Streetcar named desire Tennessee Williams

Exploring themes Analyse the passage given to you regarding each theme. Identify and analyse a SECOND passage which also highlights the same theme.

Chance, risk, deceit Opening of scene 3 – pg 24-25 – poker game Scene 11, pg 82 – Stanley talks of luck “you know what luck is…”

Truth versus illusion Scene 9 – pg 73 – illusion of big spider “…my victims..” – black widow / tarantula

Violence & cruelty Scene 3 pg 31 – Stanley smashes the radio / then hits Stella

Primitive vs civilised Scene 2 pg 20 – Blanche tells Stanley he is primitive

Desire and passion Scene 4, pg 40 – Stella and Blanche discuss the streetcar Scene 8, pg73 – “intimacy with strangers was all ….”

loneliness Scene 3, pg 25 Mitch says you are all married but I’ll be alone when she goes… Opening scene, Blanche arrives alone…

The past Scene 6 pg, 56 Blanche opens up to Mitch “he was just a boy….” Blanche’s death speech Stella says to Stanley “you didn’t know her”.. When she was a child. Blanche opens up to Mitch about her past…

death Scene 11, pg 85 – the death at sea speech by Blanche

The south Scene 4, pg 41 – Blanche puts down Stanley saying “there has been some progress since then…” – talking to Stella

survival Scene 5, pg 45 – Blanche says to Stella – I was never hard or self sufficient enough …

madness Scene 8, pg 69 – Blanche whispers to herself…. Speaking Spanish… Scene 10 and 11…

Love and romance Scene 3, pg33-34 – contrasts the kind of ideal romance Blanche wants – Stanley and Stella’s love is visceral / physical / passionate / dysfunctional? Blanche wants romance, fantasy… “magic”…

Exploitation of women Scene 3 pg31 – Stanley goes after Stella Pg 26 – women excluded from poker night…

marriage Scene 6 pg 56 Blanche tells Mitch about her marriage to Alan..

Power and conflict Scene 8 pg 65 – Stanley shows power –throws his plate, “I am the king around here”…

disappointment Scene 11 pg 86 Blanche disappointed the doctor is not Shep Huntleigh Stella is disappointed at the end. So is Mitch…

Construct your own passage-based essay questions With close reference to this passage, discuss how Williams’ uses dramatic techniques to present his ideas on _____[insert own theme]. SCENE ___[insert own scene] __________[insert own extract]_______ Which words in this topic are ‘instructional’ words? What are other names for ‘dramatic techniques’?

Theme explored Presented through techniques Author’s attitude Reader’s EVALUATING What does this show about the author’s attitude, in your opinion. CREATING In what ways would or could reader’s respond to these ideas ANALYSING What dramatic and literary devices are used in the text UNDERSTANDING Key idea, meaning, message in the text Theme explored Presented through techniques Author’s attitude Reader’s response