A Streetcar Named Desire scene summaries

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Blanche's death monologue about Belle Reve and her anger at Stella.
• Stanley angrily goes through Blanche's trunk.
• Stanley and Stella talk about Blanche's expensive clothes whilst she is in the bath.
• Stanley discoveres the letters Blanche keeps from Alan.
• The audience learning that Stella is pregnant

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Stanley hits Stella during the Poker Game (out of audience view).
• Stanley throwns the radio playing rumba music out of the window because Blanche refuses to turn it off.
• Stella's reaction and anger towards Stanley for hitting her thigh.
• Blanche and Mitch first meeting.
• Introduction to the poker game scene.

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Blanche spills the coke over her white skirt and it is the first time that Stella challenges Blanche's mental instability and is face threatening.
• Stanley and Blanche argue over her promiscous nature.
• Blanche flirts with and kisses a young boy who is looking for payment from the Kowalski household (admits she should keep her hands off children)
• Steve and Eunice argue over him cheating on and hitting her.
• Blanche writes a letter to Shep Huntleigh to help her and Stella escape from Stanley (odd as she uses a tissue and an eyebrow pencil)

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• The motif of the polka music
• The audience finds out about Alan's suicide and him being gay.
• Blanche interrogates Mitch about Stanley
• Mitch tries to kiss Blanche
• Blanche rejects Mitch

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Stanley presents Blanche the bus ticket he has bought her for her birthday - wants her to leave.
• Stanley reveals to Stella that Blanche has had a relationship with a 17 year old boy.
• Blanche sings about fantasy contrapuntally to Stanley's arguement with Stella.
• Stella gets defensive over Blanche (her voice as she isn't in the room).
• Stanley tells Stella his findings on Blanche.

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Stanley's animalistic outburst
• Blanche is given tickets by Stanley who wants her to leave, provoking a flashback for Blanche.
• Blanche and Stella co-operate together to enforce the ideals of the antebellum lifestyle.
• Lack of co-operation towards Blanche's antebellum/innocent persona from Stanley.
• Mitch does not turn up to Blanche's birthday party - he has been told the truth about her. 

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Mitch tries to turn on the light to see Blanche better

• Mexican woman selling the flowers for the dead outside

• Mitch accuses Blanche of stealing Stanley's liquor

• Mitch attempts to sleep with Blanche but when she refuses he refuses to marry her.

• Mention of Hotel Flamingo (where Blanche has had relations with people)

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Stanley becomes aggressive towads Blanche and attacks (possibly rapes her).
  
• Stanley accuses Blanche of lying to him and Stella.
• Stanley starts to interrogate Blanche about Shep Huntleigh (Texas Oil Millionaire).
• Blanche's extreme drinking whilst Stanley is in the house.
• Stella goes into labour.

Highest tension to lowest tension!

• Blanche realises that Shep Huntleigh is not coming for her (actually a matron and a doctor) and gets scared.
• Stella get upset about Blanche being taken away and Stanley comforts her (high tension because Stanley's actions have helped Blanche get into the state she is in).
• Blanche thinks that Shep Huntleigh is coming for her - shows mental decline.
• Blanche worries about death due to a unwashed grape.
• The men play poker which is an ominous event.