How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Page.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue. We used the New Directions edition of the play, published in 1971.
Quote #7
BRICK
[…] and so they're squaring off on it, each determined to knock off a bigger piece of it than the other whenever you let it go. (II.80.401-403)
Avarice and greed, the desire to buy things and outwit death by one day coming upon life everlasting, and the desire to hold power over others, all compel Mae, Gooper, and Maggie so much that they nearly resort to physical violence. The play is riddled with instances of characters resorting to striking others in order to get what they want.
Quote #8
BIG DADDY
Everywhere she wint on this whirlwind tour, she bought, bought, bought! (II.86)
Big Mama's consumption of material goods reflects a gluttony, and also echoes Big Daddy's assertion that when people buy and buy and buy, they are hoping life everlasting will one day fall into their hands.
Quote #9
BIG DADDY
Close on ten million in cash an' blue-chip stocks, outside, mind you, of twenty-eight thousand acres of the richest land this side of the valley Nile! (II.86)
This is the first instance in which we get a concrete sense of just how wealthy Big Daddy is. Ten million dollars in the year 1952 would equal about $79,000,000 dollars in the year 2008. Yowsa. And that's not including the 28,000 acre property value.