A Streetcar Named Desire quote in depth:?

Question

Blanche: No, I- rarely touch it.

Stanley: Some people rarely touch it, but it touched them often.

What's symbolic about these quotes? Blanche lies and says she doesn't touch the alcohol after Stanley examines his whiskey and asks her if she wants a shot.

Answer 1

The way Blanche describes her drinking ("I rarely touch it") reflects self-control, whereas Stanley saying "it touches tehm often" symbolises a complete lack of control and helplessness, which itself is metaphorical for Blanche's loss of her grip on reality and utter powerlessness in the rapidly-changing time period she has found herself in.