“Unless you were there at the bed when they cried out, “Hold me!” you’d never suspect there was the struggle for breath and bleeding. You didn’t dream, but I saw! Saw! Saw! And now you sit there telling me with your eyes that I let the place go!” (Scene One, 22).
Blanche’s distraught recount of losing relatives and her family’s estate, Bell Reve, as well as her accusatory tone, illustrates her unstable state. While Blanche’s incessant clamor and status initially define her as confident, the façade of this supposed upper class person fades as her lunacy becomes prevalent. She is accusatory of his sister, and blames her for the loss of the family estate. Not only does Blanche accuse her of leaving her with “with all the burden descended on my shoulders,” but also accuses Stella of blaming Blanche for failing to retain the estate. This accusation has little validity as Stella is merely concerned and wants to know what has happened. Blanche’s accusation illustrates her insecurity and conceit as she does not want to be held accountable for the estate and, rather, wants to blame Stella for this misfortune.
Mary-You unpack the complexity of the relationship between these two sisters here quite adeptly. And I agree that Blanche's instability starts to appear very early in the play, while Stella is remarkably reserved and supportive.
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