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The dominant morality in Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” can not
be discussed in terms of a single, easy-to-understand theme. Rather, I detected
a number of disturbing themes in this play which, unfortunately, also seem to be
present in our modern society. These themes explain much of the behavior we see
today, both in our elected officials and in our own private lives. They include
the willingness to engage in back-stabbing and flattery to get what we want, the
attempt to escape reality by indulging in alcohol and drugs, the tendency for
married couples to remaining together in meaningless or even violent
relationships, and the tendency of people who become materially wealthy to turn
into total jackasses. One of the most obvious moral conflicts in “Cat on a Hot
Tin roof” is visible in the campaign by Gooper and Mae to gain the favor of Big
Daddy, while at the same time discrediting Brick and Margaret. They try to twist
the facts in order to portray themselves to Big Daddy as the most qualified
heirs for the inheritance.
For instance, they try to imply that just because
they have five children (with a sixth on the way), they are therefore
responsible family people who will take good care of the plantation. At the same
time, they cleverly argue that because Brick and Margaret have no children, they
would not be responsible in managing a large estate. Gooper and Mae act as a
public relations team, flattering Big Daddy while tearing down their competitors
at every opportunity. The excel in back-stabbing and flattery, yet they are
always careful to maintain the appearance of being polite and civilized. To a
lesser extent, we also see the same theme of hypocritical behavior on the part
of Reverend Tooker and Doctor Baugh, both of whom engage in flattering Big Daddy
in the hopes that he will include them in his will. I don’t think we have to
look very far in our own world to see the consequences of a society which
approves of back-stabbing and flattery as a way of “getting ahead.” All the
world’s newspaper headlines are full of stories on a daily basis of politicians
and other individuals in positions of responsibility who abuse and betray the
people who count on them. And along with the growth of professional liars
(politicians) we’ve also seen an explosive growth in numbers of lawyers whose
job, of course, is to write lots of “fine print” to hold each of us accountable,
because nobody’s word of honor means anything any more. Another dominant moral
theme in this play, is the willingness of married partners to exploit and hurt
each other. We see this unhealthy attitude toward marriage between Brick and
Margaret. For instance, Brick reminds Margaret that they are living together
only because she has agreed that they do so in name only.
When Margaret
complains that this sort of phony relationship is not what marriage should be
all about, Brick coldly suggests that she go out and have an affair to keep
herself sexually satisfied. Margaret, to her credit, is not willing to pursue
this sort of shallow relationship. She tells him that she wishes to have a
normal sexual and loving relationship with him, but that until that time she
would prefer to remain “a cat on a hot tin roof,” being frustrated and angry
with the whole situation but hopeful that things will change. Brick, however, as
in the case of so many alcoholic wife-abusers, does not appreciate the devoted
mate he has in Margaret. He is bitter and cold, and expresses his amazement that
Margaret could possibly want to have a child with a man who hates her. However,
amazingly, Margaret stays with him in spite of his abuse. In the real world
today, we also see many relationships in which couples do not show each other
the respect they should. Men continue to batter and abuse women, and society
doesn’t seems to really care. On the other hand, many married women feel
helpless or financially dependent and so they stay married to total jerks,
hoping against hope that they can “change him”. Certainly another dominant
morality we see in Williams’ play is the unwise choice to escape the challenges
of life by indulging in alcohol. This is typified in the behavior of Brick, a
former sports hero who has become an alcoholic and is now presently on crutches
because of an accident he suffered while drunk. When confronted with a life
situation that disturbs him, Brick begins drinking continuously, putting down
the bottle only when he is convinced he hears a “click” in his head which
indicates that he has passed safely out of the world of reality and into his own
inner alcoholic fantasy land. There is certainly no shortage of drug or alcohol
abuse in our society today, just as in Williams’ play. Kids as young as 10 or 15
are sometimes found taking drugs or drinking, and it seems like there is no end
in sight.
Lives are ruined, I think, in any society which permits this sort of
escapism to continue in our young people. Yet another dominant moral theme I
observed in this play is the tendency of people who become rich to quickly turn
into the most treacherous, nasty and cruel persons imaginable. We see this
unfortunate pattern in the person of Big Daddy Pollit. He is a big, fat,
conceited and obscene man. He thinks that because he has lots of money he can
curse at anyone he pleases, especially Big Mama. He does not even pretend to be
a good person. Although he does seem to possess a redeeming quality that allows
him, at times, to be honest and strong, this does not change the fact that most
poor people do not act in such a conceited way. In other words, Big Daddy thinks
that because he has money he therefore is above criticism. After all, if anybody
complains about his uncivilized behavior all he has to do is cut them out of his
will. Throughout “Cat on a Hot Tin roof” the message is repeated, that achieving
money, land and power are the goals of life. Anything that stands in the way of
obtaining them is unimportant or, at least, can be postponed until material
wealth is achieved first.
Honesty, integrity, and even love are quickly
abandoned at the call of the Almighty Dollar. Big Daddy’s repeated description
of the plantation reinforces this myth that man can avoid death by buying up all
the material goods in life that he can (“Twenty-eight Thousand Acres Of The
Richest Land This Side Of The Valley Nile!”). It does not take much imagination
for me to envision a world based on the morality portrayed in “Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof.” Indeed, as I see it, Williams has simply mirrored much of the moral
conflict which is already present in our society today. What will it take to
reverse these unhealthy dominant moral themes in today’s world? That, as they
say, is the “Million Dollar Question.” Perhaps we should just put more emphasis
on religion in our schools. Or maybe the solution lies in fixing whatever is
wrong with modern marriages that causes more parents to get divorced than to
remain together. Or perhaps we should start insisting that Hollywood and MTV
stop idolizing rich people who are evil and cruel, and instead adopt folks like
Mother Theresa as our kids’ role models. In any case, I think that Williams “Cat
on a Hot Tin Roof,” is not so much a fictional play as a mirror that forces us
to take a good look at ourselves.
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