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Corruption In Tennessee Williams Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

1308 Words6 Pages

Kailash Kher once said, "The worst affected from corruption is the common man." Kher's quote encompasses the idea that not even the beautiful, renowned, or rich are exempt from the problems that come from living and from ignoring reality, as these are shared human struggles. In the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tennessee Williams attempts to make understood the corruption suffered by three members of the seemingly ordinary Pollitt family, Brick, his father, Big Daddy, and Brick's wife, Maggie, as they struggle through familial tension and arguments that intertwine with lies and warped perceptions. Human nature's worst traits befall the Pollit family and create insatiable greed and resistance to discrepancies from the norm. William's play is …show more content…

Brick's wife, Maggie, attempts to twist morality so that she appears more likable. Maggie is suffering because Brick will not make love to her, and during a discussion with Brick she "steps out of her dress" and "stands in a slip of ivory satin and lace" (18). Maggie's undergarment is ironic, it is white, the color of purity and virginity, yet she describes how she misses making love with Brick. The white garment is worn under Maggie's normal clothes because her real intentions are innocent and pure and not exposed to the rest of the world, she only wants love from her husband. Although her intentions are clean and righteous, her only goal is to have the undergarment removed, exploiting the idea of purity. Like his wife, Brick also has a slurred sexual symbol, the crutch, which alludes to the reason he cannot love Maggie. Brick's crutch is a symbol of his own phallus which is being restrained due to the possibility of his homosexuality. During an intense conversation with Big Daddy Brick attempts to leave the room so Big Daddy "jerks (Brick's) crutch from under (him)" which is met by the cries of Brick saying, "Big Daddy! give me my crutch" and upon receiving it, Brick "flees in horror" (103,105). Big Daddy taking away Brick's crutch symbolizes Brick's homosexuality being repressed. As he continuously denies to Big Daddy that he and Skipper had anything but a close friendship Big Daddy steals his sons crutch. Big Daddy does not wish to see his son for what he truly is and would rather take pull away the possibility that his son as a homosexual than contrast the ideal family values. Brick begs for the crutch back he wants to fit in and not be exposed for who he truly is, which is something he cannot bring himself to accept. Maggie's perversion of innocence and Brick's repression show the couple attempting to mask themselves in order to fit in

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