Big Daddy and the American Dream in Tennessee Williams...

Big Daddy and the American Dream in Tennessee Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Tennessee Williams 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 ones possessions. Watt and Richardson, the editors, state that the play is about acquisitiveness. That is, the acquiring of material possessions is central to the play, and this family. The†¦show more content†¦Margaret pleads with Brick to dress for Big Daddys party. She does not want Bricks father to see what a shambles her marriage is in. She asks, Brick, Ive laid out your beautiful Shantung silk suit . . . your monogrammed silk shirts . . . your cuff links (667 act 1). Brick only relents to wearing his white silk pajamas. He has no need for clothing to serve as his mask since he already has masks of a different kind to hide behind. Yet, as said before, it is Big Daddy who is most dependent on his relationship with things. He has a wife decked out like some massive animal, the luster of her great diamonds and many pearls, the brilliants set in the silver frames of her glasses (676 act 2), and speaks with scorn about her and this need for extravagance. He even goes so far as to act as though he has contempt for money, too. He says, But a man cant buy his life with it, he cant buy back his life with it when his life has been spent (682 act 2). Yet these words contradict the words that follow, the words that express his true inner belief about money and possessions: The human animal is a beast that dies and if hes got money he buys and buys and buys and I think the reason he buys everything he can buy is that in the back of his mind he has the crazy hope that one of his purchases will be life everlasting! (683 act 2) Big Daddy is consumed by possessions, by acquisitiveness. He has been faced with his imminentShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof1112 Words   |  5 Pageswrapped around Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It involves a character, Brick, lost between his desired sexuality and his true sexuality, while been drastically affected by his best friends death, Skipper, caught between lies and secrets. The desire of his wife, Maggie, to have a child has also drastically affected him. It is Maggie’s attempt to win him back, as he does not want her. The play as well involves malignant liver cancer taking over the father/family man and owner of the estate, Big Daddy. All of thisRead MoreCat On A Hot Tin Roof By Tennessee Williams1642 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships is Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. Within the play, the Pollitt family faced an abundance of dysfunction between its members, such as secrets being hidden and marriages facing rough times. The presence of deceit and sexuality in the lives of the Pollitt family has a major impact on the plot of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as well as on the relationships between these characters. In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the plot centers on the Pollitt family, a family living in the American south aroundRead MoreSymbolism, Imagery and Allegory in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire2119 Words   |  9 PagesSymbolism, Imagery and Allegory in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire    Tennessee Williams said, in the foreword to Camino Real, a symbol in a play has only one legitimate purpose, which is to say a thing more directly and simply and beautifully than it could be said in words. Symbolism is used, along with imagery and allegory to that effect in both Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire. Both plays tend to share the same kinds of symbols and motifs; sometimesRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun And Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Analysis1714 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is the idea that â€Å"every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative†. A Raisin’ in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams presents us how the American dream plays its role in two different families in the same period of time, 1950. These two plays demonstrate the readers how race and class difference impacts the growth of a family and highly impacts the generationRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1923 Words   |  8 Pagesdifferent ways and interpret things differently as well. In the 3 texts dissatisfaction or complication is shown. Firstly in Othello love is presented as ephemeral and transient while atonement love is presented as unrequited and finally in cat on a hot tin roof love is presented as painful and troublesome due to unreciprocated feelings. The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the potential of the villain, Iago, to deceive other characters, above all Roderigo and Othello, through encouraging them toRead MoreCat On A Hot Tin Roof And James Baldwin s Giovanni s Room3822 Words   |  16 Pagesdangerous life. Only one-year separates Tennessee William’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room from there publishing dates during this decade of unwavering beliefs. These texts were seen as extremely controversial during their time due to their themes of homosexuality. Sexual orientation was an awkward topic during such a â€Å"to the book† time period and these texts pushed the limits, making them remarkable and memorable works. Both Tennessee Williams and James Baldwin explore the panic