Dear Shep...

Blanche in desperate situation... Here are some letters to Shep:

Darling Shep.
I am spending the summer on the wing, making flying visits here and there. And who knows, perhaps I shall take a sudden notion to swoop down on Dallas! How would you feel about that? Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. My sister would be so pleased to meet you, because I have told her so much about you and our time together. She’s very curious to come and see all the beautiful things in Dallas. You must know: My poor sister is caught in a really unfortunate matrimony. She needs shelter now and of course deflection. And I know she would get it in Dallas. You might say I should take her with me to all the cocktails and so on, but I don’t think that’s the right thing for her. And you must know, she’s very very beautiful. I’m sure, you cannot live with the knowledge that a young and beautiful lady is sad.
I hope you will help her in her desperate situation and we will find a solution.
The beloved wishes
From your
Blanche

By Marilisa



Darling Shep,

you wonder maybe, why I write a letter to you. But some days ago I remembered the nice time we had together in Miami last year. You know I’m a school teacher, but at the moment I decided to take some time out. Now I’m visiting my sister and her husband in New Orleans and some other friends in the whole country. So I had the idea to visit you, too.
I know that you’re very busy with your company in Dallas, but you know that I don’t need much entertainment. This fact hasn’t changed above all these years we have known each other. At the moment I’m looking for a quiet place to calm down my nerves a little bit. You can’t imagine what a school teacher’s day is like! Always trouble with those unfriendly children and nobody, who says thank you.
I hope that you’re not as stressed as I am.
I only can stay in New Orleans for the next two weeks, because my sister Stella soon will have a baby and then the apartment will be a bit small.
So if you had a little room free for me, I would be really happy.
I have found a train line that goes non stop from New Orleans to Dallas. You only have to pick me up from the train station!
Maybe you can write back soon or send a telegram, the address you can find on the next page.

I hope to see you soon!

Blanche DuBois

By Florian



Darling Shep,

I am spending the summer on the wing, making flying visits here and there. And who knows, perhaps I shall take a sudden notion to swoop down on Dallas! How would you feel about that? Ha-ha! Forewarned is forearmed, as they say!
Most of my sister’s friends go north in the summer but some have homes on the Gulf and there has been a continued round of entertainments, teas, cocktails, and luncheons. My little sister, I call her little in spite of the fact that she is somewhat older than I, and I are invited to almost all of them. Once or twice a fortnight, it is a nice amusement - of course - but being constantly at such entertainments is also a bit frustrating and very strenuous as I always am surrounded by admirers. Can you imagine that? Me - surrounded! Ha-ha! I feel like a sight by now. Ha-ha! Those are all young and handsome gentlemen, but unfortunately, they aren’t very interested in culture and, above all, in literature. Most of the time they are talking about the great weather (by the way it is perfect here: nice and warm but not too hot) and about a lot of other unimportant stuff. I miss our nice, profound, and long conversations. They were so pleasant and, to be honest, talking about weather all the time is annoying even when you talk about this with a rich, handsome, and young man.

I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope you are all fine,
In love, Blanche

By Christine



Darling Shep!
I am spending the summer on the wing, making flying visits here and there. And who knows, perhaps I shall take a sudden notion to swoop down on Dallas! How would you feel about that? Forewarned is forearmed as they say!
Most of my sister´s friends go north in the summer but some have homes on the Gulf and there has been a continued round of entertainments, teas, cocktails, and luncheons.
But now I yearn to see some really good old friends again. And: surprise! You were there first I thought of! I really would like to spend some days or weeks with you just exchanging the latest news and enjoying the summer with a good whiskey and drinking on our wonderful friendship.
Maybe my sister will join us,! She feels a little sick at the moment and some vacation would be the best for her and her baby. Yes, you heard right! Stella is going to have a baby! We are all so happy and excited. You surely ask yourself who the father is. This drunken and brutal man she was forced to marry, because he was the only person to save our beautiful “Belle Reve”. But now we “lost” him and she is as pretty as you maybe can imagine as she was at our first meet,ing five years ago. But she is a little soft and needs someone who really cares for her, - a true gentleman who will love the baby like his own I say.
But I digress. So what do you think about the idea to meet soon this summer? I ´ve heard that “Dallas” is wonderful in August and September and I am so excited to see your sweet home! And you surely need some help in the kitchen,, am I right? You know, Stella and I learned all good and traditional recipes of cakes and other sweeties from our dear mother! I´m looking so forward to your response,
Hugs and kisses,
Blanche

By Lucienne

Comment function

Hey eleveners! The comment function should work now! If you wanna write a comment choose name/URL and leave out URL if you don't have one!

See ya!

Thank you eleveners!

You were amazing today in my exam!!! See you on Monday with a big cake!

Your chief conductor

The Poker Night

Vincent van Gogh: "The Night Café" (1888)

First inner monologues arriving!

Some really good samples of Blanche's inner monologue after her arrival in New Orleans:

For heavens sake! Where am I?? Can this be Elysian Fields?? It looks terrible, awful and… above all, very, very poor!!! This is, I believe, the most horrible section I have ever seen. Rubbish, only rubbish. Here is Stella living? Elysian Fields was such a nice name, I really thought it was a nice area. Like the name tells you: Elysium! The paradise of the ancient Greek heroes! But this? This is not Elysium. It is terrifying. It is so … dirty. This old streetcar named Desire was even wonderful in comparison to this! How can someone live here? The whole city –every single part of New Orleans- does not look like a living area but like a rubbish dump! The people here also: dirty and ugly clothes, a strange vocabulary. They all belong to the working class!!! Where are the gentlemen? Where are the rich, nice, young and handsome men? Where are the? Where are the glamorous appartments? I must be wrong here. Stella cannot live here! They mustn’t have understood where I wanted to go. This is definitely not the place, where my little Stella would live. We grew up at Belle Reve! Oh, Belle Reve! Ha-a-ha! If someone of my admirers could see me now! Here! At such a location! They would wonder why I went to this place! Ha-ha. … I feel so hot and frazzled. Where is my Stella, my baby? … I have to powder my nose, before I can ask for the way again…

By Christine

Shoulders back, belly in, head up. How could I forget about that? Negligent- Yes, I know I am,always have been, always have feared to be, always have realized the day would come.

Resignated- Oh, no! I must extend the time till the day I...the day I...crack of thoughts,negligence, come back...I become sagging, fat, wringled, cellulite...Dominate yourself! The day I get- here? Oh, God, I look ugly in the middle of these surroundings. Dusty streets under my pumps, worker sweat on my dress and above my hat- a lack of glamour. There cannot be a star. I´ve got no colour, I´ve got no form, nor do I have the right address. Six thirtytwo: There are

many six thirtytwoes in a street. And what in the name of my powder is a Desire on four wheels?

Four rickety, shifty wheels? One is missing, one too much, that was a planned attack. They had go tvictims accomplices and- Oh, don´t talk stuff! My desire on two feet is something sparkling like a star.

Stella! For star... This cannot be Stella´s home, this can´t be Stella´s home. I wish I could lie in a bed of feathers, and perls. Do I bite my nails?! I haven´t done that since I was four. Haha, four! Four wheels and a lonesome dirty town. Lalalalala...Aaaahhh!!! A woman! Black! How could I have overlooked her? Did she see me? Do I look plump? Belly in.

By Annabelle Junger

How to be a "Southern Belle"

Here's How:
1. Offer Mint Julep or Iced Tea to everyone who visits your house.
2. Eat grits everyday for breakfast.
3. Refer to your house as "The Plantation" no matter how small your house may be.
4. Refer to all men as "gentlemen caller" or "beaux".
5. Never let a man know you're interested or chase him because you know there are too many men who want you for you to expend the extra effort.
6. When you have a dating dilemma and have one gentleman caller over when you are expecting another, claim to be "expired" and excuse yourself for a nap until he leaves.
7. Whenever you are asked to do any work, fan yourself and claim to have the "vapors."
8. Refer to every party you go to, even a kegger at the local university, as a "cotillion." All other parties are yankee garbage.
9. Try to use words like "darlin'", "sweet" or "precious" in every sentence.
10. Belong to a country club. If you don't, refer to any club you belong to as a "country club". No one will know the difference.
11. Set under a magnolia tree with a parasol fanning yourself often. Passers-by will take notice of your belle-ness.
12. Never marry a Yankee unless you want to be a Yankee by association.
13. Never be seen without your makeup and girdle.

Tips:
1. A parasol and an umbrella are not the same thing. If you refer to your parasol as an umbrelly" you will never be a belle.
2. Being a belle is a lifetime of work so practice everyday.

Welcome on board!

This blog is meant to offer some additional information on our course work with the drama "A Streetcar Named Desire".

You will find interesting links, additional texts and of course some samples of your work!

Feel free to comment the different texts, infos and works with the "comments" function!!!

Enjoy yourselves!