An Analysis Of 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof'

Bound by Southern ideals, growing up in the 1940s and 1950s was a battle of change and resistance. As outside social influences began to meander into the lives of those living in the South, children were veering off the path of what a normal, obedient Southern child should act like. As observed in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” and The Princess and the Frog, defying Southern norms was difficult. These stories had significant relational themes whether is was the unsaid battle of acceptance between Brick and Big Daddy, the internal conflicting allegiance Bailey felt for his mother, or the stereotypical Southern life Eudora had envisioned for Tiana. Taking place during a “don’t ask to tell” era, the characters from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof were not prepared for a declaration of Brick’s true sexuality. Raised by a wealthy, dominating Southern

Why would Brick disclose the deepest part of himself to someone whom he has merely minced words with over the years? When Big Daddy requests honesty, Brick counters that he has always been truthful, but only because their conversations lack depth or any context that may allow for dishonesty. Big Daddy’s personality, and the era, causes the trepidation that Brick feels. If his father would’ve been more open throughout the years, this conversation may have been different. On the other hand, it may not have mattered how close they were, the “rules” of the region and decade might still dictate the secrecy of this orientation. Similar to the internal conflict Brick experienced, the parent-child relationship in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” further expresses the genetic allegiance that dominated the mid twentieth century. A subtle, yet important background to the story, Bailey’s conflicting allegiance to his mother is the reason they end up in despair. Head of his own household, Bailey tries to control his mother throughout the story with no