But she can’t admit to herself that she makes me sick.” Williams states in a stage direction, “Big Daddy is famous for his jokes at Big Mama’s expense, and nobody laughs harder at these jokes than Big Mama herself.” Big Daddy lusts after other women in the family, mainly Margaret. He says to Brick in a private conversation, “All I ask of that woman is that she leave me alone. Big Daddy is very blatant about his feelings towards his relationship with Big Mama. Big Mama’s denial about the cancer disrupts the already turbulent dynamic between her and Big Daddy even further. She says “Yes, it’s just a bad dream, that’s all it is, it’s just and awful dream (Williams 103). That optimism changes in Act Three when Big Mama is faced with the fact that Big Daddy is indeed dying of cancer. Throughout the first two acts of the play, Big Mama repeatedly shows optimism that Big Daddy does not have cancer. Big Daddy is the glue that holds the family together and the acknowledgement that the head of the house may die means the disruption of the current family dynamic. Williams uses this scenario to show how the heads of the house are vital roles in the family dynamic. Big Mama demonstrates the effect denial of mortality has on the family. The illusion that Big Daddy may not have cancer and then the truth that he does cancer is the root of Big Mama’s denial. The Pollitt family is brought together because of Big Daddy’s sixty-fifth birthday and to hear the news of whether or not Big Daddy has cancer.

Cat oa hot tin roof