Throughout time, there have been many good writers. Few however, were recognized with as many awards as Tennessee Williams was. While using the irrational desperation of humanity in which cosmic laws do not work, Williams crafted over twenty seven award winning plays. Most notably, A Street Car Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof both recognized as outstanding works of drama, thus, He earned the Pulitzer Prize for both.
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams born March 26, 1911 to Cornelius and Edwina Dakin Williams was more than prepared to write about society’s outcasts. His mother, the daughter of a minister was a “southern bell” and was aggressive woman, driven by her obesity with the southern lifestyle. His father, international traveling salesmen for a large show manufacturing company was distant and grew to be more abusive as Tennessee got older due to his problems with drinking and gambling. He also came from the same prestigious family that included the first governor and senator from the state of Mississippi. Rose, his older sister was emotionally disturbed and destine to spend the rest of her life in mental institutions. At the age of seven, Tennessee was diagnosed with diphtheria. The case was so severe that it paralyzed his legs for two years. Consequently, his mother gave him a type writer in order to occupy his time. Who could have foreseen that almost half a century later he would be recognized as one of the best American playwrights in history!
At the age of sixteen Tennessee moved from Clarksdale, Missisppi to St. Louis. Once in St. Louis, He began to enter the publishing world. After finishing in third place in the Smart Set essay contest for “Can a good Wife Be a Good Sport?” it would be another year before he published his next work. “The Vengeance of Nitocris”, published in Weird Tales would be his last...