Blanche+Scenes+1-6

=Blanche Scenes 1-6=
 * __STAGE DIRECTIONS

ENTRANCES AND EXITS__

__TONE AND DICTION__

__BEHAVIOUR (MOVEMENTS AND ACTIONS)__** p.117 [with faintly hysterical humour] Suggests that she is already mental unstable foreshadows her nervous breakdown at the end of the play p.119 [Blanche sits in a chair very stiffly with her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close together and her hands tightly clutching her purse as if she were quite cold.] - body language shows that she is uncomfortable in her new surroundings. Belying her nervousness p.120 [Blanche springs up and runs to her with a wild cry… She begins to speak with feverish vivacity as if she feared for either of them to stop and think. They catch each other in a spasmodic embrace] - 'feverish', 'spasmodic', 'hysterical' : shows her nervous disposition p.120 [She rushes to the closet and removes the bottle; she is shaking all over and panting for breath as she tries to laugh] -hysterical. alcoholic p.126 [The music of the ‘blue piano’ grows louder. Blanche touches her handkerchief to her forehead] - stress is synonymous with the playings of the blue piano p.129 [drawing involuntarily back from his stare] Stanley begins to intimidate Blanche p. 141 [ Blanche utters a sharp, frightened cry and shrinks away; then laughs breathlessly again.] Covering up her fears and insecurities.

__**PHYSICAL APPEARANCE** __ p.117 [She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and ear-rings of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or a cocktail party in the garden district] - refined elegance of the Deep South. p.135 [Blanche comes out of the bathroom in a red satin robe] - sensuous, alluring p.146 [stands in her pink silk brassiere and white skirt in the light through the portieres] - alluring, seductive, seen only in half light.

 EMOTIONS__**
 * __GESTURES AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS


 * __MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS__**
 * __WANTS/ DESIRES/ AMBITIONS__**

MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AND WEALTH p.136 “Ha-Ha! Yes clothes are my passion!” - Blanche is bankrupt but still manages to maintain her expensive clothes and her other accesories, its one of her greatest desires, and it also shows how important external appearances to the rest of the world are to her. Also shows how she is deceitful and puts up a facade of gentility. p.159 “I took the trip as an investment, thinking I’d meet someone with a million dollars.” - To her a man is an insurance as she wants to get married to someone who can look after her, but not emotionally but financially. Dependency of women on men in American society during the Forties. “Café in Paris atmosphere” - Wants to create an illusion of a perfect date with Mitch. Shows that she has higher expectations of dates as compared to Mitch.

COMPANIONSHIP p.155 “Thank you for being so kind! I needed kindness now.” - This occurs after she opens up to Mitch about what really happened with her husband and it shows that despite what past she may have had, she still wants the same thing as Stella and that is a male companion to take care of her. 'Kindness' is a motif that recurs through the play often with a strong sense of dramatic irony. p. 160 “Honey would I be here if the man weren’t married?” - A rather harsh comment made to Stella. Although Stella has kindly allowed Blanche to stay in her house, she says the only reason she is here is by force as she doesnt have a husband. p. 171 “I want to deceive him enough to want me” Blanche reveals her true intentions regarding Mitch and shows an unscrupulous side to her character. p. 171 “I want Mitch, very badly”

ALCOHOLISM p.177 “I want you to have a drink.” (She wants the drink) - In this case it is her desire and want of a drink as we know she is an alcoholic. However once again she is clever in the way she makes Mitch feel like the only reason she is drinking is because of him.

__**INTERACTIONS WITH STELLA**__ p. 121 “you’re all I got…..not glad to see me” - Blanche is always fishing for a compliment and needs to be reminded about how nice she looks or how she is important. Very insecure with her position, may be because she feels alienated. p.127 “where were you. In bed with your - Polak!” - Anger at being left alone to deal with all the struggles at Belle Reve. Blames Stella for leaving her on her own. She is jealous that Stella has Stanley to fulfil her wants and desires. Stella takes the critisism which shows she either feels sorry for Blanche or is used to having this treatment. p. 141 “Stella for Star! How lovely to have a baby” - Refers to her as a star, may have been a childhood experience. Although they haven't seen each other in years they seem to be very close and share a good bond, although Blanche tends to do most of the talking and dominates Stella not giving her much to say. p. 156 “Baby, my baby sister!” Blanche's affection for her sister p. 157 “Pull yourself together and face the facts” - Blanche says this after Stanley beats up Stella. Blanche is outraged and protective of her sister. Ironic as she is telling Stella to face the 'facts', that is, her husband is abusive when Blanche herself lives in an illusory world.

__ **INTERACTION WITH STANLEY** __ p. 129 “Be comfortable is my motto too” - tries to ingratiate herself with Stanley, Undertone of flirtation. P129 “Do you mind if I make myself comfortable” (removes shirt) - From the start of the play there is flirting going on between Stanley and Blanche which may foreshadow the rape or some sort of physical contact later on in the play, especially the removing of the shirt by Stanley. This is followed later by Blanche coming out of the shower in a towel and asking Stanley to do up one of her dresses later. Sexual tension between the two characters. p.137 “You’re simple, straight forward and honest, a little bit on the primitive side. - All there interactions are straight to the point and direct. She already sees Stanley as a bit on the primitive side, even before the poker night when he beats up Stella. They seem to be sizing each other up as Stanley is on the hunt for information on Blanche. p. 136 “I was fishing for a compliment, Stanley” - He ignores her flirting and tells her he doesn't believe in compliments. Beginning of Stanley's brutality towards Blanche. Blanche wants to be liked by Stanley but right from the start they are contrasting characters who have different backgrounds and this causes conflict. p. 138 “Don’t play dumb. You know what! – Where’s the papers? - Another reason for tension from the start is because Stanley believes that Blanche is hiding the money from the house which is now gone and so is already unhappy with her, as well as her intruding into his house and disturbing his natural life style.

__ INTERACTIONS WITH MITCH __ p.146 “That one seems – superior to the others / I thought he had a sort of sensitive look / Is he married? / Is he a wolf?”- interested in pursuing Mitch. Blanche notices there's a gentility that differentiates Mitch from the other characters. p.147 [Blanche moves back into the streak of light. She raises her arm and stretches] … “He (Mitch) was looking through them drapes” - right from their first meeting Blanche seems to try to seduce Mitch p.149 “Two is the limit – and //three!// …Tonight I had three." - flirts with Mitch and encourages him into being more forward p.151 [Blanche waltzes to the music with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear] p.174 “My Rosenkavalier! Bow to me first! Now present them… Ahhh! Merciiii!” p.175 “I was just obeying the law of nature…the one that says the lady must entertain the gentleman – or no dice!” Blanche's flirtation, which she claims is society's expectation from women p.177 “//Je suis la Dame aux Camellias//” “//Voulez-vous couchez avec moi" -// flirtatious. the French makes her sound romantic, hiding the cruder meanings behind them, not unlike how she acts behind a facade all the time.