Tennessee Williams Research Paper

Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi to Edwina Williams (mother) and Cornelius Coffin Williams (father). His birth name was Thomas Lanier Williams III, during his childhood his family called him Tom for short (shs.umsystem.edu). He was named after his grandfather on his father’s side; Thomas Lanier Williams II. He was the middle child of three children. His siblings were an older sister, Rose Williams and a younger brother, Dakin Williams. Tom had a sad and challenging childhood, due to a life threatening illness that left him with a fear of suffocation. He had a case of diphtheria which caused his throat to swell and paralyzed him partially for nearly two years (shs.umsystem.edu). He suffered from emotional
This caused him to be very timid (shs.umsystem.edu). This added to his problems he already had from living in an abusive home. He moved to Mississippi to escape the cruelty he suffered in school and home. He resided there with his grandparents for a year. When he went back to Missouri, his mother invested in a typewriter as a gift for him. He used it immediately and created his first article called “Isolated” (shs.umsystem.edu). The article was published in his school newspaper; Ben Blewett Junior High in 1924 (shs.umsystem.edu). His articles were so popular that he was asked to continue writing them after he graduated (shs.umsystem.edu).Because of his recognition he was inspired to continue to write about his life. While he stayed with his parents in St. Louis, he found an escape from the chaos by writing his essays, stories, poems, and plays (poetryfoundation.org). In 1929 he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where he wrote his first play; “Beauty is the Word” (shs.umsystem.edu).
In 1932 Tom had no choice but to put aside his education and had to go to work to make a living. After making this difficult decision, Tom continued to write plays. Two of his plays were performed in St. Louis. In the late 1930’s, he attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a degree in English (shs.umsystem.edu). Because he wanted to compete in New York, he changed
His work will be remembered by all who understands the ups and downs of love and life experiences (shs.umsystem.edu). His plays will be performed throughout the country, and even the world. In New Orleans, Tennessee is still being honored every year with a Literary Festival in which the citizens honor one of his most successful works in a shouting contest representing a famous line; “STELLA!” (shs.umsystem.edu). The tragic and disturbing experiences he endured became the source of his many successful writing