Character Analysis of Blanche Dubois

Tiffany Tran

ENGL 2029: 003

Steven Monk

26 February 2016

Character Analysis of Blanche DuBois

In Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche DuBois arrives to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, to stay with her younger sister Stella for the summer.  As she is looking for Stella’s flat on Elysian Fields, the readers are made immediately aware of the fact that she is not where she belongs.  She is “daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and earring of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district” (688).  When she realizes the conditions of Stella’s place of residence, “her expression is one of shocked disbelief” (688).  She did not want to believe for a second that her younger sister could be living in such a small and minimal place.  Eunice, Stella’s homeowner and upstairs neighbor, is the first person that Blanche meets.  Eunice informs Blanche that she is on Elysian Fields and Blanche replies, “They mustn’t have – understood – what number I wanted…” (688).  After Blanche is aware of the fact that she is indeed at Stella’s flat, Eunice lets Blanche into the flat so that she can make herself feel at home.  Eunice makes several attempts at trying to make conversation with Blanche, but Blanche only replies with one-word answers, mainly, “yes” (689).  Only after a couple of minutes, Blanche quickly dismisses Eunice saying, “If you will excuse me, I’m just about to drop.”  Eunice does not get the hint, Blanche bluntly tells her, “What I meant was I’d like to be left alone” (689).  Blanche’s reaction to Stella’s home and the way that she acts towards Eunice quickly informs the readers that Blanche is judgmental and feels quite superior to others.  

        When Blanche and Stanley, who is Stella’s husband, first meet, there is immediate tension between the two of them.  Blanche is a guest at Stella and Stanley’s, but it is well perceived that Blanche likes to be waited on and treated like “the Queen of the Nile” as Stanley puts it (743).  She bosses her little sister around requesting her on several occasions to get her Cokes.  After Blanche and Stanley’s first argument with each other about the papers for Belle Reve, Blanche says to Stella, “Honey, do me a favor.  Run to the drugstore and get me a lemon Coke with plenty of chipped ice in it! – Will you do that for me, sweetie?” (700).  Stanley, for good reason, does not like how Stella complies with Blanche’s every wish and desire.  While Blanche is soaking in her hot bath the day of her birthday, Stella is working on decorations for the birthday dinner.  Stanley mocks Stella by saying, “And you run out an’ get her cokes, I suppose?  And serve ‘em to Her Majesty in the tub?” (728).  Although Blanche has no money, no job, and no home for herself, she continues to act highly elitist and insists that people treat her with respect.  During Stanley’s poker night with his friends, Blanche and Stella return from a girl’s night out which consisted of watching a show and having a few drinks.  As Blanche walks into the apartment she requests that Stanley and his friends “don’t get up” on her behalf.  Stanley shrewdly replies, “Nobody’s going to get up, so don’t be worried” (704).  Blanche expects all of the men to act as the standard Southern gentleman, which none of them do.