Streetcar - Stanley quotes

• Red stained package


  Stanley is carrying meat in scene one to represent his masculinity and violent nature. From the exposition Stanley has blood on his hands. Foreshadows his aggression. Motif of colour
• Meat...heaves the package at her...then she laughs' Scene 1

  The meat is the fruit of his efforts as he is the provider for the Kowalski's. Williams provides fleeting vignette from the lives of Stanley and Stella. Stanley has primal and animalistic nature which Stella has adapted to despite her aristocratic origins. Tossing the meat symbolically captures Stella and Stanley's sexual relationship. Raw physical lust evident in their relationship. Emphasises physicality of Stella and Stanley's relationship. Stanley is like a primeval hunter gatherer bringing home meat for his woman. So Stanley may not be entirely a sympathetic character
• Meat as a Symbol


  The action of Stanley throwing the meat at Stella sends Steve and Eunice into peals of laughter. Women are scandalised by sexual innuendo. In hurling the meat, Stanley states the sexual proprietorship he holds over her. Stella's delight in catching the meat signifies her sexual infatuation with him
• Will Stanley like me?'- Blanche 'Just fine'- Stella- Scene 1

  Implicit in this advice, is the idea that Stella anticipates potential for tension between socially privileged sister and her more 'rough and ready' husband.
• Different species' Stella about Stanley to Blanche- Scene 1

  Stella uses lexis drawn from semantic field of zoology to imply something animalistic about Stanley. This idea will be picked by Blanche when she speaks about Stanley in derogatory terms later on in the play
• Animal joy is in his being...gaudy seed bearer...sizes up women up at a glance'- Stage directions about Stanley- Scene 1

  Williams presents Stanley as an almost primordial character
• You going to shack up here?'- Scene 1

  Whilst Williams characterises Blanche as an eloquent speaker who appears to be cultivated and sophisticated, we see that he creates juxtaposition between Blanche and Stanley. In contrast to Blanche with her English schoolteacher diction we see that Stanley is casual in his utterances
• You were married once weren't you?...music of the polka rises up'- Scene 1

  Although William's dialogue here is intended to be naturalistic, we see that he enhances his dramatic effect through introduction of non naturalistic element. Music is dramatic device which
• What's all this monkey doings?'- Scene 2

  Stanley's crude directness
• Let's have a few more details on that subject'- Scene 2

  While Stella seems happy to believe what Blanche told her at face value, Stanley wants to probe more deeply
• Napoleonic Code

  Governs inheritance regulations in the State of Louisiana and confers half of what is bequeathed to a wife to her husband and vice versa
• He stalks into the bedroom- Stanley going to go through Blanche's things, Stage directions- Scene 2

  Verb 'stalks' creates an ominous tone and reinforces the fact that Stanley has an animalistic side. Some members of the audience may share Stella's perception that Stanley's behaviour constitutes an unwarranted intrusion. But it is possible to see how he is motivated to act in the way he does out of a conviction that the real reason why Belle Reve was 'lost' is cause Blanche was living an extravagant lifestyle which was beyond her financial means. His hostility towards Blanche is rooted in class differences. Stanley shows lack of consideration to Blanche's feelings- generates sympathy for her
• The treasure chest of a pirate'- Scene 2

  Sarcastic and trenchant comment. Implies that Blanche has plundered family wealth. It is possible to see something quite disturbing in Stanley's brutish intrusion into Blanche's personal belongings. At the same time Williams employs sardonic humour in Stanley's dialogue in way that he resorts to hyperbolic language to support hypothesis that Blanche's extravagance has frittered away the ancestral home. Use of sardonic humour may make him appealing to some audiences. He is accusatory. His antagonism for Blanche grows. Williams prepares ground for inevitable tragedy- as motive and means for destruction become clear
• The Kowalskis and the Dubois have very different notions' Scene 2

  Idea of class divisions surfaces. Centre of conflict is money which draws class distinctions between aristocratic Blanche who is more concerned with appearance and immigrant middle class Stanley who is concerned with hunt for wealth
• If I didn't know that you was my wife's sister, I'd get ideas about you'- Scene 2

  Stanley is presented as the antithesis of Blanche with little time for social niceties. Implies that she has been promiscuous in the past. Williams shows that Blanche's flirtatiousness is wasted on Stanley who is entirely unsympathetic and only interested in realism. He is portrayed as a character whose contempt for Blanche drives him to show no compunction about hurting her feelings to the extent that he can be wilfully callous
• Raw colours of a childhood spectrum'- Scene 3

  Symbolising rough masculinity. Poker party's dramatic purpose is to demonstrate Stanley's domination of his friends. In the stage directions, Williams creates atmosphere that belongs to man's world- raw, physical and strong. Poker is symbol of masculinity in play
• Till we get ready to quit' Scene 3

  Becomes apparent that passionate figure of Stanley resents intrusion of women into his masculine world. Peremptory remark
• You could not' Scene 3

  Rebuffs Blanche's request to 'kibitz'. Stanley could be seen as traditionally patriarchal figure who sees clear demarcation of gender roles between men and women
• Loud whack of his hand on her thigh'- Scene 3

  Early pointer to Stanley's physically dominating presence
• There is the sound of a blow'- Scene 3

  Contrast between genteel exchange between Mitch and Blanche is when Stanley strikes Stella in drunken rage. Shows Stanley's unsympathetic qualities. His true violent nature reaches first climax at this point. Hits Stella to reassert authority. Relationship between Stanley and Stella can be seen as reflection of Williams relationship with Pancho Rodriguez, his then lover. Pancho has been described as a real life Stanley Kowalski but more violent. Lots of reports of how Pancho handled Williams with brutality and how Williams went back to him like Stella went back to Stanley
• Stalks fiercely...you animal thing you'- Scene 3

  Animalistic traits are expressed as brute force. Animal imagery appears throughout text and serves to reinforce Stanley's masculinity and dominance
• He grins through the curtains at Blanche'- Scene 4


  Almost seems to taunt Blanche for having the temerity to try and undermine him. Through his 'grin' he shows her that he is the victor and she the vanquished. Scene 4 serves a dramatic function. As Stanley overhears Blanche's melodramatic condemnation of him he has even more reason to dislike her. Him overhearing is a time honoured device
• Quaint little words (Blanche)...You won't pick up nothing here you ain't heard before'- Scene 5

  It is interesting to see how Williams creates distinction between Blanche and her ladylike diction and Stanley who speaks in a much less refined way using double negatives and non standard English such as 'ain't'. Yet underpinning the superficial impressions that language can create, Williams begins to show that Stanley has a sharp enquiring mind which seeks to penetrate beneath the veneer of Blanche's respectability. Implication of Stanley's remark is that Blanche has been exposed to much cruder things in her past
• Capricorn- the Goat' Blanche about Stanley's star sign- Scene 5

  Blanche turns conversation away from reality to astrological signs. It is interesting that Stanley turns out to be linked to Capricorn- the goat. Goat carries with it overtones of sexual desire like the mythical figure of the satyr- half man, half goat
• contemptuously, Hah!' Scene 5

  Blanche's star sign, Virgo causes Stanley to drawn a contemptuous and derisive Hah! from Stanley. His reaction clearly illustrates that he is unconvinced by Blanche's demure facade
• Someone he met at a hotel called the Flamingo'- Scene 5


  We see that Stanley begins to start probing into qBlanche's dark past. Stanley begins to treat Blanche more maliciously making her aware that he has several connections. Is an example of conflict between Stanley and Blanche- Blanche tries to maintain her illusions of fantasy while Stanley constantly tries to force her back into the sordid reality of her past and present situations
• What's all this stuff for?'- Scene 7

  Stanley's antagonistic attitude is seen here
• Soaking in a hot tub...Her Majesty' - Scene 7

  Williams shows the animosity that Stanley feels towards Blanche when he mimics her. It is clear that he sees Blanche as an intrusive presence in his apartment when he refers to her sarcastically as 'Her Majesty'.
• That girl calls me common'- Scene 7

  At the heart of Stanley's resentment lies his perception that Blanche is trying to drive a wedge between him and his wife whilst simultaneously presenting a false image of herself as genteel and virtuous. Use of emphasis here underlines the fact that Stanley overheard the conversation between Blanche and Stella in Scene 4. Williams presents Stanley as resenting Blanche for her hypocrisy. He draws attention to her condescension and the way in which she thinks nothing of accepting material hospitality that his financial support brings yet she talks of him in the utmost disparagement. Sense of resentment is what motivates Stanley to want to shine a light into Blanche's dark past and uncover the sordid truth that she so desperately tries to hide
• But Sister Blanche is no lily...Flamingo' - Scene 7

  Scene 7 is dramatically significant as it is the scene where Stanley reveals Blanche's promiscuous past which culminated her to being asked to leave a disreputable hotel called 'The Flamingo
• I wouldn't be expecting Mitch over tonight'- Scene 7

  Stella's protective attitude may be contrasted directly with Stanley's harsh realism. He has told Mitch the truth and thereby almost certainly ruined any prospect that she had if escaping her desperate situation through marriage
• Don't ever talk that way to me! Pig, Polack, disgusting, vulgar, greasy...Every Man is a King and I am the Kind around here'- Scene 8

  It is possible that the scene may elicit different responses from audience members depending on which characters they identify with strongly. Feminist response to play is likely to be unsympathetic towards Stanley emphasising the brutish violence that underpins his behaviour and calling into question the patriarchal values on which his attitudes are based. He seems to be asserting his right to be in charge based on ideas of male hegemony and female subservience. Conversely Marxist critics might be inclined to feel sympathy towards Stanley who supports Blanche economically through his labour and yet is denigrated by her cause of his proletariat roots- he does not conform to privileged aristocratic class from which she is drawn. Many are likely to feel ambivalent towards both Blanche and Stanley seeing flaws and qualities which are capable of eliciting sympathy in both characters. In modern terms, we could see Stanley as the ultimate male chauvinist. He justifies his right to victimise
• I pulled you down off them columns...having them coloured lights going...And wasn't we happy together'- Scene 8

  Sense of pathos develops as Stanley outlines the reasons for needing to be rid of Blanche who is an impediment on their relationship. Implication of this is that Stella allowed herself to be transported by sexual desire for Stanley and found love with him. There is real poignancy as Stanley asserts that they were content with their relationship until Blanche drove a wedge between them. Shows that he felt threatened and insecure of class division and shows his desire to take ownership over things. Alludes to contemporary social context when aristocrat class were being taken over by working class. Uses his sexuality as a mechanism of communication to Stella
• Little birthday remembrance...Ticket! Back to Laurel!'- Scene 8

  Stanley is portrayed as a character whose contempt for Blanche drives him to show no compunction about hurting her feelings to the extent that he can be wilfully callous. We sense the mounting tension. Shows that Blanche is the central victim of cruelty in this play
• Every Man is a King'- Huey Long Reference- Scene 8

  Stanley's approving reference to Huey Long shows his working class allegiance. Long was a corrupt American politician was popular cause he reduced unemployment and improved social services
• Slamming the door'- Scene 10

  Stanley represents here the intrusion of reality on Blanche's fantasy world
• Well, well. What do you know?'- Scene 10

  Stanley initially plays along with Blanche's fantasies with his sarcasm. His comments are always underscored by an element of acerbic wit making it clear from the outset that he is not fooled by Blanche's idle boasting about Shep Huntleigh
• There isn't no millionaire! And Mitch didn't come back with roses...'- Scene 10

  Stanley confronts Blanche with harsh realism. As Blanche's fragile world of fantasy begins to collapse around her, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for her as Stanley begins to humiliate her with his cruel directness and sarcasm
• Come to think of it- maybe you wouldn't be bad to interfere with' - Scene 10


  Scene builds ineluctably to its dramatic climax. Has sexual undertones. Williams here could be making a wider comment on the place of violence within the working classes. Since the play deals with topics that were too potent for American Literature at the time, the rape could not be made explicit. Effect of this is that Stanley's crime is portrayed as a deed so savage that it is offensive to the viewer
• Oh! So you want some rough house! All right, let's have some rough house!'- Scene 10

  Stanley becomes more emboldened that he can subjugate her through sexual humiliation. Rape is not simply a manifestation of animalistic desire but also a symbol of Stanley asserting his authority over Blanche.