Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I really enjoyed reading Cat on a Hot Tin Roof becaunse it was entertaining. I liked how the women were protrayed in the play as strong and opinionated. I liked big mama's character the best in the play. When Gooper brought up the issue of dividing up Big Daddy's inheritance, Big Mama is adamant is her answer, "They's not going to be any more catty talk in my house!...I'm talkin in Big Daddy language now: I'm his wife, not his widow, I'm still his wife...Nobody's going to take nothing!" (Williams 124-125). Since Big Daddy is dying of cancer, there were also two more important themes in the play: time and legacy. Time because Big Daddy is running out of time and tells Brick that, "Time goes by so fast. Nothin can outrun it. Death commences too early-- almost before you're half acquainted with life-- you meet with the other..." (Williams 126). And that even though Big Daddy was worth over ten million dollars, it does not bring a longer life. According to Big Daddy," But a man can't buy his life with it, he can't buy back with it when his life has been spent...he can't buy his life back when his life is finished" (Williams 66). Big Daddy also said, "the human animal is a beast that dies and if he's got money he buys and buys and I think the reason he buys everything he can buy is that in the back of his mind he has the crazy hope that one of his purchases will be life everlasting!" (Williams 68). That is why it is such a big deal that Brick and his wife have no kids and therefore no legacy to keep the family going while Gooper, his brother, has five kids. That is why Maggie lies to the family and tells them that she is pregnant, even though her and Brick aren't close in that sort of way. They have had a platonic relationship. I also liked how Williams put in the concept of a cat on a hot tin roof. I thought it was very interesting.