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A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 6
Mitch and Blanche return to the Elysian Fields building after an evening out. They walk outside the house and talk about the night with nervousness. Blanche apologizes for not entertaining Mitch as she should. She says that it is mandatory that the lady must entertain the gentleman. Mitch helps her find her keys to enter the house when she mentions packing her trunk to leave New Orleans. They look at the stars and Mitch asks to kiss her. She refuses him because of what a kiss can lead to. "[Y]ou know as well as I do that a single girl, a girl alone in the world, has got to keep a firm hold on her emotions or she'll be lost!" Scene 6, pg. 198. The two realize that they are alone in the house and enter freely. Mitch is in awe of Blanche's unique personality that acts exactly as she pleases.
In the first room, Blanche looks for liquor to drink for herself and also offer to Mitch. Speaking French, Blanche tries to cover for her tipsy behavior, keeping Mitch obsessed with her every move. They sit down and Blanche asks Mitch to take off his jacket. He tells her that he doesn't care to because he perspires an excessive amount. They talk about perspiration, clothing, and body builds. Mitch works out a lot at the New Orleans Athletic Club. He asks Blanche to punch him in the stomach to show off his muscles. Mitch lifts her off the ground when she tells him to guess her weight. She asks him to unhand her.
Topic Tracking: Opposing Backgrounds 10
They continue to talk about little things and then Blanche compliments Mitch on his gentleman-like behavior.
"You're a natural gentleman, one of the very few that are left in the world. I don't want you to think that I am severe and old maid schoolteacherish or anything like that....I guess it is just that I have - old-fashioned ideals!" Scene 6, pg. 201
The two are uncomfortable for a moment until they talk about Stanley and Stella. They talk about how Stanley and Mitch became friends and how Stanley and Blanche don't get along. Blanche tells him that Stanley is rude and goes out of his way to offend her. She complains to Mitch about Stanley and tells him that she is only in New Orleans for the summer because she didn't save much of her meager teacher salary last year. She must put up with her sister's husband and vice versa. Mitch doesn't believe that Stanley hates Blanche. He can hardly believe that anyone could hate her.
Mitch changes the subject to Blanche's age, which frightens her. He tells her that his mother is sick and would like to see him settled before she dies. The idea of death brings Blanche into a past world where her young husband died. She moves to the side of the stage to recite a long soliloquy about her past. She fell in love when she was sixteen. She says that the boy was not effeminate, but that there was some sensitive quality about him that she couldn't pinpoint. They married anyway and were happy until she walked into a room and saw him with an older man. They later drove to Moon Lake Casino where they drank and danced and had a wonderful time. On the dance floor she told him that she saw him with the man and that he disgusted her. The boy ran outside and shot himself in the mouth. Since that night, Blanche cannot be around light.
Topic Tracking: Violence 7
Topic Tracking: Sexuality 11
Mitch comforts Blanche, trying to embrace her. He says, "You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be - you and me, Blanche?" Scene 6, pg. 204. They embrace as the polka tune that repeats in her head returns. She begins to sob in Mitch's arms.
