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Analysis of Act 2 – language, themes and context

Analysis of Act 2 – language, themes and context. Objectives: To recall details about the context of 1950s American capitalism and consumerism. To understand and analyse how this is demonstrated in the play. To evaluate Williams’ messages. Starter:

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Analysis of Act 2 – language, themes and context

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  1. Analysis of Act 2 – language, themes and context Objectives: • To recall details about the context of 1950s American capitalism and consumerism. • To understand and analyse how this is demonstrated in the play. • To evaluate Williams’ messages. Starter: • Create a quick bullet point list of everything that you know about America and capitalism. • What function does consumerism have in society? Consumerism = The preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods.

  2. Consumerism in Act 2 • Presides over religion ‘Who gave that window, Preach?’ Page 31 • Women are seen as property ‘you were chasin’ poontang’ page 38 • Life is filled with things ‘a vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the things that nature replaces it with’ page 42

  3. Consumerism spectrum • Create a spectrum of the following characters, considering how much they value consumerism, ie. Most consumerist to least consumerist. • Mae, Gooper, Brick, Big Daddy, Maggie, Big Momma, Reverend Tooker. • Then find the evidence to support your decisions.

  4. What does Big Daddy represent? • ‘The human animal is a beast that dies and if he’s got money he buys and buys and buys and I think the reason he buys everything he can is that in the back of his mind he has the crazy hope that one of his purchases will be life everlasting! – Which it never can be…’ • Discussion question: • Why does Big Daddy prefer Brick to Gooper?

  5. The Lost Son/The Prodigal Son • What happens in the story? • What are the messages of the story – religious and moral? • Why is this relevant to ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ – consider a range of interpretations?

  6. Analysis of Act 2 – language, themes and context Objectives: • To recall details about the context of 1950s American capitalism and consumerism. • To understand and analyse how this is demonstrated in the play. • To evaluate Williams’ messages. Starter: • Create a quick bullet point list of everything that you know about America and capitalism. • What function does consumerism have in society? Consumerism = The preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods. Has your view to this question changed now?

  7. Plenary • What are Williams’ aims in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’? • What effect does the play have on your ideas about consumerism? • Do you think Williams’ views and messages are more or less relevant today?

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