The play, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, by Tennessee Williams, is a story about a family and the numerous problems they are facing. Maggie struggles with the fact that Brick has become an alcoholic and no longer loves her and refuses to have a child with her. She also believes that he had a homosexual relationship with his friend, Skipper. The whole family is dealing with the fact that Big Daddy is dying from cancer and they have to tell him and Big Mama. Gooper and Mae are only concerned about themselves and worry about who the estate will go to after Big Daddy dies.

In the opening scene, Maggie and Brick are in their bedroom arguing about many things. Maggie wants Brick to give her a child and she is complaining about how she cannot stand Mae and Gooper's children. Brick acts disgusted by her and continues to drink, even when she asks him to stop. Later, the whole family comes over for a birthday party for Big Daddy. Big Daddy consistently tries to talk with Brick, but Brick just continues to drink and says they do not have anything to talk about. Big Mama becomes upset by the fact that Big Daddy seems annoyed with her and does not love her. After Big Daddy goes to bed, the whole family gathers and tells Big Mama that Big Daddy is dying of cancer. She becomes extremely upset and only asks for Brick, her “only son”. Maggie announces that she and Brick are going to have a child and Mae accuses her of lying. Eventually everyone leaves and Maggie tells Brick that she will not give him his liquor back until he sleeps with her. She says that she loves him and the play ends with Brick saying, “Wouldn't it be funny if that was true?”

Throughout the play, Williams displays the idea of human emotions very well. With Maggie, the reader sees desperation and frustration. She is desperate for Brick to love her and give her a child and becomes frustrated when he refuses. She is also very aggravated with his drinking problem and does not try to hide it. Big Daddy is annoyed by Big Mama and obviously does not love her anymore. Big Mama, however, is still deeply in love with him and almost smothers him because of it. Brick, still distressed about Skipper's death, acts very aloof throughout the play. He continuously drinks and does not seem to really care about anything else. Williams shows how all of these emotions affect their relationships with one another, mostly negatively. Throughout the play, the characters are almost constantly attacking one another. All of this creates a very dramatic, emotionally intense, exciting drama.