Roof Essay, Research Paper

The dominant morality in Tennessee Williams? ? Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? can non be discussed in footings of a individual, easy-to-understand subject. Rather, I detected a figure of upseting subjects in this drama which, unluckily, besides seem to be present in our modern society. These subjects explain much of the behaviour we see today, both in our elected functionaries and in our ain private lives. They include the willingness to prosecute in back-stabbing and flattery to acquire what we want, the effort to get away world by indulging in intoxicant and drugs, the inclination for married twosomes to staying together in meaningless or even violent relationships, and the inclination of people who become materially affluent to turn into entire fatheads. One of the most obvious moral struggles in? Cat on a Hot Tin roof? is seeable in the run by Gooper and Mae to derive the favour of Big Daddy, while at the same clip discrediting Brick and Margaret. They try to writhe the facts in order to portray themselves to Big Daddy as the most qualified inheritor for the heritage. For case, they try to connote that merely because they have five kids ( with a 6th on the manner ) , they are hence responsible household people who will take good attention of the plantation. At the same clip, they cleverly argue that because Brick and Margaret have no kids, they would non be responsible in pull offing a big estate. Gooper and Mae act as a public dealingss squad, blandishing Big Daddy while rupturing down their rivals at every chance. The excel in back-stabbing and flattery, yet they are ever careful to keep the visual aspect of being polite and civilised. To a lesser extent, we besides see the same subject of hypocritical behaviour on the portion of Reverend Tooker and Doctor Baugh, both of whom engage in blandishing Big Daddy in the hopes that he will include them in his will. I don? t think we have to look really far in our ain universe to see the effects of a society which approves of back-stabbing and flattery as a manner of? acquiring ahead. ? All the universe? s newspaper headlines are full of narratives on a day-to-day footing of politicians and other persons in places of duty who abuse and betray the people who count on them. And along with the growing of professional prevaricators ( politicians ) we? ve besides seen an explosive growing in Numberss of attorneies whose occupation, of class, is to compose tonss of? all right print? to keep each of us accountable, because cipher? s word of award agencies anything any more. Another dominant moral subject in this drama, is the willingness of married spouses to work and ache each other. We see this unhealthy attitude toward matrimony between Brick and Margaret. For case, Brick reminds Margaret that they are populating together merely because she has agreed that they do so in name merely. When Margaret complains that this kind of hypocrite relationship is non what matrimony should be all about, Brick in cold blood suggests that she travel out and have an matter to maintain herself sexually satisfied. Margaret, to her recognition, is non willing to prosecute this kind of shoal relationship. She tells him that she wishes to hold a normal sexual and loving relationship with him, but that until that clip she would prefer to stay? a cat on a hot Sn roof, ? being frustrated and angry with the whole state of affairs but hopeful that things will alter. Brick, nevertheless, as in the instance of so many alcoholic wife-abusers, does non appreciate the devoted mate he has in Margaret. He is acrimonious and cold, and expresses his astonishment that Margaret could perchance desire to hold a kid with a adult male who hates her. However, surprisingly, Margaret stays with him in s

pite 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.