A Streetcar named Desire: Quick TEST

_____ 1. Blanche proposes that Stella and she escape from Elysian Fields because Blanche
A. feels threatened by the lifestyle of the place
B. knows that her younger sister feels trapped by the circumstances of life
C. wants company when she leaves New Orleans
_____ 2. When Blanche calls Mitch her "Rosenkavalier," she is
A. trying to impress him with her knowledge of opera
B. poking fun at his awkwardness
C. having a bit of harmless fun
_____ 3. Mitch asks Blanche why she attempted to enjoy their date even though she didn't feel like it. His
question
I. shows that Mitch is naive
II. reveals that Mitch does not understand Blanche's values
III. illustrates the clash of cultures you find in the play
A. I and III only
B. II and III only
C. I, II, and III
_____ 4. Stanley feels obliged to tell Mitch about Blanche's degenerate past because he
A. wants to destroy Blanche's chance to marry Mitch
B. doesn't want his old army buddy to be fooled
C. will feel guilty if he doesn't
____ 5. In addition to being the name of a streetcar, "Desire"
A. refers to the love between Mitch and Blanche
B. symbolizes the life force in Blanche and other characters
C. stands for Blanche's self-destructive personality
_____ 6. Blanche tells the truth about
A. the loss of Belle Reve
B. her activities in the hotel called Tarantula Arms
C. Shep Huntleigh
_____ 7. Stanley can't abide Blanche because
I. she interferes with his sex life
II. she considers herself superior to him
III. of her numerous pretenses
A. I and II only
B. II and III only
C. I, II, and III
_____ 8. Elysian Fields is often called a jungle and its residents described in animal terms largely because
A. the play is full of violence
B. the language of the play reflects Blanche's point of view
C. it's a dangerous place to be
_____ 9. Mitch and Blanche are attracted to each other because both
I. have been in love with people who died
II. feel out of place in the brutal world around them
III. are lonely and in need of love
A. I and III only
B. II and III only
C. I, II, and III
_____ 10. Blanche is committed to an asylum at the end of the play
A. to symbolize the victory of brutality over gentility
B. as poetic justice for her sinful life
C. to keep her safe from further harm

11. In which ways is the conflict between Stanley and Blanche more than a mere disagreement between two
incompatible people?

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12. How does Tennessee Williams create the mood for Streetcar?

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13. How does Stella try to bridge the gap between Blanche and Stanley?

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ANSWERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

A
C
C
A
B
A
C
B
A
A

11. The question implies that Stanley and Blanche are symbolic figures. Your task is
to determine what each stands for.
You know that Stanley is lusty and animalistic. He rages and grunts, but isn't he more than
just an uncaged ape? Outside the house, he holds a responsible job at a factory. He travels
a good deal and apparently earns enough money to provide for Stella and even to feed and
support Blanche for several months. What does Stanley like to do? He bowls, plays cards,
and drinks. If television had been in use in the 1940s, he probably would watch ballgames
and sitcoms. Except for his violent streak, he's probably not very much different from
millions of other middle-class urban men.
Does Williams mean to imply that Stanley symbolizes middle-class America? Or do
Stanley's actions merely suggest that life in that level of society brings out men's basest,
most animal-like instincts?
Stanley's adversary, Blanche, represents another stratum of society altogether. Her people
used to be wealthy landowners. In the early days, the DuBois family probably owned slaves.
Blanche herself is well-educated and appreciates poetry and music. During much of the
play she tries to maintain the illusion that traditional values are alive and well. In the end,
she is destroyed.
What conclusion might be drawn? That Stanley's world now dominates Blanche's? That
Blanche stands for a faded and useless way of life? That man's bestial instincts, repressed
by civilization, will again reign supreme? Obviously, the conflict between Stanley and
Blanche may be interpreted in many ways. Regardless of how you see it, you can feel
certain that it is more than just a misunderstanding between two people who don't see eye
to eye.
12. Before you tackle this question, decide what moods you found in the play. "Mood" is an
elusive term. A piece of literature as complex as Streetcar might contain several moods
simultaneously.
Here are some possibilities: (1) violent, angry, and tense; (2) sad and sentimental; (3)
sexual and animalistic; (4) morbid and tragic; (5) grotesquely comical. Williams creates such
moods using characters' words and actions as well as music, lighting and stage directions.
The "Characters" section of this Book Notes provides numerous examples of how dialogue
and action shape the mood of the play. For example, Stanley's bellowing into the night for
Stella to return to him creates a sense of savagery that hangs in the air throughout the play.

If you examine Williams' stage directions, you'll discover prescriptions for mood-enhancing
sound effects (trains, voices in the background, gunshots) and music (a waltz for romance,
a faint polka to convey the feeling of lost happiness). Similarly, the stage lighting, from the
dim glow of Blanche's lanterns to the oppressive glare around the poker table, helps to set
the mood of each scene. Williams leaves little to chance. He knows how to create moods
and gives play directors plenty of help.
13. It takes skill to mediate between two people who detest each other. If you've ever tried,
you can appreciate the problem Stella faces throughout the play. She employs various
tactics to force Stanley and Blanche into peaceful coexistence. None of her methods work,
however.
From the beginning she pleads for understanding. To keep Blanche from being shocked,
Stella prepares her sister to meet Stanley. She explains that Stanley may be different from
the sort of men Blanche may be accustomed to. Later, Stella points out Stanley's
attractiveness, especially in bed, but her words fall on deaf ears.
Similarly, Stella can't convince Stanley to accept Blanche. He is unmoved by Blanche's
delicate condition and the tragic loss of her husband. He distrusts Blanche the moment he
meets her. Once he's made up his mind, nothing can sway him.
During most of the play Stella acts as a buffer between the adversaries. Gradually, she drifts
toward Blanche's side. Her sister needs help. But if Stella isn't careful, she stands to
antagonize Stanley.
Ultimately she sends her sister away. Why Stella sides with Stanley in the end is worth
exploring. What has Stella realized about her sister, about Stanley, and about herself? Why
can't she simply continue to serve as intermediary? What might Williams be saying by
having Stella and Stanley reunited at the end of the play?