Light, sound, action

• Light is a metaphor for the truth
• Blanche's jewellery is beautiful but fake - representative of herself
• Large dichotomy created between Stanley and Blanche
• Harsh light = harsh truth - Blanche is dragged into it by Mitch (reality)
• "Coloured lights"
• Stella fuels Stanley's need for power and dominance
• Celebratory tune heard in Blanche's head juxtaposes the dark events that occurred that night 

The Old South and New America (ASCND)

Blanche represents the old South- she wears posh white clothes and has old fashioned values and opinions (which make her appear pure and vulnerable)
DuBois is a French surname - the French were original settlers in the USA
Blanche taught English but her students became disinterested


Stanley represents the modern new America - he is roughly dressed in stained work clothes and has more modern values and opinions
Kowalski is a Polish surname - the Polish came to the USA in the 1920s
Stanley throws the radio playing classical music out of the window


The rape scene could be representative of the death of old south culture (Blanche is being destroyed)

A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene 6

Context: Blanche and Mitch's date and Blanche talks about her husband

• Blanche's hope lies with Mitch - he is her last chance
• The encounter highlights Blanche's two personalities
• "That man will destroy me" - foreshadowing later events
• We see that her husband dying is the source of her problems
• The scene reveals that Blanche and Mitch are very lonesome people - gives the audience hope (also evokes sympathy)

A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene 5

Context: Blanche's encounter with the delivery boy

• Hints at Stanley's plan to destroy Blanche
• Blanche is almost trying to relive her past through her encounter with the delivery boy
• Highlights how Blanche tries to compensate for what she did to her husband by giving herself to almost anyone
• Blanche's past life is beginning to close in upon her

A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene 4

Context: The aftermath of Stanley hitting Stella

• Blanche appears as an outsider
• Blanche calls Stanley common, bestial and vulgar
• Stanley overhears this causing further resentment towards Blanche, motivating him to rape her
• Stanley is seen as victorious because he has won Stella back
• Although there is no direct confrontation between Stanley and Blanche, there is a confrontation between the two concepts of life represented by both characters