Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Front 1

Conflict and Plot

Back 1

Plot type: aristotelian elements: 3 unities (single conflict, location and time), parallel subplot: Gooper and May
-Main Action/Conflict: to secure inheritance of the plantation

Front 2

Point of Attack

Back 2

-Big Daddy's Birthday Party: summer evening, entire family gathering, Maggie enters to change clothes, Brick is still in shower
-Antecedent Action: Big Daddy has been ill, everyone fears cancer: Gooper and Mae have been down all summer, last night Brick broke his ankle

Front 3

Inciting Incident

Back 3

-happens just before Point of Attack: Report in- Big Daddy has cancer (Big Daddy and Big Mama don't know yet)
-full steam ahead on getting plantation
-Maggie's obstacles: Brick's drinking, Brick doesn't care about inheritance
-Maggie's action: to "cure Brick

Front 4

major Turning Points

Back 4

-Maggie tries to get Brick to open up about Skipper: reacts by calling everyone upstairs
-Big Daddy forced Brick to face truth: he abandoned skipper, his disgust is with himself
-Big Daddy is told he has cancer
=Big Mama refuses to give plantation to Mae and Gooper

Front 5

Climax

Back 5

-Maggie lies about being pregnant: ace in the hole with Big Daddy
-Brick doesn't contradict her

Front 6

Main Event/Resolution

Back 6

-Brick and Maggie get inheritance?
-other ambiguities: will Brick finally let down his wall, will Brick finally make love to Maggie, will they indeed have a family

Front 7

Themes

Back 7

-invalid and broken people: desperate woman full of longing
-nostalgia for faded southern gentility: fight against vulgarity and materialism, fear of crushing poverty
-faded dreams and illusion: denial and self deceit
-fathers and sons: manhood, immortality and inheritance

Front 8

Motifs and Symbols

Back 8

-the bed: sexuality - pure and disgusting, homosexuality
-the TV/Liquor console: modern crossness, anesthesia
-the crutch: literal and figurative
-cancer
-grotesque monstrosity: breeding no-neck monsters, greed and acquisition

Front 9

World of Play

Back 9

-post-wawr affluence and american dream: financial success
-contrast with Southern gentility
-racial issues still below the surface
-birthday party
-the bedroom: light, colors, open windows, privacy?

Front 10

Scene Objectives

Back 10

-what does Maggie want from Brick in the opening scenes? explains, reveal, comforts, provokes, demands, confronts, seduces
-What does Brick want? What does he want Maggie to feel or do? What action does he pursue? humors, calms, explains, drinks, tunes out, attacks, put her in her place, remind

Front 11

Staging Considerations

Back 11

-Brick observing Maggie: location of bed and bath vs. dressing table
-Brick getting a drink to escape
-Brick dropping his crutch
-seduction scene: leading to Brick taming the "cat with chair
-key transitions (recognitions/reversals): how will they be seen by the audience?
-ground plan examples with staging?