Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

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Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

In 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' Williams presents the audience with w world

of mendacity. Every fibre of the character's being is based on a

spectrum of deceit, from self-deception, to exploitation to social

lies. The characters' names themselves conceal the irony and deceit,

for example Brick, the leading man. The name Brick itself suggests a

tough, strong man, but Brick's character suggests a weak, pathetic man

who tries hard to forget his past by indulging in a life of alcohol.

Brick is mentally insecure, he lies to himself and those around him,

in the first scene he pretends not to hear his wife, 'did you say

something, Maggie?' The other members of the household refer to Brick

as the brick house that sheltered the 'three little pigs', the strong

structure that cannot be easily blown down. The 'no-neck monsters',

Mae and Goopers children are the pigs, sheltered by the security of

Brick. In the play lying is used to 'protect' other people's feelings

because 'the truth hurts'. A web of lies covers the truth about the

state of Big Daddy's health. This is to 'protect' Big Daddy and his

wife from the painful reality, 'Nothin' a-tall's wrong with him but'

'a spastic colon'. Lies are used to disguise the characters real

feelings, they live a lie putting on 'jewelled sandals' and 'cream

silk underwear' to stop their feelings being shown. Gooper and Mae are

partners in games of lies and deceit, working together to get their

wishes, the inheritance from Big Daddy. The name Big Daddy suggests a

physically imposing man with a big ego and Big Mama suggests a

frightening woman, head of the family, a matriarch. Their names

suggest how they would like others to see them but they do not...

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She builds herself up by putting Maggie down, by the end her comments

have worn thin and she is ignored when she questions Maggie's

'pregnancy', Big Mama only believes what she wants to hear. It is this

pressure to fit in to the family that is the source of most of the

lies in the play; the audience is constantly left guessing the future,

the family's lives beyond the death of 'the boss', Big Daddy. Williams

leaves the end of the play open to this guessing, will Maggie get

pregnant by Brick? The real question though is will Brick be able to

face up to the responsibility of replacing Big Daddy and will the

uncovered lies mean a truthful future for the family? I think that

this is an interesting way to leave the play as it does not end

'happily ever after' but there is finally hope for the future for

Maggie and Brick now they have faced up to the truth.

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