MC Practice
BLANCHE: "I was on the verge of—lunacy, almost! So Mr. Graves—he’s the high school superintendent—he suggested I take a leave of absence."
What does Blanche’s explanation for leaving her job reveal about her state of mind?
A. She is masking a much deeper mental breakdown under the guise of an official school break.
B. She respects her administrator's advice and plans to return to teaching next semester refreshed.
A. She is masking a much deeper mental breakdown under the guise of an official school break.
In what city does Stella and Stanley’s apartment reside?
New Orleans
What literary device is at work when Blanche's pearls truly represent her deep insecurity?
Symbolism
CAUSE: Blanche realizes Stella lives in a modest, two-room apartment in New Orleans.
EFFECT: What feeling does Blanche experience regarding her sister's drop in social class?
Disgust/Shock
Blanche immediately drinks Stanley's liquor upon arriving in Scene 1, but then lies to Stella and says she rarely touches alcohol.
True
STANLEY: "I never met a woman that didn’t know if she was good-looking or not without being told, and some of them give themselves credit for more than they’ve got."
What does Stanley’s comment to Blanche reveal about his attitude toward women’s charm?
A. He refuses to fall for female flirtation and sees right through superficial flattery.
B. He prefers women who are confident and openly boast about their physical appearance.
A. He refuses to fall for female flirtation and sees right through superficial flattery.
What was the name of the lost family plantation estate?
Belle Reve
What literary device is shown through the constant power struggle between Blanche's refined world and Stanley's raw dominance?
Conflict
CAUSE: Stanley learns that Belle Reve was lost without any financial payout.
EFFECT: What legal principle does he invoke to demand proof of the sale?
Napoleonic Code
When Stanley shoves through Blanche’s trunk in Scene 2, the actual legal papers for Belle Reve show that the estate was lost through heavy mortgages and debt, not sold for cash.
True
STELLA: "In the first place, when men are drinking and playing poker anything can happen... He was as good as a lamb when I came back in."
What does Stella’s explanation reveal about how she views Stanley's aggression?
A. She treats his violent outbursts as predictable and easily forgiven.
B. She believes Stanley only gets angry when Steve and Pablo are around.
A. She treats his violent outbursts as predictable and easily forgiven.
What profession did Blanche hold back home in Laurel before leaving?
What literary device is used when Williams reveals Stella's submissive nature through her willingness to forgive Stanley's violence?
Characterization
CAUSE: Blanche delivers an aristocratic speech calling Stanley a sub-human "brute."
EFFECT: What action does Stella take when Stanley enters the room?
Chooses Stanley
When Stanley enters at the end of Scene 4 after eavesdropping, he immediately confronts Blanche and yells at her for calling him an "animal."
False
STELLA: "He jumped off the porch and busted them all out with the heel of my slipper! ... But you see it’s a little hard to explain by day. A little on the wild side! But—I was sort of thrilled by it."
What does Stella’s memory reveal about her reaction to Stanley's behavior?
A. While she acknowledges his actions are difficult to justify rationally, she is genuinely attracted to the excitement of his wild nature.
B. While she admits his actions are difficult to explain to outsiders, she downplays his behavior mainly to reassure Blanche that she is safe.
A. While she acknowledges his actions are difficult to justify rationally, she is genuinely attracted to the excitement of his wild nature.
Which poker player stays behind to comfort Blanche after the violence breaks out?
Mitch
What literary device uses the cramped two-room apartment and noisy street sounds to create a feeling of claustrophobia?
Setting
CAUSE: Mitch demonstrates polite, respectful manners toward Blanche during the poker game.
EFFECT: What does Blanche realize she needs from Mitch?
Kindness/Protection
Blanche wears a white suit, white gloves, and a white hat upon her arrival in Scene 1 to symbolize her genuine moral purity and innocence.
False
BLANCHE: "Such things as art—as poetry and music—such kinds of new light have come into the world since then! ... Don't—don't hang back with the brutes!"
What does Blanche’s plea to Stella reveal about her view of human progress?
A. She believes modern society has corrupted human nature, viewing Stanley's physical strength as an admirable return to raw survival.
B. She believes humanity must advance toward cultural refinement, viewing Stanley's raw instincts as a step backward for society.
B. She believes humanity must advance toward cultural refinement, viewing Stanley's raw instincts as a step backward for society.
WHAT specific household items did Stanley smash during his and Stella's wedding night outburst?
Lightbulbs
What literary device is illustrated when Blanche insists Stella shouldn't have to rely on a man like Stanley, but immediately tells Stella they must rely on her former lover, Shep, to save them?
Irony
CAUSE: Both sisters face unstable, threatening situations in Scene 4.
EFFECT: What shared psychological defense mechanism do both sisters rely on?
Denial
Living in fantasy is so vital to Blanche's survival that accepting the truth would trigger a complete mental breakdown.
True