paraphrase essay

Is Big daddy back to live or die?

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof has many interesting visual elements. In this particular scene, an airplane is coming in and the family is waiting with musical instruments and nice clothes. Later on in the scene, the family moves along to the family farm where a party is waiting for them. It is important to notice the setting and the people in this scene. Mae’s children are dressed nicely and ready to greet their grandfather. This is happening because Mae and Gooper are trying to do all the things that they can to convince Big Daddy to leave all of his money for them. Furthermore, the kids are always messy. So, it is important to notice that they have changed for this situation. Also the arrangement of the family is important. Maggie hangs back away from the rest of the family. Although she has been part of the family quite long enough to feel comfortable with them, she does not involve herself in getting close to them. Because of that, it is so noticeable when Big Daddy moves straight toward her and goes alone with her in the car back to the family farm. This decision gives us some information about the relationship between the two of them. Even though she did not greet him with fanfare like the rest of the family did, he still chooses to go with her. It is also notable that the children are holding a Confederate flag. This is a clear reminder of the location in both time and place of the film. It implies that some ideas are exclusive for Southern ways of thinking and doing things.

Several of these elements are important especially for the movie. The play cannot use the same visuals as the movie. While the ideas can be implied, the access of the idea is more readily available through the movie to the viewer. For example, the play can suggest that a plane is landing or even use a sound effect to emphasis this idea. However, it is not logically possible for a plane to land inside of a theater. The same idea goes for the cars and the rapid scene changes that can occur with the moving cars and actions.

The scene is full of aural elements. In the beginning of the scene, the sound of the airplane does nothing but add to the chaos of the scene. Mae and Gooper’s children loudly play “Dixie” on their musical instruments. All of the people are talking so loud in that one might call it screaming. All that is, except for Maggie. She remains calm and cool with this chaotic scene in the background. Of course she also comes off as sultry. If someone saw only this scene they may feel that Big Daddy is her romantic interest rather than her father-in-law. Throughout the entire first part of the scene the sound of the airplane is overwhelming and competing with the sound of the children playing music. Even as Big Daddy moves away from the plane and starts talking to Maggie, the sound persists. While Big Daddy could have given the children a signal to stop the music once he got there, he did not say anything to them. The scene becomes a bit symbolic of the relationships within the family. Even though Big Daddy is disappointed that Maggie and Brick have not brought forth a child as of yet, his blatant favoritism is abundantly clear. While Mae, Gooper, and their kids make a big deal out of him, constantly following him with fanfare and music, he more or less ignores them. Later on in the clip, the children’s music is exchanged for background music. The music has a very sad tone especially when the scene shows Brick in his bedroom. The music is very important to the development of the characters as well as the plot. It helps instill ideas about what is happening and the characters’ personalities without straight-forward saying what is trying to be communicated.

This scene is critical in understanding both the previous and the following events. In this scene, a clarification happens about the relationships within the family. While we see Mae and Gooper as desperate to grab the attention of Big Daddy, we see their children as pawns in their scheme. Their actions and the incredibly obnoxious sounds of their children’s music fills the entire scene with chaos. This implies some ideas about the entire situation with the family. The family is struggling to get a grip on several problems within the family. Not the least of these problems is that Big Daddy is sick. The behavior of Mae, Gooper, and their children shows extreme selfishness and greed. It also demonstrates some ideas about the relationship of the father toward his adult children. We also set up some important ideas about the relationship between Maggie and Big Daddy in this scene. Maggie seems much more genuine in her affinity toward Big Daddy. Likewise, he very much seems to enjoy her company. He dotes on her, but in a less abrupt manner than the way Mae and Gooper try to gain attention and seem loving.

Though there are several important changes from the play to the movie, this scene sticks very closely to the ideas about the children. Mae’s children are the epitome of unruly and obnoxious. Big Daddy is insistent that Maggie and Brick have a child, but very much ignores Mae’s children. This really demonstrates the relationship between Brick and Bid Daddy. Big Daddy sees Brick as a legacy of himself. Without having a son, Brick has stopped the legacy. Even though Mae and Gooper have children, they simply cannot be good enough because they are not like Brick. Brick is very clearly the prized-child for Big Daddy and Big Mama. These scene gives us clear pictures of how Brick and Maggie have found favor with the patriarch of the family.