Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Gender Quotes

Here we see clearly Maggie's ability to seem both girly and boyish. In order to survive, she must take charge and take care of Brick, and she must also use her feminine wiles to charm and manipulate others. She transgresses the stereotypical gender role assigned to her when she finds that the role does not aid her in her plan to secure wealth, security, and a baby.

Fertility becomes associated with monstrosity in Cat. Fertility is not only represented through Mae and Gooper's ability to deliver six children to the world, but it is also reflected in the plantation itself. Big Daddy tells us his land is the richest and most fertile land west of the Nile, but the fertility of the land is also tied up with the economic system and society that produced slavery.

Maggie is very aware of the ways in which she can use her body and her looks to get what she wants. She understands that her role in society is to look good; in many ways she adheres to this role, while also using it to further her own campaigns.

Here Big Mama insults Maggie by suggesting she is failing in her role as wife and woman.

Maggie shows a progressive edge when she questions why Big Mama doesn't inquire after her sexual satisfaction rather than her husband's. Big Mama expresses a bigger societal concern when she points to the abnormal behavior and nature of Maggie and Brick's marriage: they are deviating from the roles that have been assigned to them, and this deviation is cause for great worry and even fear.

Ironically, Big Mama cites sex as the focal point of every marriage, but we learn from Big Daddy later on that their sex life has not thrived. In this moment, Big Mama refers to the bed that remains at the center of every moment of Cat.

Big Daddy clearly defines the gender role he expects Brick to adhere to: that of sexual aggressor, for it is the role that he assumes himself. In his eyes, men must sow their wild oats, regardless of whether they are bound by marriage or not, and women exist to please men.

This is the first instance in which we see a direct correlation between Mae and Maggie; both are portrayed in an animalistic light, and any discrepancies or distinctions between the two are either unimportant or are ignored by Big Daddy. In this light, we see how he perceives women generally.

The value of the women in Cat is measured by their ability to produce children. Again, Big Daddy infuses his description of the women in his life with an animalistic tone.

Big Daddy's relationship to women is also slightly tinged with violence. The way he talks about his desire for women, when he has renewed belief in his life, is quite disturbing in its vivid description, and he often strikes at Big Mama.