The Life and Works of Tennessee Williams

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A man who is a great writer may only be known to some people as a man who has a creative mind and a skilled hand. People rarely see the true life of their favorite author. Plunging into the lives of other people can open a new perspective for an aspiring young writer. Tennessee William’s writing and lifestyle influenced a new age for American literature.
Thomas Lanier Williams was born on February 23, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi, to Cornelius and Edwina Williams. Thomas was given the nickname Tennessee later in his life. Tennessee had a brother, Dakin, and a sister named Rose. Edwina and Rose both had forms of poor mental health. Rose was a schizophrenic who often had breakdowns. The Williams family was very wealthy, the money coming from Edwina’s side of the family. They moved to St. Louis when Tennessee was seven years old so Cornelius could become an executive for a shoe company. Though Tennessee stayed in St. Louis for several more years, he lived in sixteen different houses before he had turned fifteen years old. This made Williams a compulsive traveler in his later years.
Tennessee and his father never had a close bond. Cornelius always wanted Tennessee to be involved in sports, but Tennessee only wanted to write. His father resented the fact that Tennessee was not like his brother, Dakin. It was very apparent to others that Cornelius’s favorite child was his daughter, Rose. He knew Rose had an unstable mind, but he never wanted to admit it to himself. Unfortunately, one night Cornelius and Edwina got into fight which scared Rose. Cornelius went to Rose to try and calm her down, but she took his actions as a sexual advancement towards her. Because of this, Rose had a severe mental breakdown. Her mother made the decisio...

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... of American literature. Tennessee Williams’ talent and his story will never be forgotten. He paved a new path for those who may be facing the same struggles he did. The greatness of Tennessee Williams will live on to inspire other people in time.

Works Cited

About Tennessee Willianms. PBS. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>. "Biography of Tennessee Williams." GradeSaver. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
. Paglia, Camille. "Tennessee Williams." Tennessee Williams: n. pag. A New
Literacy History of America. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
.
Lovelady, Cambria. "Tennessee Williams." Tennessee Williams (2005): 1. MAS Ultra
- School Edition. Web. 24 Jan. 2014.

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