Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.
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Quick answer: Maggie claims she is pregnant to secure Big Daddy's estate for her husband Brick, and then she resolves to make the lie come true. The play ends with Brick's grudging acceptance as she locks away his liquor.
Quick facts
– Book: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
– First published: 1955
– Type: A stage play
– Tone of the ending: Tense and ambiguous
Table of Contents
What Leads Up to the Ending
The family gathers at the Mississippi plantation for Big Daddy's birthday, unaware that he is dying of cancer. Brick is drinking after the death of his friend Skipper and refuses to sleep with Maggie. The greedy brother Gooper and his wife Mae press for the inheritance.
What Happens at the End of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Big Daddy learns the truth about his illness and confronts Brick about his drinking. Maggie lies to everyone, announcing that she is expecting a child. She then tells Brick that she has locked up all the liquor until he sleeps with her, so that her lie can become true. Brick says that he admires her, and the play ends as the lights go down.
The Ending in Five Quick Points
- Big Daddy learns the truth about his illness and confronts Brick about his drinking.
- Maggie lies to everyone, announcing that she is expecting a child.
- She then tells Brick that she has locked up all the liquor until he sleeps with her, so that her lie can become true.
- Brick says that he admires her, and the play ends as the lights go down.
What Happens to the Main Characters
| Character | What happens to them |
|---|---|
| Maggie | Schemes to secure the family's future |
| Brick | Accepts her terms for now |
| Big Daddy | Dying of cancer, his fate sealed |
What the Ending Means
The ending is uneasy rather than triumphant. Maggie wins the practical battle, but the marriage is still built on a lie.
Other Ways to Read the Ending
Some readers see Brick's last line as real respect, while others hear exhaustion and defeat. The play also leaves open whether the couple can have an honest relationship.
Themes the Ending Brings Together
Lies and truth. The final pages are where this idea lands hardest, and rereading the last chapters with lies and truth in mind changes how the ending reads.
Inheritance. Tennessee Williams uses the closing events to show what inheritance costs or achieves, rather than simply stating it.
Desire. The ending gives desire a final shape, which is why readers often point to it when they explain what the book is really about.
Mortality. Even in the last scenes, mortality keeps shaping the choices the characters make.
Is the Ending Happy or Sad?
Most readers describe the ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Tense and ambiguous. That reaction usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Tennessee Williams to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.
Book Versus Adaptation
The 1958 film softens the play's treatment of Brick's feelings for Skipper and gives the couple a more hopeful ending.
Discussion Questions About the Ending
If you are reading Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:
- Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
- What does the final scene say about lies and truth, and do you agree with Tennessee Williams's view?
- Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
- How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
- Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
- After finishing, would you describe the book as tense and ambiguous, or would you choose a different word?
Discussion Prompts by Theme
- Lies and truth: Which moment in the last chapters made lies and truth feel most real to you, and did it change how you saw earlier scenes?
- Inheritance: How does Tennessee Williams use the closing events to say something about inheritance, and do you agree with that view?
- Desire: If you could ask a character about desire at the very end, who would you ask, and what would you say?
- Mortality: Does the ending leave mortality resolved, or is it something that stays unsettled after the last page?
How to Read the Final Chapters Again
- Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces lies and truth and how the ending answers it.
- Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
- Notice what Tennessee Williams leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
- Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof often return in the final scene with a new meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing
- Was the ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
- Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
- If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
- Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?
- Would you recommend Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to a friend who dislikes spoilers, or to one who loves a discussion?
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Books to Read After Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Related: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams: Summary and Key Takeaways · A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?
Maggie claims she is pregnant to secure Big Daddy's estate for her husband Brick, and then she resolves to make the lie come true. The play ends with Brick's grudging acceptance as she locks away his liquor.
Is the ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof happy or sad?
Most readers call it Tense and ambiguous.
What does the ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof mean?
The ending is uneasy rather than triumphant.
Is the ending of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof the same in the adaptation?
The 1958 film softens the play's treatment of Brick's feelings for Skipper and gives the couple a more hopeful ending.
Who should read Cat on a Hot Tin Roof before reading the ending explained?
Anyone who plans to read the book, because this post gives away the whole ending.