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America in the 1950s. Tennessee Williams. Born Thomas Lanier Williams on March 26, 1911 Always had desire to be a writer Tense family life -> Parent’s marriage Battled with father to write At 28, moved to New Orleans to write and became successful
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Tennessee Williams • Born Thomas Lanier Williams on March 26, 1911 • Always had desire to be a writer • Tense family life -> Parent’s marriage • Battled with father to write • At 28, moved to New Orleans to write and became successful • Became one of country’s best playwright by 1947 with A Streetcar Named Desire • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1955
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof • Mississippi Delta of the 1950s • Margaret “Maggie” • Brick • Big Daddy – “Mississippi Redneck” • Big Momma
Cold War • “National Security Rational” • Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 • Korean War • Heightened sense of alert
Televisions • Popular mode of communications in the 50’s • Lots of PSAs • Duck and Cover • Dinner Etiquette • Present in 90% of homes by end of 1950s • Advertisements • Helped distract Americans from Cold War http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIIeGmhL2Q
Automobiles • Military vehicle production drawn • to a close by end of WWII • Spurred by advertising • Fueled by the war • Higher wages • Cheap gas • Highways
Economy • Decade of Prosperity • G.I. Bill • Credit • Increased standards of living in US
References http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~mwaltos/lis506/project/1950s/cars.html http://www.shmoop.com/1950s/economy.html http://www.shmoop.com/cat-hot-tin-roof/plot-analysis.html http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/cat/summary.html http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/index.asp http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=2 http://www.shmoop.com/1950s/culture.html