Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Summary

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

 

 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is the story of a family in crisis, especially the wife Maggie ''the Cat'' and the husband Brick. Both are invited by Brick's family to Mississippi to celebrate the patriarch's birthday. Every member of the family, except Big Daddy and Big Mama, are aware that Big Daddy is dying of cancer. The other family members have decides to lie to them because they do not want Big Daddy and Big Mama to suffer. 

Maggie is a beautiful woman who comes from a childhood of extreme poverty and has married the wealthy Brick Pollitts. Every member of the family knows that Brick has not slept with Maggie for a long time, which is ruinning their marriage. Maggie wants to secure Brick's inheritance from Gooper and his wife Mae who want to inherit everything. Brick does not show any shadow of interest and this infuriates Maggie.

Brick has become an alcoholic since his friend Skipper suicided after confessing Brick his love for him. Brick tells Big Daddy the truth about his health condition and the family gather gets uncomfortable. Big Mama is devastated.

Big Daddy tells them that he wants to die peacefully. He promises to secure Brick's inheritance. Maggie says that she is pregnant, but Gooper and Mae say that she is lying. On the other hand, Big Daddy and Big Mama trust her. She tells Brick that she will make the lie true when they are alone.

Tennessee Williams

 

 Playwright Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi. After college, he moved to New Orleans, a city that would inspire much of his writing. On March 31, 1945, his play, The Glass Menagerie, opened on Broadway and two years later A Streetcar Named Desire earned Williams his first Pulitzer Prize. Many of Williams' plays have been adapted to film starring screen greats like Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor. Williams died in 1983.