Category: Cat

Cats Versus Dogs: Main Reasons

Cats Take Up Less Space

Have you ever had to share bed space with a Golden Retriever? Or what about a little puppy? Dogs tend to need a lot of space to lie down. Besides a dog’s size, most dogs enjoy stretching themselves into long lengthy lines and squishing you out of your part of the bed. They need tons of space just to get the exercise they need, let alone needing run to run around and play or to store all their toys, beds, etc. Dogs truly need quite a bit of space in order to be healthy and happy.

It Costs Less to Own Cats

Usually, over the span of their lives, a cat costs less than a dog. If you choose to get a purebred cat vs. going to your local animal shelter that could be pricey, but usually it costs less to adopt a cat than a dog, plus the shelters often lower the cost for cats during kitten season. And many times you can get two cats for the price of one adoption fee!

After you get your pet, many other things will cost you money such as pet sitters or supplies. Since dogs seem to tear up their toys faster than cats, most dog toys are more costly and you have to buy them more often. Toys for cats are fairly inexpensive and they are also much simpler to make yourself.

Cats Are Totally Happy Kept Inside

It’s nearly impossible to own a dog and kept it completely indoors. You have to exercise a dog, take it on walks, let it out to go to the bathroom, etc. This can be difficult for people who don’t have big yards or are physically unable to take a dog for a walk or they don’t live near any dog parks.

Cats, on the other hand, are totally content sitting by your window watching the world go by, and you can teach them to use a litterbox to go to the bathroom, plus they are both happy and secure, just don’t leave the window open so they can escape! As long as they have birds to watch and a sunspot to lay in, cats are completely happy being inside.

Cats Don’t Make As Much Noise

Let’s face it. Dogs like to bark, and some of them can bark really loud. Have you ever heard anyone complain that someone’s cat meowed too loudly and kept them up at night?

Even if a cat makes a little noise, it’s nothing like how much a dog barks all the time at almost anything. Cats just purr or meow and mostly aren’t loud at all. And it is easy to learn what those meows mean too from petting me to feeding me.

It’s less work to have a kitten vs. a puppy

A puppy and a kitten both need lots of your time, attention, and energy. You have to get them used to being in your home, learn how to feed them and do some training. You may even lose a bit of sleep since they need more attention when they are tiny.

However, one thing you don’t have to worry about when training a kitten is taking it outside and trying to potty train it. Most kittens instinctively can use a litterbox right after they are weaned. Then you can work all day long and not worry about coming home from an accident.

Cats Help Get Rid of Pests

Cats hunt naturally, it’s their instinct to go searching for prey. Even if it’s not a good idea to allow a cat to eat the prey they hunt due to possible issues with poisons and sprays, you are likely to have a pest-free house if you own a cat. Did you know mice will stay away even if they only smell a cat? So if you own a cat it’s likely you will never have to worry about mice invading your space.

It’s Easier to clean a Litterbox than Take A Dog for a Walk All the Time

Cats may seem strange since they will go to the bathroom in a litterbox full of sand or other litter, but it’s simple to scoop out the mess once a day. But if you have a dog, you have to take them outside to go to the bathroom no matter if it’s below zero weather or raining, or in the middle of the night. Then you have to pick up the mess in a plastic bag either with your hand or carry a shovel around.

Cats are clean by nature and instinctively bury their mess when they go to the bathroom. They do this so their predators won’t be able to find them as well as so their prey won’t know they are in the area. So as their owners, we get the benefit of this habit and that makes cats very easy to care for compared to dogs.

Cats Wash Themselves

Many times dog owners have to force their dogs to take a bath after they rolled in some horrible stinky substance. And dogs usually hate baths. Plus if you need to take one to a groomer, that’s a huge expense.

Cats on the other hand clean themselves every day. Sure, if you own a long-haired cat it’s not a bad idea to brush them, and you should also trim their claws when needed, but for the most part, cats will keep themselves clean and you don’t have to give them baths.

Cats Recognize Private Space

At times when you come home from working hard all day, you likely just want to be left alone, not jumped on and slobbered on by your dog, who wants to go for a walk or have you play ball, etc. On the other hand, some people may say cats don’t care about their owners and just ignore you all the time, it’s very true that at least they seem to recognize the need for someone to have some private space, they even prefer it themselves! You don’t have to pay attention to your cat 24/7 and that means you can relax when you first come into the house after a hard day at work.

Conclusion

Statistics say pet ownership helps keep people healthy and reduces their stress levels. So owning a cat offers you some great health benefits. While so does own a dog, cats can do something dogs can’t, and that’s purr. And statistics also show that the vibration rate of a cat’s purr can actually heal human bones and muscles!

What do I do if my cat is scared? Why is my cat hiding? Are you shy or have a problem? How should I act to help him? Solve your doubts in this essay.

Sometimes one of our cats is very shy, scared, run away, etc. and this worries us enormously since we want to help him but we do not know the reason for his attitude either. So the first thing we will solve will be to know the reason why the cat is afraid or shy.

Domestic cat vs wild cat

Before inquiring about the possible reasons that make a cat afraid or scary we must differentiate between these two types.

A wild cat or feral cat is mainly one that barely has contact with a human, either because he was born wildly or because circumstances have led him to it. Normally these cats totally avoid contact with humans, feeling that we are a threat or simply fearing the unknown.

These types of cats want to live in freedom and ideally, the environment would allow it. Initiatives such as controlled colonies help make this happen, but neither are the cats that live in these colonies prone to contact with people.

So, what we want to know is what happens with the other cats, those who live with us (domestic cats).

Reasons why a domestic cat is fearful or shy

As with people, there are very different reasons that make a cat have a concrete behavior. In general, the pussycat behaves in a nervous, shy, and scary for the following reasons :

Character or genetics. Obviously, the character of each cat greatly influences the way it behaves, and often within that character, there is a genetic load. Do not forget that the cat has had to face terrible situations throughout history, such as persecution and massacres by a human beings. Another possible cause of this ‘inheritance’ may be that her mother is a feral cat and the kitten learns from her.

Trauma or bad memory. If the cat has been mistreated, beaten, etc. It is logical that he acts with fear and that he does not trust people. If this traumatic situation occurs in the first months of life, then the kitten is more likely to act with fear. When the trauma occurs as an adult cat, the subsequent behavior tends to be more with ‘violent’ reactions or reflexes of this type than with fear, but it can also be the case.

Changing environment. As we have said several times, the cat is a territorial animal and, normally, a change of environment can affect its behavior. One of the usual situations in which a cat is afraid is when it comes back home, so it is important to follow these tips to introduce a new cat at home.

In all these cases we are talking about cats that are shy or afraid of people, but it also happens that cats show themselves in front of other animals or objects. Even the presentation between the two cats is crucial so that the relationship between them is good.

The importance of cat socialization

As we have commented, the relationship between a wild cat and a person is usually practically impossible. The difference between that cat and a domestic one is its degree of socialization.

The time to socialize a pussycat is usually from 2 to 8 weeks, although some say it can last up to 12 weeks. In any case, the first months of life of the kitten are very important for their socialization, so the contact that during that time has had with all types of humans (of different sizes, races, ages, sexes, etc.) is key.

This does not mean that we have to adopt kittens from a very young (the first 3 months are better to be with your mom) or that in the first months of life, we ​​have to expose the kitten to constant visits, but it is interesting that we try that if the circumstance allows it, know people of pequeñito, of prudent way and whenever it is of pleasing for the cat.

The pussycat that during that time has not had contact with humans will be more difficult to be socialized with, being even impossible in many cases. Forcing a wild cat to live with humans can be harmful, turning the kitten into a cat that always lives in fear, hiding, etc.

Tips to follow in front of a scared or shy cat

The main thing is to respect the rhythm of the cat, not to force anything, observe and be very patient. Following these guidelines can help the cat to be less and less fearful:

It generates a quiet environment without noise. Cats have a strong sense of hearing, and any strange noise can put them on alert. A scary and shy cat will be happier in a quiet house.

It facilitates spaces in which the cat can hide or climb high. The fact that it has places such as boxes, houses, high spaces, etc. It will make the cat feel more secure and that he does not have to fight a great race whenever something causes fear. When the cat feels that threat, it will most likely hide or climb somewhere, so if you notice that you have these types of spaces nearby, you will probably ‘dare’ more.

Do you know why cats like boxes so much?

Sobórnalo with food, game, or candy. The word bribe may sound bad, but we refer to giving ‘rewards’ or things that the cat likes so that, little by little, we gain their trust. Each cat has its preferences: specific prizes for pigs, chicken, sausage, etc. or simply play with your favorite toy.

Watch your body language. Like us, the cat uses its body language to communicate. In the next section, we will detail more about how to act in front of the pussycat.

The body language in front of the scared cat

The cat interprets our movements or our way of addressing him as he interprets those of other species or his own.

Therefore, we must take into account things like:

Our body position. The fact that we are bigger than the cat can intimidate him, it is preferable that when approaching the pussycat we should slowly crouch or squat, and not approach abruptly and stand up. In fact, it is even better to make a sort of detour than to go directly to the cat, as they themselves do between them when they go in peace.

The tone of voice. Cats are more friendly to voices that are sharper and softer than loud voices. As much as you tell him to calm down, if the tone is not right he can play against you.

Look. For the cat, a direct look is a challenge, so it is better not to stare at him but to look away or look at him out of the corner of his eye. It can also help you blink or blink slowly, and wait to see if it returns a similar gesture.

The cat sends, we must have patience

We insist that the cat is the one who sets the guidelines, and that we should not force the cat to be less fearful, or we will achieve the opposite.

Normally cats have short attention spans, so progress may be slow. That first dares to leave a little while, then a little bit more, etc.

It is also very likely that first take confidence with those at home and, on the contrary, flee every time visitors come. And this situation may never change, many cats prefer to hide when someone is a stranger.

Interestingly, people who, when they come to your home, avoid a relationship with the cat (those people who say that ‘they do not like cats very much’) usually have a body language and a slow, non-threatening attitude to the house cat (They do not persecute him, they do not try to touch him, they do not look at him directly, etc.) The pussycat will perceive his non-threatening gestures as something friendly and, therefore, will be closer to these non-cat lovers’ guests.

Today we are going to pick up my cat. This will be my cat. My mom, my dad, my sister, my aunt, and my baby cousin will all be coming to get my new cat. We all got in the car. After driving for what seemed like forever but we were only driving for thirty minutes.

My dad would not stop asking “Are you sure?”

I was so annoyed. Then we arrived.

When we got out of the car a lady came outside and showed us my cat. I loved him, he was the one.

I kept asking “When are we taking him home?” “Can I hold him?”

So I went to the car to get the carrier and we put him inside. Then we went to the White Castle. After we ate we drove to the closest PetCo. My mom, dad, sister, and baby cousin went inside. My aunt and I stayed in the car with my new cat. He tried to eat all of the fries. When my mom, dad, sister, and cousin came back they told us they got a pet bed, food, food and water dish, two mats one for food and one for the litter box, and, litter box.

We drove home. It was a long drive but short at the same time. When we arrived home we all went inside and I took Potter up to my room. I shut my door and let him out of the carrier. Then, I set up his water dish and food dish, litter box, and litter mat, and bed and blanket. When my mom and I finished setting everything up I poured litter into the litter box.

After playing with Potter my mom, my dad, and my sister all came into my room. My dad brought in our older cat. Our older cat is 14 and her name is Ellie. All Ellie did was hide. She did not like Potter. Potter wanted to play but Ellie did not like that. We have to keep putting Potter in the litter box.

It was 10 pm and Potter finally went into the litter box. Then I went to sleep but Potter did not. Potter stayed up all night and woke me up. Potter had a party. The next day we got him a lot of toys. Potter took a nap on my lap. Everybody was slugging Potter that day. We took a lot of photos with Potter. My mom and I got Potter a Halloween costume and matching socks with me.

In conclusion, Picking him up was the best day ever. Potter is so bad but I love him. To this day my parents still spoil him.

In this day of age, everyone is on their phone texting each other. Human interaction is being limited and texting is the new way to have a conversation. But is texting the best way to interact with someone? In the story “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian, Cat Person tells the story of a college student, Margot, and the relationship she has with an older man, Robert. It is through Margot and Robert’s relationship that the effects that texting can have on a relationship are displayed. In the story, it is evident that texts can be misinterpreted and that it is hard to really get to know the person through text. Texting is used as a way used to create is this relationship that Margot and Robert have but it is texting that contributes to the end of their relationship.

At the beginning of the story, Margot and Robert began texting after Robert asks for Margot’s number. Robert and Margot develop this relationship over text messages. They constantly text each other jokes without having a real conversation. Roupenian writes ”Over the next several weeks they built up an elaborate scaffolding of jokes via text, riffs that unfolded and shifted so quickly that she sometimes had a hard time keeping up” Weeks go by without them really getting to know one another. The text goes on to say “She still didn’t know much about him because they never talked about anything personal.” This relationship has no foundation because they don’t have a real conversation. The lack of actual conversation and bonding can create awkward interactions and a lack of trust.

One night, Margot was complaining about being hungry and not having any food. Robert offers to buy her something from 7-11 but she declines with a joke. Robert responded “No, I’m serious, stop fooling around and come now,” so she met him at the 7-Eleven. Margot goes with him because she is basically forced to by Robert’s text. He bought her a Cherry Coke Slurpee and a bag of Doritos and a novelty lighter. He then took her by the arm and kissed her gently on the forehead and said. “I will see you soon.”

Margot and Robert eventually go on a “date” to see a movie. It is at this point that we began to see how texting affects Margot and Robert’s relationship. When she is in Robert’s car, Margot worries about her safety. “She became wildly uncomfortable, and, as they got on the highway, it occurred to her that he could take her someplace and rape and murder her; she hardly knew anything about him, after all.” She has these because she doesn’t really know anything about Robert. This relationship proves to be unhealthy. After the movie, they both go get a drink even though Margot was not enjoying herself. She doesn’t want to say no because she’d had high expectations for him, and it didn’t seem right to end the “date” so quickly. At this point, Margot doesn’t want to be with him but she stays to be polite.

At the club, Margot is denied entry into the bar because she is only 20 and Robert is surprised because he didn’t know she was that young. “Oh, I thought you said you were older.” This goes to show how texting leads to miscommunication between the two and how it has affected their relationship negatively. They eventually find another Bar, where Margot gets drunk and suggests that they should go back to Robert’s place. At Robert’s house, Margot once again began to wonder about her safety. Those thoughts and the discomfort stem from the fact that she doesn’t know anything about Robert because they have never had a real conversation. Margot doesn’t want to have sex but is too scared to tell Robert because she is scared of how he will react. Margot decided to have sex with him anyway because she could not think of a blackout at this point. Margot says “But the thought of what it would take to stop what she had set in motion was overwhelming; it would require an amount of tact and gentleness that she felt was impossible to summon. It wasn’t that she was scared he would try to force her to do something against her will but that insisting that they stop now, after everything she’d done to push this forward, would make her seem spoiled and capricious as if she’d ordered something at a restaurant and then, once the food arrived, had changed her mind and sent it back.” The lack of trust presents itself in this scene. Margot doesn’t feel comfortable expressing how she feels about Robert simply because she doesn’t really know who he is and she doesn’t know how he will react.

The next day after their “date”, Robert continues to text Margot but she doesn’t know how to tell him that she does not want to see him again and this is when misinterpretation comes into play. Texts can easily be misinterpreted. When Margot is trying to end the “relationship” that she had with Robert, she has trouble sending the text because she thinks that Robert will misinterpret what she is saying. Margot says “Thank you for the nice time but I’m not interested in a relationship right now”—but she kept hedging and apologizing, attempting to close loopholes that she imagined him trying to slip through (“It’s O.K., I’m not interested in a relationship either, something casual is fine! ”) so that the message got longer and longer and even more impossible to send.” This is one of the many problems with texting. It is difficult to fully grasp what the person is saying as well as read their emotions.

Margot starts to miss Robert. Not the actual Robert, but the Robert she was texting. Roupenian writes “Every so often, over the next day or so, she would find herself in a gray, daydreamy mood, missing something, and she’d realize that it was Robert she missed, not the real Robert but the Robert she’d imagined on the other end of all those text messages during the break.” It is difficult to get an idea of a person’s personality through a text. But it is extremely easy for someone to alter who they are and create this false identity. We see Margot fall for this identity that Robert has created while texting Margot.

Margot’s roommate, Tamara, takes Margot’s phone and sends Robert a message saying “Hi I’m not interested in you stop texting me.” Margot can’t bring herself to send the message “breakup” because she can’t have a conversation with Robert because they never had one. A month later, Margot saw Robert as a student at her college but uses her friend to evade Robert. While at her dorm, Margot receives multiple text messages from Robert saying “Hi Margot, I saw you out at the bar tonight. I know you said not to text you but I just wanted to say you looked really pretty. I hope you’re doing well! I know I shouldn’t say this but I really miss you” However, when Margot doesn’t reply and she decides to ghost him. She turns to ghosts because she doesn’t want any contact with Robert. It is easy for Margot to ghost Robert because she has no emotional attachment to him. This emotional attachment is never developed because they never got a chance to connect with one another. Robert’s messages became increasingly aggressive saying “Is that guy you were with tonight your boyfriend? Or is he just some guy you are fucking. Sorry. When u laughed when I asked if you were a virgin was it because you fucked so many guys. Are you fucking that guy right now? Are you? Whore.” Robert becomes aggravated with Margot because she doesn’t text him back. At first, Robert is sweet and nice to Margot but we can see that Robert is very aggressive. Margot doesn’t see this side of Robert due to the lack of interaction they have.

Their texting contributes to the end of their relationship because instead of having a real conversation and actually learning about each other, Margot goes into this relationship blind with certain expectations and this creates problems. For example, they didn’t think to ask for each other ages and when the true ages are found out, it makes Margot uncomfortable. Also, Margot doesn’t know anything about this man and this is evident through her interactions when she is with Robert. When Margot is on her way to Roberts’s house it says “she had the brief wild idea that maybe this was not a room at all but a trap meant to lure her into the false belief that Robert was a normal person, a person like her, when in fact all the other rooms in the house were empty or full of horrors: corpses or kidnap victims or chains.” She doesn’t feel comfortable around Robert. She often has thoughts that Robert is going to kidnap or kill her. This “relationship” has been built on basically small talk and when they are together she doesn’t know how to feel about him because he is a stranger in a way. With no emotional attachments to Robert, she quickly ends the relationship.

Margot and Robert’s relationship is created through text which proves to be problematic. She doesn’t get to connect with Robert because they never have a real conversation which leads to being uncomfortable around him. When they get together Margot feels like she is with a complete stranger and she doesn’t want to be with him anymore. Texting has way more complications than having an actual conversation and Margot experiences this firsthand. This story should encourage you to get out and engage with people more instead of always being on your phone.

These days many families have pets in their households. Our pets are an extension of our family tree. Deciding on the perfect furry friend to bring home can often be a difficult decision. The pets commonly found in our homes today are cats and dogs. For years, there have been debates about which species is superior. While both animals make great companions, they have different needs, personalities, and habits. These traits can be key factors for families who are determining which pet will fit best in their homes.

People who gravitate towards dogs tend to look for a pet with lots of energy and playful ways. In most cases, dogs are very outgoing with strangers and other pets. They have tendencies to be very dependent of their owners and look for lots of affection and attention. My dogs, Jasper and Benae, are always attached to my hip. Occasionally, they will follow me throughout the house and even sneak their way into my bathroom! I make sure that I set time aside within the day for walks and playtime because my dogs are very active.

Cats on the other hand are very independent creatures. They are less social and are not fond of strangers. When getting to know new people, they are very cautious before letting their guards down. Usually, they have a calm personality and need less attention. Cats can be quite loving and observant, but they tend to become bored much more easily than dogs.

Dogs need to be taken outside often. They need to be taken out at least twice a day to use the bathroom and to soak in the sun. They need to have their daily walks to stretch their legs and to breathe in the fresh outdoor air. If you are away from home for long periods of time, then you may reconsider having a dog as a pet. They will depend on you to do all their daily routines. Puppies need ongoing training, especially for potty training. This process can take months depending on the dog.

Walking a cat outside the house is not considered a necessity, even though some cats enjoy being outdoors. This is dependent on the cat’s preference. Most owners occasionally let their cats out to roam freely. Not only are cats much safer indoors, but they are perfectly fine being laid out next to a window or curled up in a sunny spot on the couch. Cats do not need to be taken outside to use the bathroom because they utilize the litter box. Their instincts tell them to bury their pee and poop which makes the litter box to appear cleaner. This process can be a lot easier than cleaning up behind your dog and less time consuming than walking your dog outside for them to handle their business.

Dogs have more grooming requirements than your usual cat. Many factors such as the coat, breed, and size can determine how often a dog needs grooming. Typically, a dog should be groomed every four to eight weeks. As a dog owner you must ensure your dog’s nails are trimmed every two months and that their ears must be cleaned regularly. This can become very costly depending on where you go and how often.

Cats spend most of their day grooming themselves, so they are considered naturally tidy animals. They are equipped with the tools to clean themselves. Their tongues are covered with tiny barbs called papillae. When a cat licks themselves, they not only get the dust off their coat, but they pull out any loose hairs as well. They use their tiny front teeth to remove fleas and ticks. These instincts help keep themselves naturally clean in between trips to the groomer.

Dogs and cats have obvious differences, but they are similar in several ways. Both animals can provide health benefits for their owners by helping to lower anxiety and decrease blood pressure. Caring for these animals can help children grow up more secure and active. They share common survival skills as well. If somehow, they were left out in the wild, they would be able to fend for themselves. From protecting themselves to hunting for food, they both retain their instincts that would help them adapt to the new habitat.

These pets can also help the with the owner’s social life. Owners typically stop to talk with each other while going on walks. Owners can also meet new people while visiting pet stores and groomers. These animals clearly differ in more ways than one, but both animals are loved equally by many people.

“What is the victory of a Cat on a hot tin roof?–I wish I knew… Just staying on it, I guess, as long as she can.” In light of her comment, discuss the characterization and role of Maggie in Tennessee William’s A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

1950s America was an era when women were expected to devote themselves to looking after the domestic sphere, find their worth in marriage, please their husbands[footnoteRef:1] and raise the children. It was a pre-feminist, pre-gay rights era. Lifestyles were developing in the period of conformity with traditional gender roles, it was also a decade of change, when discontent with the status quo was emerging, and women were increasingly being portrayed as independent and dynamic characters in 1950s American theatre. In Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the writer contributes to this evolution of the dramatic form to explore sexuality and challenge gender norms and has certain female characters rebel against the stereotypical view of them being dependent creatures[footnoteRef:2]. Williams presents Mae and Big Mama as conforming to the idea of stereotypical women in the 50s, but for “Maggie the Cat” he creates a role that successive actresses have relished playing for her “mesmerically feline intensity” [footnoteRef:3]and “ferocious life force”.[footnoteRef:4] Maggie is not one of Williams’s losers. She was born poor and has learned the need to fight for what she wants.[footnoteRef:5] [1: Niki Fellows feminist analysis of Cat on a hot tin roof ] [2: Niki Fellows feminist analysis of Cat on a hot tin roof] [3: The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof film may be censored – but in some ways it’s superior- The Guardian- Peter Bradshaw (2017)] [4: Scarlett’s Maggie the Cat: A clawing survivor- USA Today- Elysa Gardner – (2013)] [5: A critical introduction to Twentieth century American drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)]

Williams expands Maggie’s characterization through her relationships with the other characters so that, through her, the audiences get a glimpse of the 50’s family tensions, the destructive effects of restrictive social norms, repressed sexuality, and love. There is competition within families in the rush to inherit the wealth left behind by Big Daddy. Mae and Gooper are an example of the cheap ways they try to attain wealth. “The no-neck monsters,” Mae and Gooper’s children are their source of attaining Big Daddy’s part of the estate. Maggie mentions how “They’re up to cutting you out of your [Brick] father’s estate.” They present the ‘ideal’ American family working to get a part of their father’s money. Maggie’s aim to win over Brick is her want for a baby but not in a sentimental or stereotypically maternal way, it becomes obvious later that she feels their existence emphasizes her failure to produce any children with Brick.[footnoteRef:6] She is quite reluctant to condemn her nieces and nephews as the “no-neck monsters” in the movie “The Cat on A Hot Tin Roof,” released in 1958 and directed by Richard Brooks; shows them to be dreadful and vile kids that create chaos, make a mess “slobbering and drooling over their food” and disturb the patience of the characters. A child for Maggie represents intimacy with the husband she loves, and an heir, to help her hold on to the material security she has gained. Williams displays that Maggie’s energy seems to derive precisely from a refusal to let go of the inheritance which she believes to be hers by right[footnoteRef:7]. She is determined to forestall Gooper’s bid for the estate.[footnoteRef:8] “Born poor, raised poor, expect to die poor unless I manage to get us something out of what Big Daddy leaves when he dies of cancer!” Her resilience is her power, doesn’t give in to Brick’s rejection and is focused on Big Daddy’s will. Maggie knows and understands what it’s like to not have enough and to fight for what you want and need.[footnoteRef:9] Maggie is a strong, dynamic, and resilient character that doesn’t accept defeat and doesn’t give in to Brick’s rejection of her love. Maggie demonstrates “precisely the kind of heroism which Williams most admires” [footnoteRef:10] She is the perfect woman he wanted to create. [6: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007)] [7: A critical introduction to Twentieth-century American Drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)] [8: A critical introduction to Twentieth-century American Drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)] [9: Litcharts – Cat on a hot tin roof (2017) ] [10: A critical introduction to Twentieth-century American drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)]

Tennessee Williams heightens the metaphor “Cat on a hot tin roof,” by emphasizing and adding to Maggie’s representation of a “Cat,” as strong, wild, and bold. However, explores her character going through difficult, painful situations that she bravely withstands, and is able to fight through all the hurdles and achieve her will. Maggie wishes to consolidate her grip on the hot tin roof which she has clambered with such effort[footnoteRef:11]. Williams suggests that “the roof” is the base for her survival, she’s holding on to her what she wants most throughout the play; to have a physical intimate relationship with her husband Brick. “The roof” could also indicate that her means of “just staying on it” is to remain in by having her husband become intimate with her and producing an heir to secure her financial status. [11: A critical introduction to Twentieth century American drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)]

Williams explores and highlights Maggie’s yearning and the obstinacy of getting what she wants by presenting Maggie as the only consistent sedulous character. Brick’s denial and rejection of this longing can be seen by his trying to convince her to “jump off the roof”, which is only making her “stronger than” Brick and she “can love more truly” showing that she is committed and passionate about achieving her goal. This can be seen through her seductive and sensual character that appeals to the audience. In Jeremy Gerard’s review of the Broadway production of the play, he describes Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Maggie as “more tigress” than “kitty.”[footnoteRef:12] Maggie believes she is able to manipulate Brick and break through his silence by seducing him. Williams presents this by having her show off her beauty and attempts to coax Brick into physical intimacy. Maggie is identified by the audience as a sexualized being and an object of sexual interest.[footnoteRef:13] [12: The wrap- Scarlett Johansson in ‘Cat on a hot tin roof’: Were Critics Seduced by Maggie?] [13: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007)]

Margaret becomes increasingly frustrated at her ineffectual attempts to pierce the wall Brick has built between her and himself[footnoteRef:14]. Williams presents the theme of unrequited love and lack of communication through Maggie’s inability to seduce her husband. Despite Maggie’s passionate and determined nature, Williams highlights the difficulty of her situation, as Brick has made it challenging for her, where she feels she has to fight for a grace that seems to belong to Brick by right[footnoteRef:15]. Her failure is in part due to Brick’s inability to express his sexuality and consequently, he is unable to return her love. Williams presents Maggie and Brick’s marriage as ‘festering’ to the extent that their relationship is seen as toxic. The word “fester” has connotations of disease and infection, and their marriage is slowly deteriorating from within. This is further emphasized through long-term neglect and indifference, due to her husband’s inability to acknowledge his own sexuality. Williams uses Brick to highlight the idea that Communication is problematic between all of the characters, challenging the fear that society felt about going against expectation, a typical trope of the more experimental plays written in the 50s, further explored in Albee’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? As the play progresses, we see that this is true for all the characters. In the stage directions, they’re constantly overlapping each other’s words, interrupting, and ignoring others[footnoteRef:16]. As a result, Maggie and Brick find it “hard to talk in this place.” This intensifies the theme; lack of communication. [14: Isolation and the lack of communication in Cat on a hot tin roof- bachelor and Master] [15: A critical introduction to Twentieth century American Drama Volume 2 – C.W.E. Bigsby (1984)] [16: Cat on a hot tin roof – Litcharts]

Along with Maggie’s persistent character, Williams uses Brick’s silence to imply that any “Communication is – awful hard between people.” In light of this Williams depicts Maggie’s character to overcome the barriers to their communication by destroying Brick’s “law of silence…that do not work,” even if that means provoking him to rage and violence, because for Maggie any kind of communication is better than “silence,” before it “becomes malignant.” This adds to her characterization as a Cat. Williams uses Maggie to dominate the dialogue [footnoteRef:17]between her and Brick as she remains devoted to Brick which is coherent with the family norm of the 1950s [footnoteRef:18], indicating that she is “someone to- take hold of” Brick and to engage him in a conversation as she is still deeply in love with Brick. However Brick’s alcoholism, “his way out” makes him vulnerable to her manipulation[footnoteRef:19]. Maggie can only show dominance over Brick because of the state he is in after he has drunk too much. The role of women in the 50s was to please their husbands [footnoteRef:20] but Williams tends to show a contrast to this by having the central character’s relationship “on the rocks,” due to Maggie’s consistent and tenacious yearnings that make her argue with Brick for her sexual pleasure. This draws attention to the difference in Maggie’s characterization that goes against the presentation of women in the 50s. Women in the 50s were homemakers…loving mothers and dutiful wives [footnoteRef:21], and therefore the American theatre would challenge this stereotype and present forceful, independent female characters [footnoteRef:22] like Maggie. Feminists’ readings of the play tend to see…the domination achieved by Maggie over Brick as an image of female power.[footnoteRef:23] [17: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007) ] [18: Niki Fellows feminists’ analysis of Cat on a hot tin roof ] [19: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007) ] [20: Niki Fellows feminist analysis of Cat on a hot tin roof ] [21: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007) ] [22: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007)] [23: Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (Steve Roberts 2007)]

A victory for Maggie would be Brick wanting her sexually and Maggie’s desire to have a baby is conventional of female gender roles. McCullers, suggests that Maggie the Cat is a great example of that type of Williams character who can best be described as “those in desperate need of sex as a stimulant.”[footnoteRef:24] The dominance of women in terms of their desires for sexual intimacy can be seen in William’s other plays for example; in the play, Sweet Bird of Youth Princess’s authority over Chance shows that Female characters tend to be in conflict due to the issue of sexuality. This can be viewed through William’s other literary work, he presents the image of female power. But however, having an heir is more important to her than fulfilling maternal needs. This is distinctly seen as Maggie doesn’t want a child for maternal needs. She hates the “no-neck monsters.” She says that Mae and Gooper having five children are worthy of getting a part in Big Daddy’s will and that Maggie and Brick don’t “They gloat over us being childless, even in front of their five little no-neck monsters!” This shows that Williams’ caricature of the children makes the audience sympathetic to Maggie’s perspective. Maggie calls herself “useless,” compared to Mae and Gooper, who show-off off their kids to Big Daddy so that they get a place in his estate. In the 1958 film version of The Cat on a hot tin roof, featuring Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie and Paul Newman as Brick, Williams didn’t want the film to portray the play in that form. Williams wanted to challenge and establish homophobia and sexism as the highlighted theme of the play. However the film version was, ‘abiding by Hollywood standards of the time toned down Williams’s critique of homophobia and sexism,’[footnoteRef:25] Which Williams apparently ‘hated.’ [24: Characterization of the female character- academia.edu] [25: Cat on a hot tin roof: Tennessee William’s Southern discomfort ]

Williams’s choice of characterizing Maggie with similarities of Cat-like traits transfixes the audience of that era and her stubborn and witty character, hence attracting their attention to Maggie’s character. Gore Vidal wrote that “There is no actress on earth who will not testify that Williams created the best women characters in the modern theatre.”[footnoteRef:26] Williams Illustrates Maggie differently than Big Mama and Mae, Maggie is more rebellious and audacious. Her character is able to rebuild herself, despite her downfalls and the insults that she endures from Brick and Mae. She picks herself up each time and doesn’t let things break her. Her determination can be seen through her use of humor and relentless love makes her sympathetic.[footnoteRef:27] “Living with someone you love can be lonelier–than living entirely alone!” Williams makes Maggie’s character’s love so powerful it evokes a sense of pathos for her character, where the audience feels sympathetic for her one-sided love. She can endure the “hot tin roof”[footnoteRef:28] “just by staying on it,” Emphasizing that she is persistent and undergoes an unwilling change to achieve her goals. [26: The Independent- Theatre/ Tennessee Williams and his women- David Benedict (1994) ] [27: Cat on a hot tin roof study guide by course hero] [28: Cat on a hot tin roof study guide by Course hero]

Maggie’s energy, her ability to dominate those around her [footnoteRef:29]becomes her strength and Williams bluntly shows how the heroines’ play was not made to be “one of Williams’ losers,” [footnoteRef:30]seduction is not the first thing on her mind; survival is. She is able to take control of her situation, and she is the champion of her own cause. These character traits are evident through her willpower of breaking Brick’s barrier to conceive a child with him. Her desperation for this obsessive, stubborn demand makes her resort to lying to Big Daddy about already being pregnant. A triumph for Maggie is Brick’s willingness “to make the lie true.” Benjamin Nelson analyses this lie and comes to the conclusion that hers is a living lie, told in the face of death.’ Implying that the lie she said was justifiable in order to spawn life. Her lie has helped to drive ‘death’ out of the house, replacing it with at least a semblance of joy and life.[footnoteRef:31] This is ironic as Maggie’s victory was concluded with a lie, and this ends up being the legitimate climax of the play. [footnoteRef:32] [29: Bigsby C.W.E, A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900-1940] [30: Bigsby C.W.E, A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900-1940] [31: Litcharts- Cat on a hot tin roof (2017)] [32: Bigsby C.W.E, A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900-1940]

Williams’ female characters are versatile and unique; they go against the stereotypical view of women in the ear he was writing in. Maggie’s biggest strength is her ability to love and endure the denial Brick gives her. Her capability of keeping to her words and being strong enough to withstand his constant insults, her strength is seen through her dominance over her husband she’s “stronger than you [Brick] and I can love you more truly!” her power of love leads her to her victory at the end with their reunion in bed. Williams’s Maggie is presented as powerful, loving earth mothers, who know and appreciate, and they are strong ‘modern’ women who find salvation, even when it is only temporary, in their sexuality.[footnoteRef:33] She is the only character in the play that has the power to face the truth and hence becomes the central hero of this play. Her wit and humor make her character more appealing to the audience. She is an amusing charm that fascinates the audience’s attention towards her. Williams deliberately creates her to have charismatic nature and appearance to allure the audience’s focus. Her speech “makes it oddly funny, because her eyes constantly twinkle and her voice shakes with laughter which is basically indulgent.” Her characterization of her witty character and her “constant rejection that makes her humor ‘bitchy’” implies that Maggie, the cat, differs in various ways from the other women in Williams’ plays because of her aggressiveness, her determination to dominate her husband, her ability to face the truth unflinchingly and her unhidden greed[footnoteRef:34], generate a unique female character that is referred to as a “cat.” [33: Research scholar- Patriarchy and racial prejudice in the Deep South: re-reading Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a hot tin roof. Vol.3 issue III Vidya Hariharan August 2015] [34: Research scholar- Patriarchy and racial prejudice in the Deep South: re-reading Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a hot tin roof. Vol.3 issue III Vidya Hariharan August 2015]

Bibliography

1. Bigsby C.W.E, A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900-1940 (Cambridge University Press, August 31, 1982)
2. Study guide by course hero Cat on a hot tin roof (2018)
3. Notes by Steve Roberts Cat on a hot tin roof York notes advanced (2007)
4. Characterization of the female character- academia.edu
5. Cat on a hot tin roof: Tennessee William’s southern discomfort
6. Feminists’ analysis of Cat on a hot tin roof Studylib.com Niki Fellows
7. The Wrap- Scarlett Johansson in ‘Cat on a hot tin roof’: Were Critics Seduced by Maggie?
8. Litcharts Cat on a hot tin roof (2017)
9. The Independent- Theatre/ Tennessee Williams and his women- David Benedict (1994)
10. Research scholar- Patriarchy and racial prejudice in the Deep South: re-reading Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a hot tin roof. Vol.3 issue III Vidya Hariharan August 2015

Did you know that there is around 86.4 million cats and 78.2 million dogs in the USA? Dogs are the most popular pet around the world, owned by 33 percent respondents, with cats next at 23 percent. There are many differences between cats and dogs but also many similarities. Cats and dogs have different ways they hunt, when they die, show affection, are trained, and their body shapes. They also share many similarities, such as how they are infected by insects, cleaned, raised by humans, and the way they eat. Cats and dogs in general are similar in some ways, but also very different.

Cats and dogs have different ways they will interact with their owner and other people. Dogs have always worked in groups, so they will most likely find a way to involve themselves in a person’s daily life routine. On the other hand, cats are very independent animals, and often do not rely on their owners for anything but basic needs. Cats are content being alone for hours at a time, while dogs always want attention. They however both always want their owner’s attention whether they are making noises, or showing body movement like wagging their tail or nudging their owner. Dogs and cats are different in the way they interact with their owner, but they both still want their owner to take time out of their day to interact with them.

Dogs and cats have a very different sleep schedule. Most of the time dogs are active and playful during the day. Although the dog may take a nap from time to time, it prefers to be close to its owner. On the other hand, a cat sleeps most of the daylight hours, and then want human attention when they are going to sleep. Cats are one of the laziest animals and will sleep about 85% of the day. They are definitely more independent so they can be away from their owner for hours at a time. Even though they go to sleep at very different hours, they both get about 12-14 hours of sleep a day. Cats and dogs may sleep very different, but they both get about the same hours of sleep.

There are many ways in which a person can compare the appearance of cats and dogs. The difference between their appearance is that dogs are usually larger than most cats. Claws are also a huge difference between the two animals. A dog’s claws are duller than a cat’s simply because they are always out, and the ground they walk on wears down the claws. For one similarity, they are both mammals. Cats and dogs also both have four legs with tails and horizontal body posture. They both have fur to keep them warm in the winter months and they both sometimes clean their fur.

Another big similarity between cats and dogs is hunting. Both cats and dogs in the wild rely upon hunting and scavenging to find food. Both species are very effective hunters of their respective forms of prey. Dogs do tend to be more opportunistic about where they get their food from. Unlike cats showing little desire to work for food. Both species have a strong innate prey instinct, which will often become apparent even within domestic pets. Cats and dogs both show hunting instincts without ever having to be taught how to.

Dogs and cats are very different animals, but they can also have some similarities too. Cats and dogs have different way they will interact with their owners, they have different sleep schedules, different traits in physical appearance, but they also have many similarities, such as how they hunt, clean themselves, and are raised by humans. Dogs and cats have many different ways they will interact with their owner, like dogs will normally be right beside their owners. They have different sleep schedules, like how dogs sleep at night and cats sleep during the day. They have similarities and differences about how they look, like how dogs are normally larger, but they both have fur. Lastly, how they hunt dogs and cats both hunt for food and where. Most people think dogs and cats have nothing in common, but there is about just as many similarities as there is differences.

It’s the age-old battle, cats versus dogs, everyone’s heard it, most of us have argued about it, but no one seems to change their mind. Both sides have valid arguments and criticism but no one can decide what outweighs what. Maybe the reason is that everything is subjective, it is fruitless to argue what’s better because people value different things. A better thing to do is ask yourself what you want, what are you looking for, what do you value? Armed with that knowledge you are guaranteed to find the right pet for you. Understanding the needs of the animal and yourself is necessary for finding a pet to cherish forever and be happy.

Dogs are above all else friends, they want to do things with you, and will always be there to support you. They will always be excited when with you, from the moment you wake up to the second you go back to sleep. Dogs are social animals; they need as much attention as they give you. They like to play and benefit from being with other dogs. They have lots of needs that have to be attended to. Dogs don’t take well to being ignored and will often complain until they get what they are seeking. A dog owner has to be prepared to sacrifice time and energy to keep up with their dog. Dogs will struggle if left to their vices for more than a day.

Loyalty, someone who will always be by your side: cats offer companionship, they just want to be with you. They don’t need to play or interact with you in the same way dogs do. Cats show love differently, they will gentle nuzzle you or nod off on your lap, it’s a much quieter relationship. Cats are low maintenance but are also reclusive. If they don’t want to cuddle or play the won’t, they enjoy alone time. This can be both a pro and a con, if you need them, they may not be there for you but if you need some time to yourself to work on something you can have it. They are largely independent; they will do well as long as they have food and water and a clean litterbox. This freedom lets you leave for the weekends without having to arrange a sitter

When I was young my family had a golden retriever named DOG (dee-oh-gee), I loved that dog but struggled to help take care of him. We were roughly the same size and I was always a little scared of him. I didn’t enjoy playing with him all that much and despised taking him for walks. I didn’t have the energy to keep up with him all day and would quickly tire both physically and emotionally. After a couple of years, my dad was offered a job overseas, we realized it would be too expensive and difficult to take DOG with us. Although disappointed I was not devastated like many people would have been.

Once we had settled into our new house my parents decide to surprise us with a kitten. I knew right away this was a better fit. I could easily take care of her and enjoyed spending time with her. We ended up adopted to more cats, they were strays and desperately needed help. After a few weeks of butting heads, the three got along with each other. I have developed a nice routine for taking care of them and often wake up to two or more cats in my bed. Their independence allows me to do stuff I want to do without having to worry about them. It’s easy for my family to travel as the cats only need someone to refill their food and water every once in a while. I can tend to their needs while still caring for myself.

All pets have their benefits and their drawbacks, so it is important to find the one that best suits you. For me it was balancing effort I put into rewards I got out. My lifestyle and personality are best fitted for cats, owning cats has brought things to my attention things about myself I didn’t know before. I feel like I understand myself better, I understand why I make certain choices and why I avoid certain things. I’ve come to understand that it’s not a question of cats versus dogs, it’s about you.

Although The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is recognized as a children’s book, a more in-depth analysis of the story reveals it also relates to certain ideas of psychology. One of the ideas from psychology expressed through the story comes from Sigmund Freud. Freud was a psychologist who believed a person’s personality had three parts: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The Id is part of the personality that is impulsive and primitive, the Superego is part of the personality that is the conscience, and the Ego is part of the personality that maintains the balance between the Id and Superego (“An Introduction”). When looking at the story from a psychological point of view, it is seen that different characters express different parts of their personality as the story progresses. In the story The Cat in the Hat, the Cat is represented through his speech, actions, and thoughts as the Id through the beginning and the middle, but develops into the Ego at the end.

When the Cat first enters the house, he is dominated by the Id. He says, “‘A lot of good tricks./I will show them to you./Your mother/will not mind at all if I do’” (Geisel 8). Like the personality trait of the Id, he is looking for instant pleasure with disregard for future consequences. The Cat then goes on to say, “‘Why, we can have/lots of good fun, if you wish,/with a game that I call up-up-up with a fish!’” (Geisel 12). The fish argues against the game, but the cat continues to play. Quickly, the game becomes out of control. The Cat attempts to balance more than he can and winds up falling and dropping everything he is holding, including the fish. “‘Do I like this?/Oh, no!/I do not…’” (Geisel 22) is the fish’s response to the mayhem the cat has caused. However, the cat still has more games to play.

Disregarding all of the trouble he caused, the Cat continues his mischief. He comes back into the house with a game he calls “fun-in-a-box” (Geisel 31). Inside the box, there are creatures who like to have fun: Thing 1 and Thing 2. This continues to increase the conflict between the cat and the fish because the fish does not approve of Thing 1 and Thing 2. After having the children shake hands with the Things, he says, “‘Now, here is a game that they like,’/said the cat./ ‘They like to fly kites,’/said the Cat in the Hat” (Geisel 38). Things run rampant through the house, destroying everything in their path. Finally, the Narrator has enough: “‘I do not like the way that they play!/If mother could see this,/oh, what would she say!’” (Geisel 45). Realizing something has to be done, he grabs his net. Once he catches Thing 1 and Thing 2, he sends the Cat away.

After recognizing the mess he caused, the Cat leaves “with a sad kind of look” (Geisel 54). The children are left with the mess the Cat left behind and do not know what to do. Their mother is almost home and the house is a wreck. However, the cat quickly returns: “‘I always pick up all my playthings/and so…/I will show you another/good trick that I know!’” (Geisel 57). This shows that the Cat has evolved to have traits of the Ego. He now realizes that there needs to be a balance between fun and responsibility. His ‘trick’ is cleaning up the mess he caused, “Then we saw him pick up/all the things that were down” (Geisel 58). He quickly cleans up his mess and leaves before the mother gets home.

Throughout The Cat in the Hat, the Cat evolves from an Id to an Ego. This evolution contributes to the conflict and resolution of the story. In the beginning, the Cat acts out of instinct and the idea of instant pleasure. However, as the story progresses, he begins to recognize the consequences of his actions. This leads him to fix his mistakes and clean up the mess he left behind, developing into the Ego. During the process, he learns that it is okay to have fun as long as it is done responsibly.

The Young Vic production of Tennessee Williams’ play ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ directed by Benedict Andrews also embodies the strong female leads within its storyline. This play is conveyed through Sienna Miller’s character of Maggie, a woman desperate in her sense of loneliness. Throughout the beginning of the play, the audience sees Maggie struggle with the gender stereotype that women should make the men “happy in bed” in order to fulfill a happy marriage. Just like Jim Hawkins in ‘Treasure Island’, Maggie breaks the pattern of gender stereotypes and informs her audience and her husband’s mother that “it works both ways”. The idea of sexual preferences flows throughout the play as Maggie’s alcohol-driven husband, Brick by Jack O’Connell, becomes a broken man because of his repressed homosexual desire for his dead friend Skipper. The relationship had fallen fragile between Maggie and Brick as Maggie was desperate to regain the affection of the man who no longer wishes to love. Both Byrony Lavery’s and Tennessee Williams’s plays convey how gender norms and stereotypes are so ingrained in today’s society and continue to push creative boundaries.

Both Lavery and Williams’ stage performances show excellent attention to detail in their designs through set, costumes, and props, however, the two plays are extremely contrasting in how they portray their set time period through these stagecraft areas. Lizzie Clachan’s remarkable set design in ‘Treasure Island’ captures the audience’s attention with its constant change. The dark, earthy set slowly unraveled, first giant curving whale rib cage rises to form the outside of the vessel, this is very symbolic of the time period as whaling was a huge industry in the 18th century. Large swinging rope ladders hanging from the ceiling along with an enormous flapping sail that descends down to the stage fill the space in order to reflect a pirate’s ship to stay true to the original world of the play. The stage then rises to reveal a doll’s-house view of the cabins beneath the schooner’s deck, each individual section is occupied with the cast, creating multiple scene changes in one set and allowing the audience to gain a full viewing of Jim’s story moving through the ship. In the second half of the play, the structure becomes the island that they finally arrive on, covered in lime green and dark wooden features only then rise to reveal the dripping underground caverns. Costumes of cut-up fabrics to create the pirate’s attire and a tailored suit for the captain together with the old wooden swords and treasure map props, displayed how these elements all stay true to the world of the play. Clachan’s marvelous attention to detail creates, in reality, an interchanging fantasy world of the audience’s childhood imagination.

In juxtaposition to the periodic representation, Magda Willi’s design choices in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ are flexible with the setting and time period of Williams’ play. Willi uses a Modern, minimalistic set of a large raised black box in the center of the stage, covered in a deep charcoal carpet with only a basic black and glass bedroom design laid out. Oddly, Willi makes the creative choice to include a shower head off-center in the bedroom design, staying true to the minimalistic nature and implying a bathroom is still used in the set without needing to be closed off or offstage. Willi’s design choices are modernized to fit the city living style that we see around the world today. The set time period of this play is the 1950s-60s, around the time the play was written with a style of Old Southern lifestyle and wealthy living, however, instead of staying true to the nature of the play, Willi was able to shift the period into a 2000’s modern city living design that screams wealthy without damaging the other elements of the play.

Through the theatrical styles of Physical Theatre and non-naturalism, Polly Findlay utilizes every stagecraft area to its full potential in order to suit the 18th-century style of the world of the play, however, the themes and theatrical styles used to add a modern element that allows a deeper connection with the audience. Non-naturalism is displayed in ‘treasure island’ when Jim constantly breaks the fourth wall to connect and engage with the audience like she is narrating a story, which also helps to support of physical theatre convention of combining the imagination of both the audience and the performer. An actor-audience relationship is a crucial part of any play, even if you’re not addressing them directly, it allows the audience to gain a better understanding of the world of the play. Another convention of non-naturalism that Lavery included and Findlay utilized, was the use of heightened language combined with modern hints of satire and comedy. This is seen throughout the play especially by the comedic relief character of Grey, by Tim Samuels, as he uses a monotone voice with a sarcastic tone to shift moments of sadness, such as, “damn it I am disappointed” into a moment of laughter from the audience to keep them engaged. Both plays have included music in their stage performances although they have used them in a completely contrasting way. ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’s music director made the creative decision to add contemporary instrumental background music to heighten the dramatic moments of the play. This creative element of non-naturalism is used very differently in ‘Treasure Island’ as Dan Jones takes a different creative approach through music and sound, he makes the decision to use live instruments and singing on stage to fit the idealized fantasy world. The extensive amount of scene changes throughout the play is led by folk/pub chants of the cast and ensemble, keeping the style of the music authentic to the play. Both plays take a different yet effective approach to how they exploit their added component of music/sound and yet still stay true to the period/setting of the play.

In ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ director Benedict Andrews, stayed true to the nature of Tennessee Williams’ plays by relating them to the audience’s lives by using the theatrical style of social realism with elements of non-naturalism included in the creative design. Social realism is mainly conveyed through the actors on stage as their conventions include, realistic features of a character’s actions, voice, movements, and personal objective. The actors of Brick and Maggie had a fragile relationship that led them to be staged distanced from the audience for a lot of the play. Because of the dramatic tension displaying a broken relationship, part of the audience in today’s society might be able to connect to that struggle, however, in this stage performance, they would’ve had to connect through the actor’s use of voice and actions as they turned their backs to the audience quite a bit in the convention of non-naturalism to create the world of a realistic broken relationship. Lastly, like in all of Tennessee Williams’ plays, a dramatic metaphor is symbolized in the play, and for this one, it is the link to “What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?”. This metaphor of a “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is used sparingly throughout the play by the character of Maggie as her character is damaged and doesn’t know when to “get off the hot tin roof”. Both Plays despite being very different have both stayed true to the style of the play yet have taken creative risks to heighten their stage performance. This was seen to be effective by the responses both performances got from critics and the general public.