In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, dreams are essential, and each character dreams differently. Some perceive money to be the carrot that they pursue. Others crave love and physical affection. Still others want invincibility and everlasting life. We watch what happens when characters realize that their dreams are too distant to be real. We watch characters wake up to the absence of their dreams. Some fight, while others drown in this absence. In each case, dreams are made of either money, love, or death. Failed dreams and plans compel characters to act in strange ways, employing Survivor-like tactics. At the end of the play, we see a hope come to fruition via a lie. In this way, we wonder whether dreams can come true any other way.
Questions About Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
- Does each character have a hope, dream, or plan?
- Is any character successful in achieving his or her hopes, dreams, or plans?
- Do hopes, dreams, or plans have anything to do with religion or spirituality in the play?
- What role does money play in characters' hopes, dreams, and plans?
Chew on This
Maggie is successful in achieving her hopes, dreams, and plans.
Mendacity kills Brick's dreams.