes a faint gesture. The inhuman jungle voices rise up. He takes a step toward her, biting his tongue which protrudes between his lips". The Blue Piano here is a symbol of Blanche's imminent rape by Stanley.
Things Left Uncertain
S1 P13 - Blanche talks about maintaining slender figure for 10 years, possible connection to desire for sex ("waiting" for the right man)?
S3 P60 - Meaning and significance of "they come together with low, animal moans".
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S5 P60 - Blanche worried about her public image- has she been doing immoral "things" in exchange for a roof over her head?
S6 P76 - Blanche's liquor addiction originating from her traumatic experience of her dead lover (Allan)?
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S7 P79 - "Sister Blanche is no lily!" Is Stanley saying that Blanche is not a virgin, is a prostitute, and unclean?