Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Alcoholism Essay
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick grapples with alcoholism which he uses to try and escape the life that he hates. Author Signi Falk, even goes as far to say that, “He{Williams}says candidly that Brick drinks continually because he is trying to obliterate his disgust with himself” (Falk 108). This further proves that the consumption of alcohol helps Brick numb the pain of his detestable life. Brick drinks constantly throughout the whole play, and it is even the topic of many arguments between Brick and Maggie, and Brick and Big Daddy. In act two, during one of their conversations, Brick even says to Big Daddy, “A drinking man's someone who wants to forget he isn't still young and believing” (Williams 114). The true reasons behind Brick’s alcoholism becomes abundantly clear after he outright admits that he is dissatisfied with how his life has come to fruition, and wishes to numb his pain that is incited by the lies that he is
…show more content…
forced to live.
Addiction also manifests itself as a form of emotions, not being able to let go of the past, and past memories. Many characters in Williams’ plays are fixated on how their lives formerly were, which prohibits them from living to their fullest potential. Bernard Deckle, author of Tennessee Williams: ‘The Black Play,’ commented, “Critics have pointed out that his plays deal with a serious theme-- self-pity, the persistence of a memory that holds people in its grip and will not let them go on with their lives” (Dekle 369). The fact that the theme of regret and wistfulness throughout Williams’ works suggests that he himself dealt with the pain of regret in his life. In The Glass Menagerie Amanda continuously babbles on about the “olden days” of when she was loved and adored by all men, “My callers were gentlemen, all!” (Williams 8).
Now she is trying to live vicariously through Laura. By forcing Laura to practice her “ladylike” manners and asking Tom to send any eligible bachelors their way, Amanda is grooming Laura to follow in her footsteps of being the ideal future wife. In act one, scene one, there is a whole monologue, which her children basically have memorized since she tells it so often, dedicated to Amanda in which she recalls her past endeavors. Amanda does everything in her power to deny the fact that she is no longer young and attractive and ignore her hatred for her new life, “She clings pathetically to her clothing and furs, mementos of a life in sorry contrast to the ones she is now taking up” (Donahue 34).
Similarly to Amanda in The Glass Menagerie, Brick Pollitt, in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof relives his glory days as a star athlete by vicariously living through the career of a sports caster. Although his true desire was to have a successful career as an athlete, Brick;s injury prevented him from fulfilling his dreams. He is mentally stuck in a time when he was the player living out his dream and clings to the memories of that time. This causes his extreme internalized anger and regret, at one point, he even says, “Sit in a glass box watching games I can’t play? Describing what I can’t do while players do it? . . . time just outran me, Big Daddy-- got there first” (Williams 115). Brick is incredibly unhappy with his own life and clings to the memory of his glory days as relief. However, in the grand scheme of life, it is actually holding him back.
It is not only addiction to the past that holds back characters in Williams’ novels, but repressed desire also plays a critical role in his works. As a homosexual himself, Tennessee Williams struggled with his own identity throughout his life, and his personal struggles seeped into his writing. Suppressed homosexuality is a common theme throughout Williams’ works, and in all cases, the effeminate characteristics is taboo and shameful.
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick’s sexuality is never flat-out stated, however it is eluded that he was a homosexual along side his late best friend Skipper.
Brick is not intimate with his wife Maggie, which creates conflict within their already failing marriage. However, during the nineteen fifties, homosexuality was not acceptable, so if Brick was in fact gay, his shame and guilt would be immense, “Brick’s resentment of it {homosexuality} being brought out into the open, and Margaret's understanding . . .” (Falk 105). During Brick and Big Daddy’s conversation, the sensitive issue of Brick’s ambiguous sexuality is brought up. Immediately on the defense, Brick proclaims that he and Skipper were not in a relationship and that Skipper’s feelings for Brick were not reciprocated. “Oh, you think so too, you call me your son a queer . . . You think so, too? You think so, too? You think me an' Skipper did, did hdid!—sodomy!—together?” (Williams 117-19). Brick’s always denies any homosexuality and continues his defensive attitude toward the
matter.
The issue of repressed homosexulity is also a prevalent theme in A Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche’s late husband was a closeted homosexual who ended his life due to the shame of his sexual identity. During a conversation with Mitch, it is revealed to audiences that Blanche walked in on her husband and his male paramour, “By coming suddenly into a room that I thought was empty-- which wasn’t empty, but had two people in it . . . the boy I had married and an older man who had been his friend for years” (Williams 114). Due to the taboo nature of homosexuality at the time, Blanche’s husband committed suicide after she walked in on him and his male lover. Understanding how unacceptable society perceived gays due to personal experiences, allowed Williams authentically write about such a sensitive issue.
The theme of repressed desire does not only appear in the form of sexual identity, but it also appears in the form of female sexuality, which was an unspoken issue in the forties and fifties. Women were not supposed to have sexual desires or drives, yet through plot and characters, Williams delves into this forbidden issue. It is also important to note that female sexuality and the desire to be loved romantically are lumped together here. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche uses her sexuality to try and gain influence over men. Her aversion for sex is looked down upon by society, which can be seen in how Stanley reacts to finding about her previous sexual encounters. Although on the surface Blanche regards lust as being disgusting and repulsive, she actually uses her sex appeal to seduce any man that will give her attention. In one scene she even tries to seduce a young newspaper boy, but to no avail, “Well you do, honey lamb! Come here. I want to kiss you, just once, softly and sweetly on your mouth!” (Williams 116). This event sets her off the edge because Blanche is forced to face with the brutal reality that she is not wanted. Blanche is consumed by the guilt that she even tried to become intimate with a younger man, which is further supported by author Gerald Weales in his novel Tennessee Williams, “They {Williams’ characters} are also tortured by something within themselves-- guilt and fear primarily” (Weales 368). Female sexuality was seen as wrong in society so Blanche, out of guilt and fear, convinced herself that sex was vulgar, even though that is not how she truly feels.
In The Glass Menagerie, repressed desire is a common factor, however unlike A Streetcar Named Desire, it manifests in an emotional form. Laura Wingfield feels as though she is an outcast due to her shy nature and crippled leg. As a result of that, Laura does not believe that she is worthy of love, in the sexual or emotional sense. However, after meeting Jim, Laura realizes that she does indeed have the desire to be loved in a romantic way, but feels that she must keep her feelings hidden in fear of being rejected. Jim is the first person in Laura’s life who indicates to her that she is deserving of love, “Has anyone ever told you that you are so pretty?” (Williams 87), which gives Laura a glimmer of hope that despite her physical disability she could still find a companion. Laura’s self-esteem is boosted after Jim expresses his perception of her. This change in self-esteem allows Laura to confront her inclination for romantic love, yet she is forced to subdue her desires out of fear. This maintains the common issue that repressing their desires causes Williams’ characters to miss out on critical experiences in their lives. Tennessee Williams incorporated his personal experiences into his plays, and in turn, he was able to create incredibly authentic characters and plot lines. By creating characters based off of his family members, Williams was able to fully develop them in a way that would not have been possible without his personal experiences. Through his struggles with addiction, Williams was able to apply what he experienced and what he witnessed to create more intricate and meaningful stories. Williams also pushed the limits of what was acceptable in society by addressing the taboo issues of homosexuality and female sexuality.These elements combine to create themes that pervades throughout Williams’ plays. Through the influence of his family, struggles with addiction, and repressed desire, Tennessee Williams used his real life experiences to write profound works which include, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire.
forced to live.
Addiction also manifests itself as a form of emotions, not being able to let go of the past, and past memories. Many characters in Williams’ plays are fixated on how their lives formerly were, which prohibits them from living to their fullest potential. Bernard Deckle, author of Tennessee Williams: ‘The Black Play,’ commented, “Critics have pointed out that his plays deal with a serious theme-- self-pity, the persistence of a memory that holds people in its grip and will not let them go on with their lives” (Dekle 369). The fact that the theme of regret and wistfulness throughout Williams’ works suggests that he himself dealt with the pain of regret in his life. In The Glass Menagerie Amanda continuously babbles on about the “olden days” of when she was loved and adored by all men, “My callers were gentlemen, all!” (Williams 8).
Now she is trying to live vicariously through Laura. By forcing Laura to practice her “ladylike” manners and asking Tom to send any eligible bachelors their way, Amanda is grooming Laura to follow in her footsteps of being the ideal future wife. In act one, scene one, there is a whole monologue, which her children basically have memorized since she tells it so often, dedicated to Amanda in which she recalls her past endeavors. Amanda does everything in her power to deny the fact that she is no longer young and attractive and ignore her hatred for her new life, “She clings pathetically to her clothing and furs, mementos of a life in sorry contrast to the ones she is now taking up” (Donahue 34).
Similarly to Amanda in The Glass Menagerie, Brick Pollitt, in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof relives his glory days as a star athlete by vicariously living through the career of a sports caster. Although his true desire was to have a successful career as an athlete, Brick;s injury prevented him from fulfilling his dreams. He is mentally stuck in a time when he was the player living out his dream and clings to the memories of that time. This causes his extreme internalized anger and regret, at one point, he even says, “Sit in a glass box watching games I can’t play? Describing what I can’t do while players do it? . . . time just outran me, Big Daddy-- got there first” (Williams 115). Brick is incredibly unhappy with his own life and clings to the memory of his glory days as relief. However, in the grand scheme of life, it is actually holding him back.
It is not only addiction to the past that holds back characters in Williams’ novels, but repressed desire also plays a critical role in his works. As a homosexual himself, Tennessee Williams struggled with his own identity throughout his life, and his personal struggles seeped into his writing. Suppressed homosexuality is a common theme throughout Williams’ works, and in all cases, the effeminate characteristics is taboo and shameful.
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brick’s sexuality is never flat-out stated, however it is eluded that he was a homosexual along side his late best friend Skipper.
Brick is not intimate with his wife Maggie, which creates conflict within their already failing marriage. However, during the nineteen fifties, homosexuality was not acceptable, so if Brick was in fact gay, his shame and guilt would be immense, “Brick’s resentment of it {homosexuality} being brought out into the open, and Margaret's understanding . . .” (Falk 105). During Brick and Big Daddy’s conversation, the sensitive issue of Brick’s ambiguous sexuality is brought up. Immediately on the defense, Brick proclaims that he and Skipper were not in a relationship and that Skipper’s feelings for Brick were not reciprocated. “Oh, you think so too, you call me your son a queer . . . You think so, too? You think so, too? You think me an' Skipper did, did hdid!—sodomy!—together?” (Williams 117-19). Brick’s always denies any homosexuality and continues his defensive attitude toward the
matter.
The issue of repressed homosexulity is also a prevalent theme in A Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche’s late husband was a closeted homosexual who ended his life due to the shame of his sexual identity. During a conversation with Mitch, it is revealed to audiences that Blanche walked in on her husband and his male paramour, “By coming suddenly into a room that I thought was empty-- which wasn’t empty, but had two people in it . . . the boy I had married and an older man who had been his friend for years” (Williams 114). Due to the taboo nature of homosexuality at the time, Blanche’s husband committed suicide after she walked in on him and his male lover. Understanding how unacceptable society perceived gays due to personal experiences, allowed Williams authentically write about such a sensitive issue.
The theme of repressed desire does not only appear in the form of sexual identity, but it also appears in the form of female sexuality, which was an unspoken issue in the forties and fifties. Women were not supposed to have sexual desires or drives, yet through plot and characters, Williams delves into this forbidden issue. It is also important to note that female sexuality and the desire to be loved romantically are lumped together here. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche uses her sexuality to try and gain influence over men. Her aversion for sex is looked down upon by society, which can be seen in how Stanley reacts to finding about her previous sexual encounters. Although on the surface Blanche regards lust as being disgusting and repulsive, she actually uses her sex appeal to seduce any man that will give her attention. In one scene she even tries to seduce a young newspaper boy, but to no avail, “Well you do, honey lamb! Come here. I want to kiss you, just once, softly and sweetly on your mouth!” (Williams 116). This event sets her off the edge because Blanche is forced to face with the brutal reality that she is not wanted. Blanche is consumed by the guilt that she even tried to become intimate with a younger man, which is further supported by author Gerald Weales in his novel Tennessee Williams, “They {Williams’ characters} are also tortured by something within themselves-- guilt and fear primarily” (Weales 368). Female sexuality was seen as wrong in society so Blanche, out of guilt and fear, convinced herself that sex was vulgar, even though that is not how she truly feels.
In The Glass Menagerie, repressed desire is a common factor, however unlike A Streetcar Named Desire, it manifests in an emotional form. Laura Wingfield feels as though she is an outcast due to her shy nature and crippled leg. As a result of that, Laura does not believe that she is worthy of love, in the sexual or emotional sense. However, after meeting Jim, Laura realizes that she does indeed have the desire to be loved in a romantic way, but feels that she must keep her feelings hidden in fear of being rejected. Jim is the first person in Laura’s life who indicates to her that she is deserving of love, “Has anyone ever told you that you are so pretty?” (Williams 87), which gives Laura a glimmer of hope that despite her physical disability she could still find a companion. Laura’s self-esteem is boosted after Jim expresses his perception of her. This change in self-esteem allows Laura to confront her inclination for romantic love, yet she is forced to subdue her desires out of fear. This maintains the common issue that repressing their desires causes Williams’ characters to miss out on critical experiences in their lives. Tennessee Williams incorporated his personal experiences into his plays, and in turn, he was able to create incredibly authentic characters and plot lines. By creating characters based off of his family members, Williams was able to fully develop them in a way that would not have been possible without his personal experiences. Through his struggles with addiction, Williams was able to apply what he experienced and what he witnessed to create more intricate and meaningful stories. Williams also pushed the limits of what was acceptable in society by addressing the taboo issues of homosexuality and female sexuality.These elements combine to create themes that pervades throughout Williams’ plays. Through the influence of his family, struggles with addiction, and repressed desire, Tennessee Williams used his real life experiences to write profound works which include, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire.