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A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 10
Blanche is inside the house dressed in a feathery dress, fancy shoes, and a rhinestone tiara. She is looking into the mirror, mimicking lines as if she were speaking to a crowd of admirers. Stanley walks in, startling her. He has arrived from the hospital where Stella is in labor with their baby. They told him to go home to get some sleep since the baby won't come till morning.
Blanche tells him that while he was away she received a wire from Shep Huntleigh of Dallas inviting her to go on a Caribbean cruise on a yacht. She is packing to leave for it soon. Stanley humors her by going along with the story.
Topic Tracking: Lies/Honesty 10
He opens a beer bottle, pouring it over his face telling her that they should bury the hatchet between them. Stanley is so happy that he's having a baby that he puts on his special silk pajamas and tries to talk to Blanche. Blanche is very upset and bitter and tells Stanley that she has breeding and intelligence to offer. Those are excellent qualities and she feels rich to have them. She tells him that Mitch came by and she gave him his walking papers. She also said that he came back crawling with roses. Stanley told her that was a lie because he knows exactly where Mitch is and it wasn't with flowers. Stanley catches her in a lie asking if he came by before or after the wire from the millionaire. They begin to quarrel and Blanche tries to call the operator to get help from Shep Huntleigh. She says she's in danger. Stanley mocks her more by telling her that her outfit is a Mardi Gras costume.
Topic Tracking: Lies/Honesty 11
"I've been on to you from the start! Not once did you pull any wool over this boy's eyes! You come in here and sprinkle the place with powder and spray perfume and cover the light bulb with a paper lantern, and lo and behold the place has turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile! Sitting on your throne and swilling down my liquor!" Scene 10, pg. 225-26
Blanche keeps trying to call the operator for help, realizing that it is not working. Stanley blocks her walking path and they continue to quarrel. He goes along with her saying that maybe she wouldn't be bad to play with. She runs to the kitchen and breaks a bottle, holding the jagged edge at his face as her dagger. He springs toward her, turning over the table, telling her that they've had it out for each other from the start. She screams and then sinks to her knees. Stanley picks her up and brings her to the bed, where he rapes her.
