Scene 7 Reading Questions

1. How much time has elapsed since the beginning of the play? (Specific
answer please)

5 months have gone past

2. Why does Tennessee set this scene on Blanche’s birthday? How is

Williams channelling our sympathies?

One reason why the scene is set on her birthday is to continue the audience's hope
for Blanche, so when he reveals her past and shatters all her hopes, there is a much
more significant effect, and the audience's sympathy towards Blanche is much more
intense.

3. What is the effect of having Blanche singing in the bathroom in the

background when Stanley reveals his intentions to Stella? Is there any
significance to what she is singing? What does Blanche’s make-believe
world consist of?

‘Say it’s only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea- But it wouldn’t be make believe If
you believed in me’ /‘It’s a Barnum and Bailey world, Just as phony as can be- But it wouldn’t
be make believe If you believed in me’

This creates tensions and heightens the emotions the audience feels. We feel
immense pity for Blanche. She seems so happy, but the audience knows this will not
last; this evokes a feeling of guilt as the audience can do nothing to help Blanche.

4. Why inform the audience of what Stanley knows before Blanche finds out?
How will this contribute to the drama of the next scene?

This gives the audience time to process what Blanche actually did and destroys all
hopes of Blanche fixing this, this makes the drama heighted in the next scene as all
feeling of hope and left behind.