A Streetcar Named Desire Blog 3

• Blog – What is revealed about Blanche in these chapters? Do these revelations come as a shock?

In scene six we learn of Blanche’s past. We learn that she feels that it is her duty to entertain the man and to make the man feel welcomed. We also learn that she was married to a young man named Allen. “It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow, that’s how it struck the world for me.” (Pg. 95) She compares a blinding light to her marriage and her love for Allen. This is why Blanche avoids lights, because she wants to hide her age and because the light gives her memories of her young husband.
In scene seven we learn about Blanche’s reputation in Laurel. “She moved to the Flamingo! A second class hotel…in fact they were so impressed by Dame Blanche that they requested her to turn in her room-key—for permanently!” (Pg. 99) This exhibits Blanche’s wild behavior. She was also forbidden by the nearby army camp and she was kicked from her job because of her relationship with the young boy.