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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Summary
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Full summary that is easy to read and will definitely help you understand better each character and their motivations.
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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
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CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF SUMMARYAct 1
Brick is taking a shower in the bedroom he shares with his wife, Maggie. While
undressing, Maggie complains that Brick´s brother Gooper and his wife Mae have
been having their monstrous children perform for Big Daddy, incessantly reminding
him of their own childlessness. Now that Daddy is dying of cancer, Mae and Gooper
are trying to cut them out of the estate. The doctors have lied to Daddy and Mama,
claiming that Daddy only suffers from a spastic colon, but tonight the truth will be
revealed.
Brick is not helping any with his incessant drinking and much-publicized stunt on
the high school athletic field, where he broke his ankle jumping hurdles. Maggie is
confident of their advantage, because Big Daddy favors Brick,despises Gooper and
his wife, and has a "lech" (sexual perverted desire) for Maggie herself. Suddenly
Maggie catches sight of Brick staring at her in the mirror. She cries that she knows
she has become hard and frantic. Living with someone who doesn't love her has
made her a "cat on a hot tin roof." (she's always stressed and hyperactive)
Fiercely Maggie locks the door and draws the curtains. As she attempts to seduce
him, Brick warns her against making a fool of herself. Maggie murmurs she has
realized her mistake: she should not have confessed to making love with Skipper.
Maggie continues and says that Brick and Skipper's love was sad and awful because it
could never be satisfied or even talked about. Maggie recalls how on their double
dates in college it always seemed like the boys were out together. The night of the
Thanksgiving game, Maggie confronted Skipper on his desire. He made a pitiful
attempt to prove her wrong.
Threatening to kill her, Brick hurls his crutch (muleta) at her. Maggie insists that
now is her time of the month to conceive and they must make love. Brick wonders
how she plans to have a child with a man who cannot stand her. Big Daddy enters
ferociously and greets Brick. The servants enter with Daddy's cake, and a grotesque
sing-a-long commences. Daddy furiously orders everyone to stop. Mama sobs that he
has never believed that she loved him. "Wouldn't it be funny if that was true" Daddy
murmurs.
Act 2
Daddy asks for Brick. Maggie delivers him, giving him a kiss on the mouth that he
immediately wipes off. Daddy asks Brick why he wiped off her kiss. Mae and Gooper
have been saying that he won't sleep with Maggie (they were listening to their
conversations every night). As Brick freshens his drink, Daddy asks him about his
drinking problem. Brick cannot explain.
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