Writing Task

Write the scene between Stanley and Stella as they had breakfast.

Stanley: You know i didn't mean it right?

Stella: What?

Stanley:When I hit you, I didn't mean to, I was drunk and ... please forgive me

Stella: I know Stanley and I forgive you, What do you think Blanche will say?

Stanley: Why do you care what she thinks?

Stella: Well it's just the way she reacted last night, I guess she must be terrified, I'll talk to her once she comes down and we can sort this out.

Stanley: You should. I don't want her in our personal life

Stella: I'm going back to bed, ok

Stanley: Ok, I'll go fix the radio  

Scene 3

 PEEL's of Extracts 1-5

Extract 1

             I think that Stanley is in control in the opening scene of scene 3. He says 'Get off the table Mitch. Nothing belongs on a poker table but cards chips and whisky' This is probably the longest sentence Stanley says throughout the play. It shows that what he says is important and that no one should question it. The fact that Stanley gives Mitch a command shows that he is in charge and does not listen to anyone else. Stanley wants to show all his friends that he is more dominant than the rest and therefore in charge, he does not like Mitch helping his wife and her sister, so he is assertive and does not allow anyone to say anything about it.

Extract 2

             The main topic within the woman's conversation is how Blanche looks. Blanche is a lot like Stanley and likes to dominate the conversation. She is aware of all the men playing poker and wants to make an impression. She asks Stella hows she looks because she is insecure and only takes comfort when people complement her appearance even though she is getting old. 

Blanche throughout the play repeatedly says 'I must go and bathe'. She wants to bathe a lot seems like it could be a biblical illusion to a baptism. She wants to cleanse herself from her past. This refers back to the 'blue piano' that Blanche constantly hears

Extract 3

        

A Scene Between Mitch, Steve and Stanley

Write a scene between Mitch, Steve and Stanley that would fit between Scenes 2 and 3. Consider how they discuss Blanche.

Steve - Who is that?

Stanley - Who? Blanche? oh thats just Stella's sister

Mitch - Well she is very purrty, Is she married??

Steve - Oooooh someone has his eye on a lady

Stanley - Blanche looks like bad news, you could do so much better

Mitch - What do you mean? And i never said i like her

Steve - Right, so you just asked if she was married for the sake of it

Diary Entry For Stella After She has had her Baby

Imagine that while Stella is in hospital after having the baby, she writes an entry in her diary about how she feels about returning home to Stanley and Blanche. Write this diary entry in which Stella expresses her hopes and fears for the future. 

You should give careful consideration to your language choices and style. Write in dramatic form and dialogue suitable for the characters.

Dear Diary,

                    I have just had my baby, I am in the hospital after several days of waiting. I think i'll be able to leave soon. I wonder what is happening back home, Stanley was being very rude to Blanche, I know he is just looking out for our family but she deserves more respect. The way he showed her the train ticket was the last straw i guess, the look on her face was heartbreaking maybe due to all that stress my baby decided it was time to be born.

My baby is a beautiful bouncing baby boy, looks just like Stanley. I don't have name for him yet i'm hoping when Stanley comes to collect me we can discuss this. Maybe we can name him after my father ore Stanley's ...

No we'll decide together, Oh I am so happy words can not describe it. I wish Blanche will be apart of our life but i doubt Stanley would like that much

All that keeps going through my head is the possibility that Blanche could be on the streets alone, I know how she hates to be alone.

Well hopefully this baby will bring us all together

Stella

Writing Task

Blanche is sat on a chair with a cup in hand, looking relived

Stella: Blanche, is that you? What are you doing?

Blanche [shocked]: Oh Stella, my baby, your home. Oh i hope you don't mind that i took a sip of your alcohol it;s just to calm my nerves you see. I hope you don't think of me as a drunkard. Stella for star, my haven't you grown since I saw you last, oh my it has been a while. Gained a bit of weight I see, I have not gained a pound since the day you left Belle Reve. Oh my what am i saying, How are you Stella honey??

Stella: Blanche! You are here! How are you? What are you doing here?

A Streetcar Named Desire - Questions

Why Does Blanche replace the bottle and wash the glass after having a drink?
 Blanche replaces the bottle and washes the glass after having a drink because she does not want Stella to know that she had been drinking her alcohol. Later in the play Blanche says she rarely drinks because she doesn't want her to think she was a alcoholic (or a drunkard as Blanche says).

Pick out the pet names which Blanche has for Stella and explain why Blanche uses them.
 The pet names Blanche uses for Stella are My baby, Stella for Star, Precious Lamb, honey, and Blessed baby. She uses these names to flatter Stella so that she will allow Blanche to stay for however long she need. These names could also show Blanches affection and love for Stella.

What evidence is there that Blanche is concerned about her looks?
Blanche says 'I weigh what i weighed the summer you left Belle Reve' and 'You haven't said a word about my appearance', she evens say 'I still have an awful vanity about my looks even now that my looks are slipping'.

What does this tell you about her character?
 This shows that she is very vain, and wants people to notice her. This also could show that she cares about other peoples opinions of her. She tries to make herself perfect for the benefit of other people and suggests that she is uncomfortable with herself. She strives for perfections and  loves the attention she receives from her looks.

What is Blanche's attitude towards the place where Stella lives?

Blanches attitude to Stella's place is one of shock. She says 'They mustn't have - understood - what number i wanted...' this shows that as soon as she see's Elysian fields and the area that Stella lives in was one that she wasn't expecting. Because Blanche and Stella come from an upper class and was raised on a plantation, Blanche was not expecting her sister to be living in an area so cosmopolitan.

A Streetcar Named Desire

Where and when is the play set?  New Orleans in 1947
What is a streetcar? A tram

What is the music from the period? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTUKHMlbYGA 

What is the social context of the characters?