Brick had felt betrayed by the lies and the mendacity people had given him. He felt that “the whole-thing,” the whole situation, no one in particular, was lying and untruthful. Everyone was deceitful and manipulating in his or her own way. Big Daddy agrees with everything Brick feels and relates to it. “Having for instance to act like I care for Big Mama! – I haven’t been able to stand the sight, sound or smell of that woman for 40 years.” Big Daddy loves Brick and feels to “have some kind of real feeling, affection and respect” for him. Brick also admits to Big Daddy, that by drinking he dodges “away from life.”
Big Daddy was very determined not to leave the talk they were having, “hanging.” Whenever they talked, some how or the other it was disturbed. Either by Brick changing the subject or trying to reach for his crutch. The crutch was a prop and it acted as a way of disturbance between Big Daddy and Brick’s conversation. The crutch acts like a tool to freedom and peace. From the avoidance of his son, Big Daddy finally realises that he needs to share his feelings with Brick. He realised this ever since he thought he was dying and that life was too short and precious. “We’ve just talked around things for some rutten reason…”
Big Daddy and Brick are the only two people in the play who have never lied to each other. They are both friends and they both reveal secrets to one another. Brick confesses to Big Daddy that his whole life has fallen apart and wants to forget everything and the only thing he can turn to be his drink. “A drinking man’s someone who wants to forget he isn’t still young an’ believing.”
During their conversation Big Daddy mentions Skipper. “You started drinking when your friend Skipper died.” Here is where the tension builds up between the two of them. There is a “silence for five beats.” These five beats builds up tension between the two characters and the audience. This is also the second time the audience hears the name Skipper. Big Daddy brings things out in the open. On stage five beats of silence are very long and build up a lot of tension. After the five beats Brick tries to grab his crutch, again the prop here acts as a way of freedom and running away from the truth. Guilt always finds a way to catch up to you.
On the same page there is a very long stage direction. Here Tennessee Williams intruded in the act because it shows us the human nature between people and what they are capable of doing. It shows us how the characters are feeling and not to judge them. He shows and tells us that there is something deeper than what the audience sees. He wants us as readers to understand the characters and how human beings live and what they go through. He also shows how human beings never face up to their truth and always tries to find a way to escape, but the guilt that people try leaving behind, always catches up to us.
Brick had got extremely upset with the subject about Skipper being bought up and got “fiercely, violent.” Big Daddy had hit a very weak spot in Bricks body. Brick had started drinking after Skipper died. “Skipper is dead. I have not quit eating!” “No, but you started drinking.” Brick is very frustrated and angry. He is also a bit paranoid – “You think that Skipper and me were a pair of dirty old men?” Brick explains to Big Daddy that he and Skipper were real good friends, but everyone, especially Maggie, thought that it could not be “decent.” All the other relationships in the play are insecure and everyone, especially Maggie is jealous. “Why can’t exceptional friendship, between two men be respected as something clean and decent…”
Maggie was jealous of Skipper and Brick’s friendship and made Skipper go to bed with her “to prove it wasn’t true and when it didn’t work out, he thought it was true!” Skipper had then phoned up Brick to tell him that he was gay, but Brick had hung up the phone and this was the last time he had a conversation with Skipper before he had died. Brick hates lies but yet could not face up to the truth about Skipper. “This disgust with mendacity is disgust with yourself.” Brick had betrayed Skipper and their friendship. He had felt guilty about the betrayal on his friend, before he died and from this Brick had started to drink.
Brick felt angry and upset and without knowing what he was saying hinted to Big Daddy that he had cancer. This line of Brick’s was written in Italics. This portrays the importance of the line and builds up the tension. “How about these birthday congratulations, when ev’rybody but you knows there won’t be any!” Suddenly there is a phone ring in the back round. This prop acts as a ring and this ring signifies the mendacity, the guilt of everyone. Brick suddenly realises what he has said and tries to change the subject.
Big Daddy finally realises that everyone lied about the cancer. Brick had told Big Daddy he had cancer and he regrets telling him, but he can’t go back. “Mendacity is a system that we live in.” Brick here on this page (83) is truthful and honest about everyone and the mendacity of everyone. “We’ve been friends…- And being friends is telling each other the truth…You told me! I told you!” Straight after a child rushes into the room where Big Daddy and Brick are. The child then runs out shouting and screaming, “Bang, bang, bang….!” I feel that Tennessee Williams had put this prop in, because it made Bid Daddy realise what Brick was going through. He realised that the nature between all human beings and what they are capable of doing, what all of us are capable of doing. “Lying! Dying! Liars!”
