Domestic Realism in Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Although written from the 30's to the 80's, Tennessee Williams's taboo-breaking plays have still remained topical and, perhaps, the crisis of individuality presented in them is even more overt to the contemporary reader. Nowadays, when the heated discussion is raising awareness of the ambiguities of gender roles, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), which earned Williams his second Pulitzer prize, should become a mandatory reading for anyone concerned with these issues.

Even though own personal dreams can not be completed, she lives though her children, assisting them in achieving their own dreams. Despite the generation gap, Mama is a strong influencer and the head of the household, so much so that she is stripping Walter Lee of his manliness by not allowing him to take charge. She as well will not permit Beneatha from speaking unruly about her religion in her own home. After Walter Lee exceeds to Mama that he needs to be a man and become the one who administers the family, Mama steps down from the throne and gives the crown to her son. Mama comes to terms that if Walter Lee does not become the head of the household, the family will no longer be

Dysfunction and volatility is common amongst families. These families dislike their kin and often resent them. In the play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams, the Politt family does not function as a normal family. Brick, Maggie, and Big Daddy are three members of the family that have the most problems that affect the whole family.

Communication is a very important aspect of any type of relationship. There are many themes in the play, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams, but the major theme is that of isolation and the lack of communication. This type of theme involves many character such as Brick and Margaret. Big Daddy and his oldest son Gooper. And Big Daddy and his youngest son Brick. The entire Pollitt family manifests the theme isolation and lack of communication.

Everybody makes mistakes and everybody has said or done something that they regret or wish they could take back. Mama’s husband, Big Walter, is no different. At the time of the play, he has been dead for a number of years. Mama remembers him rather fondly, but with his major flaws as well. She says of her husband, “Crazy ‘bout his children! God knows there was plenty wrong with Walter Younger--hard-headed, mean, kind of wild with women--plenty wrong with him. But he sure loved his children. Always wanted them to have something--be something” (45). Mama had such a complicated relationship with Big Walter. She remembers the best of him, that he truly loved his

Tennessee Williams’ book Cat on a Hot Tin Roof takes place entirely in the plantation home of the Pollitt family in the Mississippi Delta. The plantation once belonged to a pair of bachelors, and “Big Daddy” Pollitt had worked for them as an overseer, but he is now the owner of the plantation, which he has built into a dynastic empire. Big Daddy’s family has met at the house to celebrate his birthday. Maggie, a beautiful and witty girl, has escaped a childhood of poverty to marry into the wealthy Pollitt family, but finds herself in an unfulfilling marriage. She is married to Big Daddy’s son, Brick. He is an aging

Family will always be there in every decision one makes, they will help through hard times, and they will always be a part of someone. If a relationship between family members isn't strong there becomes a feeling of loneliness and lack of support. One of the most important relationships in family is between a father and his son. How a father treats their son can affect them for the rest of their lives with relationships, careers, and many other aspects in life. In the plays Fences by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, two types of father-son relationships are shown. The difference in the relationship causes each son from the play to result in a different way of life. Troy Maxson, from Fences, has an unfulfilled dream which causes a jealousy of his son, and a dominant relationship. This causes tension and bitterness between them and continues to affect his son Cory is more ways than one. Willy, from Death of a Salesman, is always expecting too much out of his son Biff and wants him to fulfill the dream that he never could. Biff is overwhelmed with the pressure his father puts on him and results in an outburst with his father. Both fathers have similarities and differences in their parenting styles which affect their sons in different ways.

Tennessee Williams wrote the play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in the mid-1950’s.The play takes place in Mississippi during one of its hot, humid summers. Most of the play is centered in the bedroom and sitting room of Big Daddy’s home on a Mississippi plantation. The characters are members or acquaintances of the family. On one summer evening, the Pollit’s family is gathering to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday. The previous evening Brick break’s his leg, while trying to jump hurdles. Brick’s wife, Maggie, then tries to stop Brick from his miss-behaving due to his alcoholism, while trying to seduce him at the same time. Maggie feels as if it is urgent for her to have a baby, but Brick is too drunk to even care much about

However, Walter is forced to put his dreams on hold. Before Lena gave Walter the left over insurance money, she told him that she went and bought a house for the family. This made Walter extremely angry and he exploded, just like it’s described in the poem by Langston Hughes. The poem also shows how when a dream is deferred it can become a “heavy load.” This describes Walter perfectly because he constantly has the load of trying to be the head of the house hold and to provide for his family weighing him down. After Walter almost destroys the dream of the family by having their own house, he realizes the struggle behind the ownership of a house and refuses to sell it to Karl. At the beginning of the play Walter’s idea of a “man” is consumed by materialistic things. Walter wanted only to change the circumstances of the situation he was in and his attitude has a significant impact on his wife, mother, and sister as they struggle in their own ways. His transformation throughout the play is noble. It brings positive hope to the family, along with pride and unity. Walter has found that he has the ability to change himself regardless if he doesn't have the ability to change the circumstances. Walter ultimately becomes a better husband, son, brother, and father when he realizes that this is a victory despite the

According to Dictionary.com, mendacity is defined as having the tendency to lie. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is one of the greatest works of Tennessee Williams, it is a story of a family who is long waiting for the impending death of the family patriarch. Big Daddy is a wealthy plantation owner from the south, whether he knows it or not he is on his last breaths of life. Big Daddy is faced with the difficult decision of deciding which of his sons will be taking over his estate once he is gone. Will it be Brick, a former athlete who is now nothing but a drunk but in another hand an honest man?

Instead of buying something just for her, Mama invests in a house that all benefit from. Furthermore, even in the most difficult situation Mama finds the kindness in her heart to still trust and forgive Walter after losing $6,500. Mama lets Walter make the final decision on behalf of the family about their house saying “Go ahead son—Go ahead” (pg 147). Mama also advises Beneatha when Beneatha comes to her about love issues with George Murchison and Asagai. For example Mama tells Beneatha “ You ain’t old enough to marry nobody” after she told Asagai asked Beneatha to marry him (pg 149).

“[They are] all liars, all liars, all lying dying liars” (2.1.985). The preceding is one of the most emotional lines at the end of the second act in Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It also succeeds in setting the tone for the entire play. The story centers on a dysfunctional southern family who is plagued by lies and deception. The closing of the second act is one of the most intense and critical moments in the play where Big Daddy finds out his son, Gooper, and daughter-in-law, Mae, have been lying to him about his rapidly declining health. Just before this gripping climax, however, Big Daddy has an emotional conversation with his youngest son, Brick, about mendacity. This term is central to the play’s themes and is mentioned continuously throughout the play. Still, the lies and dishonesties come from many different entities within the play. The roots of most problems the characters face in the play come from mendacity within the society, their family and the characters themselves.

Tennessee William's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a thought-provoking play that explores human relationships of all kinds. The character of Brick is forced to examine the relationship with his friend, Skipper, his wife, his family, and himself. Other characters, Gooper, Mae, and Big Mama, demonstrate stifling marriage relationships. Big Daddy, though, is one of the most interesting characters in that he illustrates the strange relationship one can have with one's possessions.

In the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tennessee Williams explores the depth of human feeling and the melancholy and drama of a family that has to live a life as the world dictates it. He explores the mendacity and deception in human behavior and questions institutions that are taken for granted, especially the institution of marriage and family. Through different character types, a drunkard, a greedy lawyer, hypocritical reverend, woman that serve always in the interest of their own family, emphasizing their domestic roles, he depicts situations from everyday life. In one of his interviews he clearly defined his purpose of writing this play by saying: “I’m trying to catch the true quality of experience in a group of people, that cloudy, flickering,

Mendacity is the trend to lie. In the case of A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, the Pollitt family is living in deception. Living in mendacity can cause competition in between family. The Pollitt are an un-united family. They don’t have communication, the family lacks honesty. Mendacity plays a big role in Brick’s life; on the play he blames falsehood for the cause of him becoming an alcoholic and marrying Maggie under certain circumstances.