Major Symbols in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams the major symbol of course includes a cat on a hot tin roof and a crutch. In the play the Margaret is metaphorically the cat on the roof. The cat is represented as a lonely soul seeking attention and hoping to jump off of the roof and find someone who will truly love it. As Brick ignores Maggie she exclaims "Why am I so catty?-Cause I'm consumed with envy an' eatin up with longing?..How long does it have t' go on? This punishment? Haven't I done time enough, haven't I served my term, cant I apply for a--pardon? I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof!"(25). Because of the constant neglect Maggie feels more alone than she ever has in her entire life. She feels as lonely a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof so Brick insistently says "Then jump off the roof, jump off it, cats can jump off roofs and land on their four feet uninjured! Take a lover!" (26). In saying this, Brick makes it clear to Maggie that she is alone and he does not love her , he doesn't even care if she finds another lover.
The other major symbol in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is Brick's crutch. His crutch serves as a symbol of Brick's dependency on alcohol. Throughout the play he tells Maggie to bring him his crutch and every time she brings it he uses it to hop to the alcohol cabinet for another drink. He uses the crutch and alcohol to escape his problems, especially the death of his best friend Skipper. Brick also uses his crutch as weapon when he strikes at Maggie and Big Daddy with it. While trying to escape the questioning of his peculiar relationship with his friend Skipper, Brick "takes his crutch from Big Daddy's loose grip and swings it at him" (100). Although Brick's crutch is symbolized as Brick;s dependency on alcohol and a weapon, neither of these bring him happines, as soon as he finally uses Maggie as his crutch at the end of the story it becomes clear that in the near future he will no longer be dependent on alcohol.
Works Cited :
Lisi, Francesco. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Photo. francescolisi.com 2 Dec. 2012
< http://www.francescolisi.com>
Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New York: Penguin, 1985. Print.
The other major symbol in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is Brick's crutch. His crutch serves as a symbol of Brick's dependency on alcohol. Throughout the play he tells Maggie to bring him his crutch and every time she brings it he uses it to hop to the alcohol cabinet for another drink. He uses the crutch and alcohol to escape his problems, especially the death of his best friend Skipper. Brick also uses his crutch as weapon when he strikes at Maggie and Big Daddy with it. While trying to escape the questioning of his peculiar relationship with his friend Skipper, Brick "takes his crutch from Big Daddy's loose grip and swings it at him" (100). Although Brick's crutch is symbolized as Brick;s dependency on alcohol and a weapon, neither of these bring him happines, as soon as he finally uses Maggie as his crutch at the end of the story it becomes clear that in the near future he will no longer be dependent on alcohol.
Works Cited :
Lisi, Francesco. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Photo. francescolisi.com 2 Dec. 2012
< http://www.francescolisi.com>
Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New York: Penguin, 1985. Print.