Cat on a Hot Tin Roof -- by Tennessee Williams (1955)

Description

Tennessee Williams' name always finds itself on lists regarding the most important/influential American playwrights. The Glass Menagerie, of course, is one of his most well-known works; however, The Glass Menagerie did not receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A Streetcar Named Desire is his other Pulitzer Prize-winning play. He finds himself on the short list of playwrights to receive the award more than once, but he is lucky for this honor: the jury was heavily persuaded to name it the winner by a certain Joseph Pulitzer Jr. . . .

The play is described by Playbill.com by the following: "In Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize winner, a wealthy Southern patriarch faces impending death and manipulates his family, as his children squabble and mislead in desperate attempts to secure the family inheritance."

The summary does not do the subplots justice. 
WARNING: Spoilers abound here. 
NOTE: I technically read the 1974 version, not the 1955 version--sue me. The 1974 version is what most publishers have now accepted as the standard version. I have not done extensive research in the differences between the '55 version and the '74 version. 

Act One centers on Margaret's relationship with Brick: they are married and childless. Brick is an alcoholic who has broken his foot failing to jump the hurdles at the high school track the night before. Brick relies upon his crutch, which is literal and metaphorical beyond belief. 

Brick's father, Big Daddy (no I am not making up that name), is the wealthiest plantation owner in Mississippi. Everyone but Big Daddy and Big Mama, his wife, knows that Big Daddy has terminal cancer. The plantation will either be left for Brick or Gooper, the other son (and another name I am not, in fact, making up). Margaret despises Gooper, his wife, and their 5, going on 6, children. It is thought that Gooper is the clear candidate for the plantation.

Act Two focuses on Big Daddy's relationship with Brick. They spar for the whole act. They are both angry at the lies they are surrounded with and both have unhappy marriages. Big Daddy steals Brick's crush as an ultimatum for Brick to explain his drinking. Brick counters by asking for a drink to share the information. Big Daddy obliges and presses for the truth. Big Daddy ultimately suggests that the alcoholism came from Brick's grief over his friend's death. Brick's relationship with Skipper develops a controversy over Brick's sexuality. Brick is upset that the truth has surfaced about his friendship with Skipper, although he emphasizes that Skipper was the only person in the relationship with "romantic" feelings. Brick then tells Big Daddy about Big Daddy's true diagnosis: he has terminal cancer, not a "spastic colon" as the whole family had tricked him to believe. Big Daddy is enraged as the family prepares for him to celebrate his birthday. 

Act Three resolves the question: Who will get the plantation? Let's just say that Big Mama AND Big Daddy are not enthralled with Gooper's outlook. When the childlessness of Margaret and Brick is mentioned, Margaret announces that she is pregnant. This is a lie. However, she is determined to make it true by locking all of Brick's alcohol away, only letting him have access after they have attempted to have a child. This way, Margaret schemes, the lie can be made a truth.   

Candid Reactions

• Ah, yes, Dylan Thomas. RAGE RAGE.
• Interesting for Williams to say the set needs to be soft to help balance the atmosphere of the play's harsh dialogue. He certainly knows how he envisions the stage.
• Margaret, you seem pretty angry. 
• The desire for social conventions being met reminds me of Amanda in The Glass Menagerie (TGM).
• What is it with Williams and lightning?
• Probably not promising that Brick mentions the estate before the sickness.
• Williams is a generous playwright to the actors with his stage directions
• Gooper is a ridiculous name. 
• Here Margaret reveals a main difference between her and Brick: Brick is okay to have "lost the game" (30) whereas she is "determined to win" (31). You can't push a rope, Margaret . . .
• Margaret's explanation of feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof helps set up major themes and conflicts for the plot. 
• Communication issues are apparent. 
• The crutch is a masterful metaphor to associate with Brick. 
• WHOA. What person wants to hear from their spouse, "We occupy the same cage" (35)? 
• Nice parallelism to the hurdle incident by mentioning leaping over obstacles (37). And ya know what? I just realized how the hurdle incident reinforces the theme of avoidance--when you run hurdles, you have to not come in contact with something real/tangible. Goodness, Williams is a poetic genius. 
• Doors seem to be a running motif in the play. 
• Margaret explains to Brick, "human beings dream of life everlasting . . . But most of them want it on earth and not in heaven" (53). What a troubling, sad statement that is!
• It was a little didactic for Margaret to say why she is "the cat on a hot tin roof," but also insightful and helpful. 
• Okay, Skipper and Brick's relationship is . . . what exactly?
• Margaret is going a little Next to Normal by declaring her alive-ness! Ha!
• Ouch, Act One felt like a boxing match. 
• Big Daddy only wants truth. 
• At first I was wondering why Williams would spoil in the stage directions that Big Daddy really does have cancer, but then I realized that it is important for the actors to be informed about what the truth is. The audience doesn't read these stage directions during the showing anyways. 
• What is it with Williams and blowing out candles? 
• Big Daddy instructs Brick to "hold onto [Brick's] life" (86). He is encouraging Brick to do what Margaret is doing. 
• The clock is a looming presence. 
• Big Daddy asserts, "Ignorance--of mortality-- is a comfort" (93). Agree or disagree?
• Doors again. 
• Brick has his own "cat" moment. 
• Truth and illusion again. Classic Williams. 
• Brick reminds his dad, "And being friends is telling each other the truth" (130). 
• Mae remarks, "Painful things caint always be avoided" (134). Sad, but true. 
• Doors again. 
• Poor Brick can't connect. I guess it's more that he is choosing to rely upon his crutch(es). 
• What is meant by Big Mama stomping the flowers? It is a significant symbolic moment. 
• Gooper, you moron. 
• Gooper's confession at the end reminds me of the end of Long Day's Journey into Night. 
• Uh-oh, storms are never a good sign. 
• Now Big Daddy has his "cat" moment.
• Throughout the play the family detests technology from interrupting conversation--is this a jab at technology's way of distracting/distorting the truth?
• That final line sounds exactly like the last sentence of The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. 

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning

1. Tackling Relationships and Telling the Truth

The whole Margaret/Brick/Skipper relationship is incredibly complex. Various conflicts and intricacies of friendship, marriage, and sexuality are unveiled in the play. Truth-telling in meaningful relationships is necessary, and can be painful. The play exposes the yearning for truth-telling in relationships, and the pain that can come with vulnerability.  

2. Williams' Poetry

Whenever you read praise, blurbs, or reviews of Williams, you are destined to see the word "poetry" in some fashion. Williams masterfully uses metaphors, motifs, symbols, and foils. His diction includes connotations galore. He structures his scenes so economically. His work is accessible with its poetic temperament-- a playwright's feat!

Classroom Implications

I do not think this text would be appropriate to teach in the classroom for the role of sexuality in the play. However, I would not be surprised if some schools use the text. The character development is exemplary. The symbolism could be studied in great depth, too.

Personal Takeaway

Williams deserves his acclaim. And a hug.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 9.25
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points	Devices somewhat enhance story	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (2)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity (1.75)	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping! (1.75)	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation (2)	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically(1.75)