Suddenly, Last Summer

Sebastian Venable is closely linked with the color white: his suit, shoes, hat, the “white pills” he took for his heart condition, the blank pages of his notebook, and the “blazing white” day of his death. What is the effect or thematic significance of this association?

Catharine Holly says she debuted in New Orleans’s diverse, sexually open French Quarter long before her debut in the Garden District, the wealthy white enclave associated with her aunt. How might the clash between Violet and Catharine reflect the cultural differences of these two locales?

Both Dr. Cukrowicz and George Holly seem to echo Sebastian Venable in their clothes and elegant appearance. In what sense are they possible alter egos for Sebastian? Citing evidence from the text, discuss their potential for going in the “wrong direction,” as Sebastian did.

Violet Venable, despite having been her son’s intimate companion for 40 years, seems not to have known him very well. Cite instances in which she may have misinterpreted his words or actions in order to burnish her own image of him and of their relationship. What is the significance of these misinterpretations?

Sebastian Venable’s longtime devotion to his poetry breaks down after he shakes off his mother’s influence. In what ways might his “art” have been an instrument or metaphor for a sheltered, controlled life? Cite examples.

Sebastian and Violet’s garden is described as both “savage” and “carefully planned.” How does the elegant Garden District society, in which Violet is a powerful figure, echo this contradiction?

Catharine uses an analogy of a sinking boat to suggest that humans’ awareness of their own mortality is a leading cause of their hating one another. Cite examples from the play of the fear of death or loss bringing out one’s worst instincts. What is the play’s ultimate “message” about mortality?

Catharine also cites the inability to “use others” as a cause of hatred. How is this reflected in the play’s characters and their dealings with each other?