“Comment on Williams’ presentation of Maggie and Brick’s respective solitary confinement within both their sense of self and their marriage”. Comment on the dramatic devises used such as setting, stage directions and dialogue that Williams uses to explain this sense of solitary confinement.
“Williams instinctively understands the loneliness of a human being – his or her constant and desperate attempt that is to escape the reality that is there loneliness and their subsequent failure to do so”. Williams portrays this loneliness to an audience through the spatial distances on stage between characters, which is suggested in the stage direction. “Margaret is alone”. It is also emphasised through symbolism and the dialogue between characters. Big Mama accuses Margaret of not satisfying Brick in bed and of Brick’s break down. After this accusation, “Margaret is alone, completely alone”. By repeating this stage direction Williams is emphasising that it is imperative that Maggie should be alone. This signifies her isolation within her marriage. Both Maggie and Brick are isolated from each other within their marriage. Maggie is, because she is “childless” and Brick is, because he drinks and the reason for his drinking drives him to this isolation. Williams uses a lot of symbolism to illustrate this solitary confinement. Brick has a crutch for his ankle; this represents his physical need for a crutch and demonstrates how he uses it for support. This is also reflected in his drinking; Brick uses alcohol as a mental crutch for support. When Maggie is pushing Brick with the truth of what has happened between himself and Skipper “Brick is without his crutch”. This signifies that he has no support and is unbalanced. Previously, Brick has been very detached, cold and always in control. He always had his crutch, without he becomes emotionally vulnerable even to the point of threatening Maggie, “Maggie, you want me to hit you with this crutch?”
