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BLANCHE - Coggle Diagram
BLANCHE
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
southern belle/aristocracy
- Blanche and Stella from old south with aristocratic heritage
manipulative/pathological liar
- constantly bends the truth
- manipulates Mitch into falling in love with fictitious version of herself - when caught lying she claims "its part of womanhood"
- lies help her to have confidence
- Stella is manipulated for Blanche to get attention from her, Stella repeats things/terms that Blanche says - calls Stanley 'pig' or 'animal thing'
insecure and sensitive
- insecure about her aging (paper lantern, hides her age)
- she spends a lot of time fixing her appearance
lonely
- stella is her 'whole world', he loneliness drove her to New Orleans
- even her relationship with Mitch is based on mutual loneliness
delusional
- stuck from her trauma in her past
- she doesnt want realism, but wants magic
- escapes her past
SUMMARY
- narcissistic personality disorder, alcoholism as a coping mechanism,
- grew up with her sister stela on her family plantation in Deep South - Belle Reeve
- feel in love at 16 to Allan Grey, later found out he was a homosexual
- he killed himself due to Blanche judging, homophobia
- this guilt stays with her and torments her as well as the loss of Belle Reve, her job and independence
- she became sexually promiscuous with a variety of men, and then turned to Stella in new orleans
RELATIONSHIPS
Stanley
- symbol of crude masculinity
- loud, vulgar, gaudy and violent
- the antithesis of everything Blanche outwardly appreciates
- feels threatened by Blanche's presence - represents a class and society he cannot fully understand "Napoleonic code"
- his masculinity is his pride
- stanley raign Blanche can be seen as his final opportunity to make her his
- "the first time I laid eyes on him I thought to myself, that man is my executioner!"
- foreshadows the tragic climax to the end of play
Stella
- younger sister of Blanche
- easily influenced
- submissive to Stanley
- her inability to leave her husband leads to Blanche's demise
Allan Grey
- husband who killed himself
- his presence is represented through Blanche's guilt (Polka music)
Mitch
- one of the poker players but more well-mannered and sensitive
- a chance for Blanche to redeem herslef
- Blanche manipulates/deceives him and he is furious - 'ripping' down her lantern
- ultimately, he breaks down as Blanche is taken away and blames Stanley
SYMBOLISM: names
- name 'Blanche' from French work 'White" - symbol of purity
- Dubois - means 'of wood' , connoting strength and durability
- both hold an ironic meaning, as she is neither pure as she has been constantly sexually promiscuous , nor is she strong as she is weak ( she was raped by Stanley, and dependent on men to save her when in distress)