How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Page.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue. We used the New Directions edition of the play, published in 1971.
Quote #7
BIG DADDY
QUIET!—I ast you, Brick, if you was cuttin' you'self a piece o' poon-tang last night on that cinder track? I thought maybe you were chasin' poon-tang on that track an' tripped over something in the heat of the chase—'sthat it? (II.74.260-263)
Big Daddy clearly defines the gender role he expects Brick to adhere to: that of sexual aggressor, for it is the role that he assumes himself. In his eyes, men must sow their wild oats, regardless of whether they are bound by marriage or not, and women exist to please men.
Quote #8
BIG DADDY
That's right, boy, they look like a couple of cats on a hot tin roof. It's funny that you and Gooper being so different would pick out the same type of woman. (II.79.394-396)
This is the first instance in which we see a direct correlation between Mae and Maggie; both are portrayed in an animalistic light, and any discrepancies or distinctions between the two are either unimportant or are ignored by Big Daddy. In this light, we see how he perceives women generally.