Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Theme of Language and Communication

Lies may be perpetuated by an inability or unwillingness to communicate truths. Language then becomes a means of manipulating others, of making a show of following social codes, and of getting what one wants. When characters try to communicate or connect with another, language breaks down and they almost cannot speak.

1. Do characters communicate differently when they are with certain characters or in certain situations?
2. What forms does communication take in Cat?
3. How is language used in the play?
4. When, if ever, does communication break down between characters?

Language is a tool of power in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

By omitting the voices and words of the African-American characters in the play, Tennessee Williams leaves a noticeably gaping hole that would otherwise comment on the Old South.