Show:
Characters
Themes
Motifs
Play Structure
Grab Bag
100
Which character is somewhat awkward and a hopeless romantic who longs to have someone to share life with?
Who is Mitch?
100
Name one of the primary themes in the play.
1. Old South cannot survive the new, industrialized South 2. Desire leads to destruction
100
Name one of the motifs in the play.
Poker game, light, alcohol, moths, bathing
100
What is the inciting incident of the play?
Blanche's arrival at the Kowalski's apartment.
100
What is the setting of the play?
1940s New Orleans
200
Who is the character who carries a dark secret and dies from shame?
Who is Allan Grey?
200
Which character best demonstrates the theme of the incompatibility of fantasy and reality?
Blanche
200
What theme is best demonstrated through the motif of the poker game?
The theme that humans are animals
200
What is the dramatic catastrophe?
Blanche being taken to the asylum- she has been committed by her sister, abandoned by Mitch, and defeated by Stanley.
200
Mitch, Stanley, Steve, and who else play poker in scene 3?
Pablo
300
Which character's name means stony field?
Who is Stanley?
300
What theme is best exemplified by this quote: "Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is--Stanley Kowalski--survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle!...Don't--don't hang back with the brutes!"?
The theme that human beings are animals
300
What is the significance of Blanche's constant bathing, and what theme does this connect to?
Blanche continues to bathe to settle her nerves; it also demonstrates her desire to cleanse herself from her past. The theme that is best demonstrated here is desire leads to destruction because the pursuit of her desires has led her to make many choices she now regrets.
300
What is the climax of the play?
Stanley's rape of Blanche
300
What event occurs at the Moon Lake Casino?
What is the suicide of Allan Grey?
400
Which character left home shortly after the death of his/her father?
Who is Stella?
400
Give an example of how the following characters deal with the struggle of loneliness: Blanche, Mitch, and Stella.
Blanche: has lost all of her family and relationships other than Stella and refuses to be honest about herself which prevents her from getting close to others Mitch: lives alone with his mother who is dying soon; loses his relationship with Blanche by the end Stella: has a strong sexual relationship with Stanley but has no one who cares about her wants and feelings
400
What two themes are connected to the motif of light, particularly Blanche's avoidance of light?
(1) Desire leads to destruction (2) Old South cannot survive the new, industrialized South
400
What is the first culmination?
Blanche thinks that she and Mitch will get married after she tells him her back-story, and he says that they might need each other. She will be able to escape from Stanley and start over.
400
Explain the development of Williams's use of the Varsouviana music.
At the beginning, used to show Blanche's memories of her time with Allan; as the play goes on, she hears the music more frequently as she loses touch with reality.
500
Her tragic flaw of desire for love and protection leads her to make a series of bad choices, to lie to those closest to her, and to be forced to live with Stanley and Stella. This series of events along with Stanley's desire to destroy her leads to her destruction.
How is Blanche an example of a tragic hero?
500
Explain how the following characters are portrayed as animals throughout the play: Stanley, Blanche, and Stella.
Stanley: constantly compared to an ape; his behavior at the birthday dinner Blanche: she is often connected to a cat- Mitch calls her a wildcat in connection her use of alcohol, Stanley calls her a tiger, the cat screeches in her first conversation with Stanley
500
Explain how the following characters use alcohol in the story and which theme it connects to: Blanche and Stanley.
Blanche: desire leads to destruction/loneliness is unavoidable; she drinks to medicate her painful past and present Stanley: humans are animals; he revels in his drinking and allows it to remove all of his inhibitions, often leading to violence
500
What is plot point 1?
Stella decides to go back to Stanley after he hits her, and Blanche realizes she has to leave their home.
500
In what two situations does Blanche consider Shep Huntleigh as a means of escape? Explain WHY she needs a way out of her situation in both instances. These occur before her final delusion that she is leaving with him in scene 11.
(1) he could buy a shop for Stella and Blanche to get them away from Stanley (2) he sends her telegram inviting her on a cruise after Mitch breaks up with her