Summary of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Includes summary, character and theme notes and analysis
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Course
Modern Texts
Institution
AQA
Book
Tennessee Williams - A Streetcar Named Desire/Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Comes from student currently attending Oxford University after getting 4 A*s at A Level
- Summary of Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Includes points about the cyclical nature of the play, Williams' methods and his presentation of a crippled Brick to name a few examples
- Uses quotes to back ...
Cat on a hot tin roof (no summary on a streetcar named desire
September 16, 2022
4
2022/2023
Summary
Subjects
cat on a hot tin roof
homosexuality
american dream
american couple
williams
tennessee williams
english literature
a levels
modern texts
english
aqa
english literature a
summary
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AQA
English Literature A
Modern Texts
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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Whole Text Document
Summary
The text takes place over one evening where a family has gathered to celebrate Big Daddy’s
birthday. Big Daddy and everyone had thought that he had cancer but prior to beginning of
play, Big Daddy and Big Mama have been told that he has a spastic colon and nothing
serious. Also, Brick, the son, has an alcohol problem after his friend Skipper dies as well as
not sleeping and having a bad relationship with his wife, Maggie. Mae and Gopper are trying
to secure the inheritance by showing off their children.
As the play progresses, we find out that Big Daddy does have cancer and Brick reveals this
to him in Act 2. Moreover, Williams suggests that Brick loved Skipper homosexually but he is
so deep in denial that he has turned to alcohol. In the end, Maggie says she is pregnant after
Gopper and Mae reveal to Big Mama that Big Daddy does in fact have cancer and they are
trying to take control of the plantation. Then the play ends with just Maggie and Brick and
Maggie coercing Brick into sleeping with her.
Williams is exploring how humans like to lie to each other and themselves so that they do
not have to face the truth of their problems. It is an extremely dark view on humanity.
Thematic Quotes
Humanity
Page Quote Extra details/important
analysis
Pg 45-47 ‘Human animal is a beast that dies … buy This is Big Daddy talking
and buys … [and wants] life everlasting’ about how humans want to
‘A man can’t buy his life with [money]’. live forever and attempt to
escape their mortality by
buying and becoming rich.
He is a hypocrite because
he is doing exactly that.
Humans want to transcend
time and death
Pg 45-47 Same story - beneath civilization all there This does contrast with
is is death and destruction. Atwood who is more
When society faces this it goes to moral optimistic. She believes
emptiness and loneliness humans can unite together
But Big Daddy runs back to America to fight the suffering caused
by society.
Lying/Mendacity
Page Quote Extra details/important
analysis
Act 2 pg 31-47 Moving carefully not to betray his Lying to oneself in order to
weakness even, or especially, to himself believe the illusion you have
created about yourself.
This is Big Daddy.
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