Stanley - scene 1

Question 1

‘roughly dressed in blue, denim work clothes. Stanley carries his bowling jacket and a red-satined package from a butcher’

Answer 1

• Stanley acts as the epitome of masculinity - mostly through physicality and appearance
• primitive nature, provider for Stella
• physical, blue collar job - working class N.O.
• bowling jacket - American culture, dominance (leader of team)

Question 2

‘Catch!’
‘Meat!’

Answer 2

• holophrastic imperatives - dominant and obnoxious nature of Stanley
• raw animalistic strength and primitive nature
• masculinity

Question 3

‘He is of medium height, about five feet eight or nine, and strongly, compactly built. Animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes.’

Answer 3

• exists in his physical body, doesn’t overthink
• zoomorphism / animal imagery - defines primitive nature

Question 4

‘Since earliest manhood the centre of his life has been pleasure with women, […] with the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens’

Answer 4

• animal imagery - depiction of male superiority and patriarchy
• manipulation / objectification of women
• ‘earliest manhood’ - puberty - Stanley has grown up manipulating women

Question 5

‘My clothes’re stickin’ to me. Do you mind if I make myself comfortable?’
‘Be comfortable is my motto.’

Answer 5

• elision - Stanley’s working class idiolect contrasts Blanche’s speech
• Stanley acts to sexualise himself, perhaps making Blanche feel uncomfortable
• portrays his dominance in this moment, which continues throughout the play.