Introduction
For centuries, literature has played an immense role in conveying the acute issues in society. Among the most common themes is social status and the divide between the rich and the poor. One such literary piece is the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, which focuses on a wealthy American family living in the South. The significance of the work can be observed in a precise demonstration of the behaviors and perspectives of the characters.
The play is not single-sided and instead offers an intricate portrayal of the wealthy family members and their issues, ranging from those connected to inheritance to personal challenges. While on the surface, Williams demonstrates family disputes and drama, when delving more profoundly, the audience observes the complexities of social class and how linguistic preferences, behaviors, and opinions differentiate them from others.
The Use of Character in Social Class Exploration
Brick
One of the primary ways Williams explores social class is through the character of Brick. Through Brick, Williams shows a conflicting side of coming from an affluent family. Despite having a privileged background, the character seems disconnected from his environment and social class. Unlike other characters around him, the man is aware of the hypocrisy of the upper-class people. Indeed, throughout the play, the readers observe his wife, Maggie, being irritated with his aloof behavior and drinking problems (Williams, 1975). In his defense, Brick argues, “Mendacity is a system that we live in. Liquor is one way out a death’s the other” (Williams, 1975, p.68).
Moreover, the readers observe the character’s inner struggles in his yearning to find a purpose in life and satisfaction. As the author illustrates further in the play, Brick is romantically involved with his friend, Skipper. Brick admits, “It was too rare to be normal, any true thing between two people is too rare to be normal” (Williams, 1975, p.64). With his inability to be with someone he loves and feeling like a bird in a golden cage, the man rejects materialistic goods and despises his social status.
Margaret
A complete opposite of Brick is his wife Margaret, often called Maggie. Williams shows the polarity between the characters. Maggie is seen as a woman born into a low-income family who is ambitious and puts effort into becoming a part of the upper-middle class (Williams, 1975). In contrast, Brick, from an affluent background, despises his life. In her monologue, Maggie admits that she “always had to suck up to people [she] couldn’t stand because they had money and [she] was poor as Job’s turkey” (Williams, 1975, p.25).
The heroine additionally emphasizes that she had “a bunch of hand-me-down clothes” but had to “keep appearances up” (Williams, 1975, p.25). Through such an experience, the author wanted to show the resilience and determination of the woman. Throughout the play, Maggie strives to look impeccable to secure her position in the hierarchy of wealth and privilege. As she says, “You can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it” (Williams, 1975, p.25). By integrating such a character into the plot, Williams emphasizes how some people take their status for granted and do not put much value on it; others understand its role in life.
Big Daddy
Furthermore, another character from the play serves as a symbol of American wealth and social class. Big Daddy, the father of Brick and a southern tycoon, embodies the American dream. Early into the play, the audience learns that Big Daddy is a self-made man who amassed his wealth and had an opportunity to travel around the world (Williams, 1975). At the same time, Williams demonstrates the man’s shallow nature and emptiness, lack of empathy, and self-centeredness.
While around his family, Big Daddy shares his memories from a trip to Spain, where he saw impoverished children “running over those bare hills in their bare skins beggin’ like starvin’ dogs with howls and screeches” (Williams, 1975, p.45). While usually, people would feel empathetic toward those in need, Big Daddy mocked the children, saying that he “threw them money like you’d scatter feed corn for chickens” (Williams, 1975, p.45). Such actions, where the character boasts and praises himself as a benefactor while despising the poor, are meant to symbolize the views of the affluent.
Character Communication, Behavior, Appearance
Lastly, defining moments of social class can be seen in William’s demonstrations of the characters’ vocabulary and behaviors. For example, the characters in the play are seen as articulate individuals who choose to use exquisite words and complex sentences. In one moment, Mae claims that everybody is “hopeful an’ optimistic” when it comes to Big Daddy’s health, “nevertheless there are certain matters that have to be discussed” (Williams, 1975, p.145). Such an instance shows that the woman avoids using simple words and strives to sound intelligent. The most articulate is Maggie, who calls a personal attack from Mae “a deliberate campaign of vilification for the most disgusting and sordid reason on earth” (Williams, 1975, p.148).
Additionally, as is seen throughout the plot, the characters pay attention to their looks, as in the example of Maggie, who was getting dressed for the evening. Williams described that she “picks out a pair of jeweled sandals” after deciding on the dress (Williams, 1975, p.7). By illuminating the characters’ linguistic differentiation and priorities, the author accentuates the complexities of social class and the main differences between the upper-middle class and the rest.
Conclusion
In summary, Williams initially portrays family strife and drama. Still, as the viewer digs deeper, they see the complexity of social class and how their linguistic choices, habits, and attitudes set them apart from others. Williams explores the contradictory side of coming from a wealthy family through Brick. The man understands the hypocrisy of the upper-class people, in contrast to other individuals around him. His wife Margaret, also known as Maggie, is the opposite of Brick.
Williams demonstrates the contrast between the characters by having Brick, who comes from a wealthy family and practically despises his existence, and Maggie, who was born into a low-income family but is ambitious and works hard to join the upper middle class. A further character represents American riches and social class as a symbol. Big Daddy, a southern tycoon and Brick’s father, personifies the American dream.
Finally, William’s examples of the character’s speech and actions show key social class instances. The author highlights the social class intricacies and key distinctions between the upper-middle class and the others by highlighting the characters’ linguistic distinctions and goals. With such approaches, the readers observe two sides of the social class theme.
Reference
Williams, T. (1975). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof [Play]. New Directions. Web.