If Only The Dead Could Talk

What a sad tragic story this is for all the characters. I felt empathetic for each of them through out the story, the dying father, oblivious mother, forgotten son, frustrated Maggie, drunken son, dead Skipper, and desperate mother of six. This story also made me think of Maurice and how Clive struggled with homosexuality for himself and his friend Maurice. I felt that same conflict in Cat on the Hot Tin Roof.
There were several interesting lines from this story that also brought me back to some of our other readings. On page 40 Margaret “Maggie” called Brick “superior creature!-you godlike being!” This reminded me of our discussions of Eros and some of the arguments brought forth by the attendants of the Symposium, of how Eros was the better of all the gods so beautiful and perfect. Almost untouchable if you would like to say and this is how Brick made me feel, like he was untouchable. He was numb to human feeling.
Skipper was a very interesting part of the story. Even though he is not physically present, he presences is felt through out the story. Skipper reminded me of Maurice. He was a little more honest about his feelings and a little more willing to pursue them. This struggle between characters over the true nature of their “friendship” is what seems to torment Brick. I really wonder what Bricks true feelings about Skipper were. Did he feel more romantic feelings for Skipper? Is he angry because he feels like Skipper was friends with him under false pretenses? Or is he bitter that everyone is taking their friendship and trying to classify it as something other than what it was just because it didn’t fit the typical male friendship? Part of me thinks it is more of the latter that is eating at Brick. I don’t think Brick was necessary in love in a sexual way with Skipper, because he does confuse that Maggie was great in bed he in fact says the greatest. But it also seemed that even though he liked Maggie sexually, he gave his love more to Skipper and their friendship.
It’s a tough call to explain the relationship between Skipper and Brick. It doesn’t help that we can hear Skippers side of the story and Brick would never really come clean with the whole story. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for him to confess everything, the truth, when he was talking with his dad, but I didn’t get the satisfaction. I still feel like he is holding something back. If only the dead could talk.