Blanche+Scenes+7-11

=Blanche Scenes 7-11= All the above stage directions indicate that Blanche is mentally unstable as revealed by the fluctuations in her mood. All through the play she tries to keep a nonchalant, carefree facade but increasingly her nervous disposition is clearly highlighted.
 * STAGE DIRECTIONS FOR**
 * HER BEHAVIOUR**
 * [Scene 7] //appears to try to hide her fear and panic by acting happy…//carefree, childlike, ‘singing blithely’, ‘little breathless cries and peals of laughter are heard as if a child were frolicking in the tub’ – though at the same time scared – ‘as Stanley crosses past her, a frightened look appears in her face, almost a look of panic’, ‘she stares fearfully at Stella’
 * [Scene 8] – hiding emotions, ‘Blanche has a tight, artificial smile on her drawn face’, ‘Blanche tries to smile. Then she tries to laugh’ ;
 * [Scene 9] - ‘fearfully’, ‘She utters a frightened gasp’ hysterical – ‘She throws back her head with convulsive, sobbing laughter’, ‘her throat is tightening with hysteria’
 * [Scene 10] – ‘murmuring excitedly as if to a group of spectral admirers’
 * Hysterical – [Scene 11] ‘with faintly hysterical vivacity’
 * HER PHYSICAL APPEARANCE**
 * No longer fresh and clean, more untidy and wild looking – reflecting her state of mind ‘she has decked herself out in a somewhat soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown and a pair of scuffed silver slippers’ she is unsatisfied with her appearance. Symbolic of the decay and death of the gentility of the Old South
 * ‘Tremblingly she lifts the hand mirror for a closer inspection. She catches her breath and slams the mirror face down with such violence…’ {Scene 10} Blanche realises that she can no longer keep up appearances and is frightened by the reality of her situation. Forced to acknowledge reality.
 * [Scene 11] – ‘Blanche appears in the amber light of the door. She has a tragic radiance in her red satin robe following the sculptural lines of her body.’ Soft lighting and 'tragic radiance' are mentioned to make the audience sympathise with Blanche's plight.

__ INTERACTIONS WITH MITCH __
 * __WANTS/ DESIRES/ AMBITIONS__**
 * She wants to clean herself, therefore she keeps on taking baths, and instead she tells people she does it, because it’s relaxing. By taking baths all the time, Blanche feels at the same time shes cleaning her past, and all the wrong things she has done and all the bad things that have happened to her.
 * 'But it wouldn’t be make-believe / if you believed in me.” – this song that Blanch sings suggests that she believes that her future is good and that she is meant to be with Mitch, at the same time we have Stanley ruining her life, by staking her and reminding her of her past.
 * Scene 9- she asks Mitch to marry her “Then Marry me Mitch – shows she wants a man in her life that can protect her emotionally and financially and support her just like her sister has from Stanley.
 * __ INTERACTIONS WITH STELLA __**
 * “I'll stop at 25” (p 190) – when Stella is putting the candle on Blanche's birthday cake.Stella is playing along with Blanche's illusions. Stella supports Blanche, and her illusions beacuse she feels sorry for her.
 * “People like you abused her.” – Stella in a rare moment stands up for her sister and sympathises with her. She censures Stanley for his brutality and callousness towards Blanche.
 * “you didn’t have to be so cruel to someone alone as she is” – Stella is trying to be on Blanche’s side and tells her husband to be nice to her.
 * __ INTERACTION WITH STANLEY __**
 * Scene 7 – Stanley gives her a one way ticket to go back: " Ticket back to Laurel! On Tuesday” (p 198). Stanley has been cruel to her throughout her time spent at his house. also shows his animal behaviour. Shows Stanley's utter lack of respect- he knows that he has the upper hand on Blanche as he has discovered the truth about her past.
 * Scene 10 – Stanley rapes Blanch - Stanley’s rape of Blanche just before his child is born, when he is at his most triumphant and she at her most psychologically vulnerable, is the ultimate act of cruelty
 * Scene 9 – Even with Mitch, Blanche still tries to hide the truth from him…continues to try and deceive him, pretends not to drink ‘She pretends suddenly to find the bottle’.
 * Mitch 'tears off the paper lantern from the bulb' symbolises seeing Blanche clearly in the light.
 * Mitch: “I don’t think I want to marry you anymore…You’re not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother” Mitch has double-standards…does not want to marry Blanche but still wants to seduce her.