A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene 5 Summary and Analysis
A Streetcar Named Desire
By Tennessee Williams
Scene 5 Summary
• Blanche is halfway through writing a letter full of lies, describing a jet-set lifestyle with Shep Huntley, her wealthy friend.
• Meanwhile, upstairs Eunice and Steve are fighting. Eunice rushes out of the apartment saying she is going to call the police. Stanley comes home, in bowling clothes. Steve comes down with a bruise on his forehead; Stanley tells Steve that Eunice has gone to a neighbourhood bar and Steve rushes out to find her.
• Stanley then questions Blanche. He says that he has a friend in Laurel who claims that Blanche was a guest at a disreputable hotel named ‘The Flamingo’, Blanche denies the claims and Stanley leaves. Steve and Eunice return, Eunice sobbing and Steve trying to make it up to her.
• Blanche is shaken. She asks if Stella has heard any rumours about her; Stella is perplexed by Blanche’s behaviour. Blanche admits that she “wasn’t so good” during the last couple of years; she sought comfort with men. She insinuates that she was sexually intimate with these men, but Stella has stopped listening because Blanche begins to become so morbid. Blanche is clearly on edge at this point.
• Stella fixes Blanche a drink. Blanche gushes with emotion and affection for Stella; Stella is embarrassed by Blanche’s sentimentality.
• Stella and Blanche talk about Mitch. Blanche will be going out with him later that night. Blanche is quite taken with him. She hopes that their relationship can go somewhere. Stella leaves for an outing with Stanley. Eunice bounds out of the apartment, shrieking with laughter and Steve chases after her.
• A young man comes to collect for the paper. Blanche flirts with him with shocking forwardness. The young man, a boy probably not out of his teens, seems nervous and excited at the same time; finally she kisses him, and then sends him on his way.
• Mitch comes with a dozen roses, and Blanche accepts them, but mocking him at the same
By Tennessee Williams
Scene 5 Summary
• Blanche is halfway through writing a letter full of lies, describing a jet-set lifestyle with Shep Huntley, her wealthy friend.
• Meanwhile, upstairs Eunice and Steve are fighting. Eunice rushes out of the apartment saying she is going to call the police. Stanley comes home, in bowling clothes. Steve comes down with a bruise on his forehead; Stanley tells Steve that Eunice has gone to a neighbourhood bar and Steve rushes out to find her.
• Stanley then questions Blanche. He says that he has a friend in Laurel who claims that Blanche was a guest at a disreputable hotel named ‘The Flamingo’, Blanche denies the claims and Stanley leaves. Steve and Eunice return, Eunice sobbing and Steve trying to make it up to her.
• Blanche is shaken. She asks if Stella has heard any rumours about her; Stella is perplexed by Blanche’s behaviour. Blanche admits that she “wasn’t so good” during the last couple of years; she sought comfort with men. She insinuates that she was sexually intimate with these men, but Stella has stopped listening because Blanche begins to become so morbid. Blanche is clearly on edge at this point.
• Stella fixes Blanche a drink. Blanche gushes with emotion and affection for Stella; Stella is embarrassed by Blanche’s sentimentality.
• Stella and Blanche talk about Mitch. Blanche will be going out with him later that night. Blanche is quite taken with him. She hopes that their relationship can go somewhere. Stella leaves for an outing with Stanley. Eunice bounds out of the apartment, shrieking with laughter and Steve chases after her.
• A young man comes to collect for the paper. Blanche flirts with him with shocking forwardness. The young man, a boy probably not out of his teens, seems nervous and excited at the same time; finally she kisses him, and then sends him on his way.
• Mitch comes with a dozen roses, and Blanche accepts them, but mocking him at the same