Tennessee Williams Book summary

 

Tennessee Williams was born Thomas Lanier Williams in 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi, which is where he spent the early years of his childhood. Thomas was the son of a traveling shoe salesman, while his mother was the daughter of a southern preacher. He had an elder sister called Rose, with whom he was very close, and a younger brother called Dakin. Thomas had a problematic childhood due to his dysfunctional parents. His father was mostly away, but when he was home, he was abusive with his children as well as his wife. He often bullied Thomas for being effeminate, and even forced him to quit school to work in a shoe warehouse. His mother loved him deeply, but she was controlling and overprotective.

Thomas had a close relationship with his sister, Rose, who was a recluse and turned out to be schizophrenic in later years. Rose was institutionalized after she had gotten into an argument with Thomas, and he had told her that he never wanted to see her ugly face. Later onwards, Rose was given a lobotomy when her condition made her unmanageable but even this operation failed to stop her episodes. Thomas blamed himself for Rose’s condition, and even after he gained success and fame, he remained morose and depressed throughout his life.

Thomas had always been a good writer and had made money by entering into poetry competitions. This is reflected in his prose as well, which sounds almost like verse. He finally moved away from his family and made his way to New Orleans at the age of 28. He reinvented himself with a new name and adopted the name of Tennessee Williams. He shot into fame and wealth with The Glass Menagerie and then went on to win every significant theatre award for drama. He won the Pulitzer Prize twice, then won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980. Tennessee Williams died from alcohol and drug abuse in 1983.