Across all of time, there have been many dramatic changes to the face of civilizations. One thing that has never changed however is the innate fear of the unknown instilled in us as human beings, specifically death. Human nature tells us that change is strenuous, and that living in a comfortable routine is ideal, even if makes us miserable. Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof explores the idea of mortality and fear of the unknown through his complex, larger than life southern characters.
The central focus of this play as a whole revolves around Big Daddy’s positive cancer diagnosis. It is the entire reason the Pollitt family falls apart, and is also the reason they have all come together. Through Big Daddy’s condition, other characters reveal profound wisdom as to the human condition that affects each and every one of us. Maggie introduces the idea of fear of the unknown in Act I when she and Brick are discussing Big Daddy. She says, "Hell, do they ever know it? Nobody says, 'You're dying.' You have to fool them. They have to fool themselves." To which Brick replies, "Why?" and Maggie continues, "Why? Because human beings dream of life everlasting, that's the reason! But most of them want it on earth and not in heaven.” (Williams 36). Maggie understands that as human beings, we would rather be blissfully unaware of a life altering truth than to face it and have to change what we know. The later years of life lead to the largest period of unknown we have to face as people. Depending on your religious or moral beliefs, you might have an idea of what happens after death, but nobody can know for certain. The idea that everything we know is to be left behind is terrifying, and for Big Daddy this has struck him with a huge internal conflict. He recognizes that his body is not healthy and is causing him pain, yet chooses to believe that he is in pristine condition because acknowledging the facts would mean he has to face some unwanted truths about the remainder of his time on this planet, and more importantly, the mess his family has become.
Brick Pollitt seemed to have life all figured out. He was a glamorous football star, achieved huge success in college as an athlete and continued on to the professional league. He had a fantastic relationship with his best friend, married a woman that turned everyone’s heads, and was the pride and joy of his father. For a southern American in the 1950’s, Brick was living the dream. After his injury however, that perfect dream began to evaporate. Alcohol replaced all of those positive aspects of his life, and eventually, Brick encapsulated the living dead. In Act II he says, “A drinking man’s someone who wants to forget he isn’t still young an’ believing.” (Williams 87). Definitely not past his prime, Brick chose to reject the rest of the opportunities life had to offer him because he could not handle letting go of his past. He endured serious emotional damage with the death of his best friend and romantic interest, Skipper, yet neglected the fact that he had an entire family and wife who loved him endlessly and would have supported him through his hardship. We see this within our own lives every day. Many people never get over the loss of a family member or close friend, and therefore a part of them is always stuck in the past, never allowing them to fully move on to other aspects of their lives. This is absolutely crippling psychologically, but also on a social level as well. Humans are naturally social beings, and therefore possessing a serious hindrance prevents us from obtaining those levels of social contact that we require. Brick does the same thing in the play. He rejects his wife, who adores him, and also avoids his parents when of all people he should have been going to them with his issues. A person does not have to be nearing the end of their life to fear the future, often times moving on to a new chapter is enough to injure a positive outlook regarding new opportunities.
Big Daddy finally comes to terms with the fact that he is nearing his last days when having a heated conversation with Brick. Big Daddy at this point had no idea that he was carrying cancer except for the nagging pains in his stomach which interrupted his normally fiery speech. Somehow the topic of death arises, and Big Daddy poetically states, “Ignorance –of mortality –is a comfort. A man don’t have that comfort, he’s the only living thing that conceives of death, that knows what it is. The others go without knowing which is the way that anything living should go, go without knowing…” (Williams 70). Here, Big Daddy unknowingly sums up all of humanity and all other forms of life through roughly three sentences. He recognizes that to understand what death is, is to know what fear is. We are both blessed and cursed to have this wisdom, as we can choose to prepare for it, and make the most of what time we have on this earth, or live with fear as the motive and act with no regard for the rest of humanity. If we allow fear to drive our actions, we end up with a very selfish attitude towards our fellow man because we will always be searching for personal fulfillment while on this planet. The flip side of this is that if we live positively, accepting the truth that all things come to an end, we give ourselves the peace of mind that can motivate us to change the world for future generations. Big Daddy has allowed that truth to sneak up on him. His family has fallen apart, and instead of using his time on earth to provide all he can, his family is left fighting over what will become of his estate.
Human nature is one thing we can count on remaining steadfast in a world of hectic change. In the 1950’s, the world was changing once again, and family dynamics, especially in the south, were shifting. Tennessee Williams perfectly captures the struggle of change, and the anxiety of it as well in his play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
The central focus of this play as a whole revolves around Big Daddy’s positive cancer diagnosis. It is the entire reason the Pollitt family falls apart, and is also the reason they have all come together. Through Big Daddy’s condition, other characters reveal profound wisdom as to the human condition that affects each and every one of us. Maggie introduces the idea of fear of the unknown in Act I when she and Brick are discussing Big Daddy. She says, "Hell, do they ever know it? Nobody says, 'You're dying.' You have to fool them. They have to fool themselves." To which Brick replies, "Why?" and Maggie continues, "Why? Because human beings dream of life everlasting, that's the reason! But most of them want it on earth and not in heaven.” (Williams 36). Maggie understands that as human beings, we would rather be blissfully unaware of a life altering truth than to face it and have to change what we know. The later years of life lead to the largest period of unknown we have to face as people. Depending on your religious or moral beliefs, you might have an idea of what happens after death, but nobody can know for certain. The idea that everything we know is to be left behind is terrifying, and for Big Daddy this has struck him with a huge internal conflict. He recognizes that his body is not healthy and is causing him pain, yet chooses to believe that he is in pristine condition because acknowledging the facts would mean he has to face some unwanted truths about the remainder of his time on this planet, and more importantly, the mess his family has become.
Brick Pollitt seemed to have life all figured out. He was a glamorous football star, achieved huge success in college as an athlete and continued on to the professional league. He had a fantastic relationship with his best friend, married a woman that turned everyone’s heads, and was the pride and joy of his father. For a southern American in the 1950’s, Brick was living the dream. After his injury however, that perfect dream began to evaporate. Alcohol replaced all of those positive aspects of his life, and eventually, Brick encapsulated the living dead. In Act II he says, “A drinking man’s someone who wants to forget he isn’t still young an’ believing.” (Williams 87). Definitely not past his prime, Brick chose to reject the rest of the opportunities life had to offer him because he could not handle letting go of his past. He endured serious emotional damage with the death of his best friend and romantic interest, Skipper, yet neglected the fact that he had an entire family and wife who loved him endlessly and would have supported him through his hardship. We see this within our own lives every day. Many people never get over the loss of a family member or close friend, and therefore a part of them is always stuck in the past, never allowing them to fully move on to other aspects of their lives. This is absolutely crippling psychologically, but also on a social level as well. Humans are naturally social beings, and therefore possessing a serious hindrance prevents us from obtaining those levels of social contact that we require. Brick does the same thing in the play. He rejects his wife, who adores him, and also avoids his parents when of all people he should have been going to them with his issues. A person does not have to be nearing the end of their life to fear the future, often times moving on to a new chapter is enough to injure a positive outlook regarding new opportunities.
Big Daddy finally comes to terms with the fact that he is nearing his last days when having a heated conversation with Brick. Big Daddy at this point had no idea that he was carrying cancer except for the nagging pains in his stomach which interrupted his normally fiery speech. Somehow the topic of death arises, and Big Daddy poetically states, “Ignorance –of mortality –is a comfort. A man don’t have that comfort, he’s the only living thing that conceives of death, that knows what it is. The others go without knowing which is the way that anything living should go, go without knowing…” (Williams 70). Here, Big Daddy unknowingly sums up all of humanity and all other forms of life through roughly three sentences. He recognizes that to understand what death is, is to know what fear is. We are both blessed and cursed to have this wisdom, as we can choose to prepare for it, and make the most of what time we have on this earth, or live with fear as the motive and act with no regard for the rest of humanity. If we allow fear to drive our actions, we end up with a very selfish attitude towards our fellow man because we will always be searching for personal fulfillment while on this planet. The flip side of this is that if we live positively, accepting the truth that all things come to an end, we give ourselves the peace of mind that can motivate us to change the world for future generations. Big Daddy has allowed that truth to sneak up on him. His family has fallen apart, and instead of using his time on earth to provide all he can, his family is left fighting over what will become of his estate.
Human nature is one thing we can count on remaining steadfast in a world of hectic change. In the 1950’s, the world was changing once again, and family dynamics, especially in the south, were shifting. Tennessee Williams perfectly captures the struggle of change, and the anxiety of it as well in his play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.