Scene 9

• Scene Summary and Analysis

  It is later in the evening, where we see that Blanche has been drinking and the polka can be heard in the background. As Mitch enters, it stops.The polka reflectsBlanche’s mental state or distress and chaos. It stops when Mitch enters, representing her only sense of hope in the harsh reality outside hermind.Mitch also has been drinking and is in his work attire looking shabby. He treats Blanche with coldness and rejects the drink she offers him.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  Blanche hears the Polka again, and it ends with the gunshot.On cue, an alleviation for stress levels in Blanche results in the Polka being heard.When she insists that Mitch have a drink, he rudely informs her that he wants none and that Stanley has informed him that she has been drinking all of Stanley’s alcohol all summer. Blancheignoresthe comment.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  Mitch then presses further and asks to turn the light on, to which Blanche reacts in fear. Mitch goes on to tell her that he knew she was older than she let on. All her lies over the summer about her virtue, ideals and chastity have left him feeling betrayed. He tells her that while he heard them from Stanley, he cross-checked them from different sources and tried his best to disprove them.Here, we see the other side of the coin. Mitch is visibly broken about Blanche’s past, as he feels betrayed that she lied more than anything else. He clearly tried very hard to disprove the entire rumour, checking with many sources. The opposite of Stanley’s intentions.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  Cornered, Blanche tells him the truth about her affairs as a result of her helplessness. Mitch reinforces that it is her lies that have him feeling betrayed, to which Blanche responds“Never inside, I didn't lie in my heart.. ”. Blanche’s mendacity stems from her emotional immaturity and trauma. It is not malicious in nature. She tries to project what life should be like, filled with magic, juxtaposed to her harsh and cruel reality.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  The scene is interotted by a Mexican Vendor selling flowers for the dead. This triggers Blanche, who regresses into her past and all the death andmorbidity.This feeling surrounded her in Laurel as relatives died and passing soldiers gave her relief from it.Blanche suffers from a terrible loneliness and has so for years together since Allen’s death. Surrounded by death and decreasing wealth, Blanche looked for companionship desperately and unhealthily—as depicted by the incidents from Laurel. The theme of death is made visual and explicit in the scene, as it foreshadows Blanche’s past and impending doom.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  Mitch however, approaches her trying to embrace her wanting what he “missed out” on all summer. But Blanche asks him to marry her, to which he says she isn't “clean” enough to take home to his mother.Mitch, who till now was the “decent” man, shows his misogynistic and sexist notions in this scene. He clearly believes he is entitled to sex, because Blanche has slept with other men. Additionally, while he looks to have sex outside of marriage with Blanche, her indulgence taints her making her “dirty” while it does not affect him, as he is a man.
• Scene Summary and Analysis

  Blanche then asks him to leave and when he hesitates to leave, clearly contemplating forcing himself on her, she starts to scream, forcing him to leave immediately. Mitch’s hesitation to leave is also critical as it shows his thoughts on forcing himself on Blanche. However he is unable to do it, leaving Stanley to finish what he started in the next scene. Mitch’s entitled behaviourforeshadows Stanley raping her.
• Key Quotes


  A while later, BLANCHE is seated in a tense hunched position […] the rapid, feverish polka tune, the ‘Varsouviana’, is heard. The music is in her mind; she is drinking to escape it and the sense of disaster closing in on her…

  Blanche is in a hunched position, showing herdistressand insecurity in the day's events. The Polka plays to reflect the same. It stops when Mitch shows up, as he is a symbol ofhope.
• Key Quotes


  BLANCHE: Something’s the matter tonight, but never mind. I won’t cross examine the witness. I’ll just – [she touches her forehead vaguely. The polka tune starts up again.] – pretend I don’t notice anything different about you! That – music again..Blanche is so removed from her reality, that she tries to ignore the anger and coldnessemittingfrom Mitch, wanting to“pretend”everything is alright, but the polka starts up showing the audience that she is becoming increasinglyanxious.
• Key Quotes


  [He tears the paper lantern off the light-bulb. She utters a frightened gasp]. BLANCHE: I don’t want realism.MITCH: Naw, I guess not.BLANCHE: I’ll tell you what I want. Magic!

  Mitchviolentlytearing the lantern of the light, is asymbolof him throwing off the illusions she trapped him in. Thetruthis now exposed and thelightrepresents this.Blanche, however, insists that she wants magic and not the morbid reality that is her life.
• Key Quotes


  BLANCHE: Yes, a big spider! That’s where I brought my victims…Yes I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan – intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with...I think it was panic, just panic, that drove me from one to another, hunting for some protection... *

  Williams uses themetaphorof a spider trapping“victims”in Blanche’s words about herself. The words“panic”and“hunting”also are verynegativewords that show us that Blanche isashamedof her behaviour while she knows it comes from herhelplessness.
• Key Quotes


  MITCH: You’re not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother.”

  As established by Blanche’s need tocleanseherself of her sins by increased bathing, her actions are reinforced asdirtyby Mitch.