BIG MAMA: Git away from me, git away from me, Mae! [She rises abruptly.
] I want Brick!
Where's Brick? Where is my only son?
MAE: Mama! Did she say 'only son'?
GOOPER: What does that make me?
MAE: A sober responsible man with five precious children!--Six!
BIG MAMA: I want Brick to tell me! Brick! Brick!
MARGARET [rising from her reflections in a corner]: Brick was so upset he went back out.
BIG MAMA: Brick!
MARGARET: Mama, let me tell you!
BIG MAMA: No, no, leave me alone, you're not my blood!
GOOPER: Mama, I'm your son! Listen to me!
MAE: Gooper's your son, Mama, he's your first-born!
BIG MAMA: Gooper never liked Daddy.
MAE [as if terribly shocked]: That's not TRUE! [There is a pause. The minister coughs and
rises.]
Analysis;
BIG MAMA: "I want Brick! Where’s Brick? Where is my only son?"
In this moment, Big Mama’s desperate calling for Brick, her "only son," reveals the emotional
attachment and favoritism she holds toward him, creating a deep tension with Gooper. By
referring to Brick as her “only son,” Big Mama effectively invalidates Gooper’s existence,
underscoring the play’s exploration of emotional hierarchies within families. This line signals
Big Mama’s instinctive and emotional reaction to stress, prioritizing Brick over Gooper and
disregarding Gooper’s sacrifices as the “sober, responsible” son. The repeated “Brick”
emphasizes her fixation, deepening Gooper's resentment and feeding the familial discord
that intensifies throughout the play. Tennessee Williams uses Big Mama’s language here to
draw a poignant contrast between her idealization of Brick and Gooper’s practicality,
highlighting how parental favoritism can fracture family bonds.
GOOPER: "What does that make me?"
Gooper’s rhetorical question, immediately following Big Mama’s declaration, reveals his
underlying resentment and frustration toward his position in the family. By asking, “What
does that make me?” he indirectly exposes his feelings of neglect and his desire for
recognition. This moment is pivotal in revealing Gooper's character: while he may fulfill
societal expectations as the "sober responsible man," he lacks the emotional connection his
mother shares with Brick. The simplicity of Gooper’s question juxtaposes sharply with Big
Mama’s loud plea, suggesting his struggle to assert his worth within a family that idolizes
Brick. Williams subtly uses Gooper’s straightforward question to critique the emotional
myopia that often defines family dynamics, exploring how quiet resentments can become
destructive forces in strained relationships.
