Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Literary Analysis PDF

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LITERARY ANALYSIS OF CAT ON A HOT ROOF “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” was written by Tennessee Williams. Williams was born Thomas Lanier Williams III on March 26 of 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. Growing up, his father was rarely home due to work as a traveling salesman, which was a common profession of the time. Due to his father’s absence, he was raised mostly by his mother. His father later became the inspiration for the character “Big Daddy.” During his childhood, his family moved to St. Louis, though his father still traveled for work. After high school, Williams attended the University of Missouri for journalism, however, his father withdrew Williams and set him up as a sales clerk for a shoe company. Williams hated the job and returned to writing. Soon, Williams had a nervous breakdown and, after recuperating, he enrolled at the University of Iowa and graduated a year later. At the age of twenty-eight, Williams moved to New Orleans and changed his name. Williams chose the name “Tennessee” because his father was originally from the state of Tennessee. Williams entered a writing contest for the Group Theatre in New Orleans where he won $100 and landed his first agent, Audrey Wood.1 “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is a dramatic play written in 1955 at the Biscayne Beach Bar, and it first debuted at the Morosco Theatre on March 24 of 1955.2 Williams wrote this play during the 1950s, a time in which America was still escaping World War II and readjusting to new ways of life. Following the war, America felt a booming economy and experienced “baby boomers.” Inflation and unemployment were then lower the prior to the war and wages were still high. However, America faced an increased public interest in civil rights. Each year during the 1950s, approximately four million babies were born, drawing 1 "Tennessee Williams." Biography.com. December 02, 2015. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952#synopsis. 2 League, The Broadway. "IBDB.com." Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB. Accessed January 31, 2017. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof-2508.

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women back into their traditional roles as mothers and away from any roles in employment. This started the rebirth of the feminist movement to prove that women can maintain the household while holding a job. This decade also brought the fight against racism and segregation to light in America. In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education declared segregation to be “unequal.” Southern whites resisted this judicial decision, by pulling their children out of public education and enrolling them into private schools which emphasized strict segregation. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. Also during this decade, the war on communism rose to importance in daily life. During the “Red Scare,” the American government shut down all “un-American activities” costing thousands of people their jobs.3 “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is a three act play set on a proscenium theatre. The stage is set in the Brick and Maggie’s bedroom, with an opening to the gallery, which is also seen on stage. In the bedroom, there is a double bed, couch, and a radio-phonograph TV set with a built-in liquor cabinet. All the furniture is Victorian themed. The double bed is raked for the audience to see figures laying on it more easily.4 The inciting action of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” starts when Brick drops his crutch during his first conversation with Maggie in Act 1. After dropping his crutch, Maggie tells Brick he can lean on her for support. Brick refuses and then yells at her to return his crutch. This beginning argument not only ignites further arguments between Brick and Maggie, but also symbolizes Maggie’s desire to be important to Brick, like his crutch.5 The expositions in this play are numerous, especially considering one of the main themes of the play is withholding secrets. During the first few pages of the play, the audience discovers the play occurs on Big Daddy’s birthday. Big Daddy is dying of cancer, but his family and doctor 3 History.com Staff. "The 1950s." History.com. 2010. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/1950s. 4 Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a hot tin roof. New York: New Directions, 1955. 5 Ibid.

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have told him he is in almost perfect health with the exception of a spastic colon. Throughout the play, the audience is reminded that Brick seems sexually uninterested in Maggie. Both Maggie and Big Daddy suspect Brick had a sexual relationship with his best friend, Skipper. Maggie reveals she slept with Skipper in attempt to get closer to Brick, while Skipper slept with Maggie to prove he was not involved with Brick. When Skipper came to terms with his realization that he did have feelings for Brick, he admitted them to Brick, who then denied those feelings in return. Skipper commit suicide following this conversation with Brick, and Brick developed an alcohol problem due to Skipper’s death.6 Maggie begins the play with her resentment toward Gooper and Mae’s “no-neck monsters” who have ruined her lace dress. The rising actions of this play begin with Brick’s refusal to sleep with Maggie and denying if he is or is not attracted to Maggie, which upsets Maggie. Brick’s alcoholism drives Maggie to believe his drinking will disrupt her plot to achieve the family fortune. In attempt to capture the fortune herself, Mae reminds Maggie and Big Mama that Maggie still has no children with Brick. Maggie and Big Daddy, respectively, confront Brick about his relationship with Skipper and suggest they had something more than friendship. After Skipper admitted his feelings for Brick and Brick denied have the same feelings for Skipper, Skipper commit suicide. Following Skipper’s death, Brick began an alcoholic problem.7 The crisis of the play occurs when Brick decides to tell Big Daddy that he has terminal cancer and the whole family is lying to him. The crisis is shortly followed by the climax, in which Brick is outraged by Big Daddy’s accusations of “sodomy” between Brick and Skipper, that Brick confesses Big Daddy’s true diagnosis. Big Daddy storms out of the room, angry over this deceit.8 6 Williams. 7 Ibid. 8 Williams.

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The resolution occurs when Big Daddy admits to accepting his fate. Maggie claims she is pregnant to ensure her partition of the family fortune. After hiding Brick’s liquor, Maggie declares she will not return his crutch or his liquor until her lie becomes the truth, meaning he must sleep with her.9 Although this play has many strong characters, Brick and Maggie are the most central to the story. Brick was the quarterback on his high school football team and college. He married Maggie, upon her request, during the summer after he graduated college, “that summer, Maggie, she laid the law down to me, said, Now or never, and so I married Maggie....”10 This attitude toward Maggie expresses his hesitation surrounding his feelings for Maggie. Brick and Skipper, Brick’s best friend since grade school, traveled together as pro-football players. When Maggie confronted Skipper about his feelings for Brick, he slept with Maggie to prove her wrong. However, Skipper realized his feelings for Brick were not platonic and then called Brick to admit his feelings. Hearing this news, Brick denied have those feelings in return for Skipper. Skipper commit suicide after Brick’s rejection, which led to Brick’s alcoholism. Brick then began a career in Sports Announcing, though he quit since he felt he was always announcing too long after the plays. Brick’s family is wealthy and his father owns the Mississippi Delta’s largest cotton plantation. He still lives with his parents, despite having been married for three years to Maggie.11 Maggie grew up in a poor family and became a college cheerleader. As one of the “pretty girls,” she felt as if she was a good catch for Brick, but Brick will not give her the time of day. The play implies she may have only married Brick for his inheritance. To receive the inheritance, she would have to have children with Brick. Throughout the play, Maggie tries to seduce Brick, 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid.

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yet it does not appear to work in her favor. Maggie loves being the center of attention and is strong-willed. She slept with Skipper to get closer to Brick, which did not work. Maggie and Big Mama share a common dislike of Mae. Maggie refers to herself as “Maggie the Cat” because she is sarcastic and, when she hands out retorts, she forms words in a way that hurts.12 “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” features four main themes: greed, deceit, sexuality, and death. Greed is expressed in Gooper, Mae, and Maggie’s individual desires to secure Big Daddy’s fortune. Gooper believes he is owed the family fortune because Big Daddy treated Brick as his favorite son. Gooper and Mae put down Brick and Maggie for not having any kids, because they would have to have children to inherit the fortune. Maggie, who grew up in a poor household, wants Big Daddy’s fortune and will do anything to receive it, however, Maggie and Brick must have kids for them to be eligible in inheriting Big Daddy’s fortune. Maggie plays friends with Big Mama to get closer to the family.13 Throughout the entire play, deceit is a strong theme. During the beginning of the play, the audience discovers Big Daddy’s true diagnosis versus the diagnosis provided by his doctor and his family. Big Daddy has terminal cancer, though he was told he was in perfect health, despite a spastic colon. The family has decided not to tell Big Daddy the true diagnosis, so he will die more peacefully, however, they plan to inform Big Mama after Big Daddy falls asleep. Brick informs Big Daddy he drinks because he is disgusted with “lies and liars.” Big Daddy suspects Brick is actually disgusted with his own deceit on himself for rejecting his feelings for Skipper, prior to his suicide. At the end of the play, Maggie lies to the family about her pregnancy, though she has a plan to make the lie come true. Sexuality is explored during the play, both in Maggie’s plots and in Brick’s habits.

12 Williams. 13 Ibid.

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Maggie must have children with Brick to ensure they will inherit Big Daddy’s fortune, however, she has to convince him to sleep with her first. Seeing as Brick expresses no interest in Maggie’s sexual attractiveness, she must develop ways of coaxing him into bed. Brick’s sexuality is questioned by the family, however, only Maggie and Big Daddy directly confront him about his relationship with his best friend, Skipper.14 Finally, death is an overarching theme of the play. More obviously, Big Daddy’s imminent mortality plays an important role in the behaviors of the characters. Each character is motivated by a desire to inherit Big Daddy’s fortune, with the exception of Brick. More subtly, Skipper’s past suicide resonates amongst both Brick and Maggie. Brick developed alcoholism as a coping mechanism following Skipper’s death and Maggie seems relentless in diverting Brick’s attention away from Skipper and alcohol.15 During the Broadway appearance of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” the play received grand reviews. Brook Atkinson wrote in The New York Times in the March 25, 1955 edition on page 18, “For ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,’ which opened at the Morosco last evening, is a stunning drama.” Atkinson continued the article with a short description of Williams and his work, then described Williams’ writing as an ability to find truth and say it honestly.16 Although this play used popular topics for the time, it seemed incomplete. By the end of the play, the audience is left confused about the ending. Did Big Daddy die during his pain attack? Did Maggie finally convince Brick to sleep with her? Will Big Daddy write a will? There are so many more questions left at the end of play than were asked at the beginning. The first two acts seem to drag on and the story only starts to get interesting well into the third act.

14 Williams. 15 Ibid. 16 "Original Review: ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’." The New York Times. January 19, 2013. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/20/theater/20130120-cat.html?_r=0.

Literary Analysis of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

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History.com Staff. "The 1950s." History.com. 2010. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/1950s. League, The Broadway. "IBDB.com." Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB. Accessed January 31, 2017. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/cat-on-ahot-tin-roof-2508. "Original Review: ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’." The New York Times. January 19, 2013. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/20/theater/20130120cat.html?_r=0. "Tennessee Williams." Biography.com. December 02, 2015. Accessed January 31, 2017. http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952#synopsis. Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a hot tin roof. New York: New Directions, 1955....