Notes on TW's Memoirs

As always, I'm grateful to Mike Mazza for sharing his extensive, detailed notes on Tennessee Williams' Memoirs, which we'll be discussing tomorrow night. Enjoy!

Note: The citations (e.g., loc 78, 8%, etc.) below refer to the Kindle edition, not the paperback.

Tennessee Williams, Memoirs notes—updated 250726.

Introduction by John Waters.

Afterword by Allean Hale.

My reaction upon finishing the book:

—I really enjoyed it, and found it very interesting. The memoir has a confessional aspect— Williams seems like he really wants to share the good, the bad, and the ugly in his life, and he doesn’t sugarcoat his own behavior.

—There are some wonderfully warm, affectionate, and sometimes funny portraits of the important people in his life: his long time lover Frank Merlo, fellow writer Carson McCullers, and others. But perhaps the most loving and poignant portrait is that of his sister Rose, a lobotomy survivor. I think it would be tempting for readers to dwell on the gossipy, “bitchy” and risqué elements of the memoir, but for me, it is the tender and caring portraits that I found most impactful.

—the memoir seems to be organized, in a fashion, around his produced and published literary/dramatic works, and thus I think the memoir would be a great read for those who value and enjoy his classic works.

Introduction— “Mr. Williams Saved My Life,” by John Waters: Loc 12; 1%.

—“see Librarian” censorship of Williams’ work in 1950s.

—Williams labeled a “bad man” by nuns.

—Williams “my childhood friend”: loc 24.

—Williams’ work gave him the confidence to not be a conformist—either to mainstream straight society or to “gayly-correct” orthodoxy.

—homophobic review of Williams’ Memoirs at 1975 publication.

—Waters values both “bad” and “good” Williams films: 51.

—significance of Provincetown to both Williams and Waters: 79.

—compares reading the memoirs to having drinks with Williams as he tells stories.

Overall comments on the memoir

—note how he often seems to shift back and forth between time periods in the narrative. In particular, he keeps returning to the period of the production of his play Small Craft Warning: a period which he writes of as if it is his “present” time.

—a lot of name dropping; gossipy

—lots of anecdotes, but at times the book feels unfocused and chaotic; episodic. However, the overall structure of the book felt more cohesive to me the further I progressed into it.

—His identity as a homosexual is a strong. persistent element of the narrative. This makes the book a great choice for a queer studies course. —note his financial struggle as a young writer.

—note the humor throughout the book. Made me laugh out loud more than once. Examples: Carson McCullers’ praise of Tennessee’s volatile, profane lover “Santo” (p 107); Frankie’s saucy reply to Jack Warner (168); joke about “Queen’s Division” in hospital (loc 4371).

—He occasionally writes reflectively about the memoir itself and his own authorial choices and ethics in writing it; see, for example, p 144; p 153 (why he resists writing about his own plays); p 177; 179; 202 (considers changing title); 243 (1972-1975 time frame of the writing of the memoir; his “disregard for chronological order”); 250 (direct address to reader).

—interesting accounts of his encounters and relationships with other important figures in LGBT cultural history: Christopher Isherwood, Carson McCullers, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Candy Darling, Yukio Mishima, etc. I found his portrait of McCullers especially warm and moving.

—examples of his aphoristic statements: 157 (on inability to hold his liquor); 173 (on his career); 229 (on hurting people); 243 (on being a queen in one’s own dream world); 247 (“not even my own skin”); 249 (on pride).

Foreword: loc 106; 2%. —the play Out Cry.

—his invitation to hold a symposium with Yale drama students.

—he admits “mercenary,” for profit motivation for writing memoir.

Chapter 1: p 1; loc 180; 3%.

—1939: he is a feather picker on a squab ranch: p 4.

—he receives a grant.

—his lunch with Russian poet Yevtushenko, who harshly critiques Williams’ play Small Craft Warnings: 8.

—Issue of homosexuality in Russia (Soviet Union) discussed.

—He departs St. Louis for New York City: 10.

—He meets his agent.

Chapter 2: p 11; loc 359; 5%.

—his childhood in Mississippi.

—move to St. Louis.

—“the makings of a sissy”: 11.

—his first publication; in Weird Tales magazine in 1928: 16.

—his adolescent shyness.

—his attraction towards his childhood friend Hazel.

—ocean voyage to Europe; he tried alcohol for the first time: 19.

—Captain seems to imply 17 y/o narrator will turn out gay.

Chapter 3: p 24; loc 587; 9%.

—starts college at U of Missouri.

—he joins a fraternity.

—he becomes a salesman for a woman’s magazine: 27.

—he meets “an outrageous young camp.”

—seemingly flirtatious behavior from attractive fraternity roommate “Smitty”: 30.

—Smitty expelled from fraternity.

—another fraternity brother, Melmoth, expelled explicitly for homosexuality: 33.

(Time shift?)

—He takes a role in his own play Small Craft Warnings: 33.

—his friendship with “transvestite” cast member Candy Darling: 35.

—back to his college years.

—he leaves the U of Missouri without graduating to work for the shoe company that employs his father: 36.

—he writes short stories.

—his cardiovascular health problem: 39.

—1934: his first play, “Cairo, Shanghai, Bombay!” Produced: 40.

—his love of the writing of Chekhov.

—his only consummated heterosexual relationship, with “Sally”: 44.

—his roommate “Abdul.”

—finally persuaded that he is “queer”: 49.

—he recalls a production of a Stein play with a gay cast: 50.

—his critique of “‘swish’ and ‘camp’”: 50.

—Back to Candy Darling and Small Craft Warnings.

Chapter 4: p 52; loc 1186; 18%.

—first great male love of his life.

—In Provincetown in 1940. He is “thoroughly out of the closet.”

—he meets Kip: 54. They have a sexual relationship.

—after the end of the relationship with Kip, he travels to Mexico City: 58.

—Kip’s death at age 26.

—my note: story of Kip would fit right into John Rechy’s City of Night.

—he meets Tallulah Bankhead: 61.

—story of the play Battle of Angels: 62.

—Marion Vaccaro.

—in Key West.

—Hemingway and Cuba: 68.

—his gigs as a Manhattan elevator operator and as a waiter.

—in Macon, Georgia: 72.

—his eye operations: 73.

—at a go-go boy bar in New Orleans: 75.

—he gets a Hollywood screenwriting gig and meets Christopher Isherwood: 76.

Chapter 5: p 81; loc 1726; 26%.

—Glass Menagerie rehearsals in Chicago.

—Broadway opening of Menagerie: 84.

—Success of Menagerie.

—more gay amorous relationships.

—Williams and William Inge. His alcoholism, psychological problems and suicide: 89.

Chapter 6: p 92; loc 1915; 29%.

—his depression after the success of Menagerie.

—his return to Mexico.

—return to New York.

—interview by Mike Wallace: 96.

—1946 opening of “You Touched Me!” On Broadway: 98.

—steam room hookups

—picture of Tallulah B: loc 2058.

—aside about his decision to omit some people from the memoir: p 99.

—his affliction of loneliness.

—relocation, again, to New Orleans.

—at a party, it is revealed that he shares the single bedroom with his male apartment mate: 100.

—intense pain and diagnosis of appendicitis: 103.

—surgery for maecles diverticulum.

—return to Manhattan: 105.

—his new companion: “Santo” (an invented name).

—their tempestuous relationship.

—he meets up with Carson McCullers in Nantucket: 106.

—note his warm and funny portrait of his ongoing friendship with McCullers. Their support for each other after bad reviews.

—He returns to New Orleans. Note his writerly work habits.

—His grandfather comes to live with him: 110.

—trip to Key West with grandfather.

Chapter 7: p 114; loc 2333; 36%.

—back to Small Craft Warnings production.

—“tragedy” of his sister Rose:114.

—his close relationship with Rose: 119-20.

—his cruel, angry outburst at Rose after she had tattled to his parents about a youthful wild party he had thrown: 122.

—1937:Rose removed to state asylum in Missouri: 125.

—Rose lobotomized. She goes to live with an elderly couple on a farm near the asylum.

—He has Rose sent to an expensive sanitarium in Connecticut: 126.

—He then moves her to Stoney Lodge in Ossining.

Chapter 8: p 130; loc 2605; 40%.

—traveling to New York; prep for production of Streetcar.

—casting Brando and Tandy.

—with Santo in Provincetown: 133.

—more erratic and troubling behavior from Santo.

—Santo pursues him in New York City.

—audience with Thornton Wilder in New Haven: 135.

—progress of Streetcar in other cities prior to “smash” New York opening.

—his encounters with Garbo: 139.

—his trip to Europe: 139.

—“nocturnal pleasures” of Paris: 140.

— He proceeds to Italy and takes an apartment in Rome: 141.

—Italian sexuality, prostitution and his novel _The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone_: 141.

—His encounter with a faunlike young man, “Rafaello,” in Rome. They have an ongoing relationship.

—meeting Gore Vidal in Rome: 146. Vidal’s groundbreaking homosexual-themed novel.

—Prep for London production of Menagerie.

—meeting E. M. Forster after a Brighton performance: 148.

—his friendship with the Lady St. Just, née Maria Britneva: 149.

—traveling with Truman Capote.

—story of Truman and the bishop aboard the Queen Mary: 150.

—return to living in New York City.

—his encounters with redheaded NYC hustler Tommy Willians: 154.

Chapter 9: p 155; loc 3079; 47%.

—his “re-encounter with Philip Franklin Merlo.”

—beginning of their 14-year relationship.

—arriving by ocean liner at Gibraltar with Paul Bowles and Frankie: 159.

—his praise for Jane Bowles’ writing.

—continued travel in North Africa.

—The Rose Tattoo: 162.

—his friendship with Anna Magnani.

—lunch with Bill Inge: 165.

—development of Camino Real

—discriminatory behavior of Irene Mayer Selznick towards Frankie: 167.

—his reflection on playwriting and on his own work: 168.

—story behind “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” His anxiety over its reception, and its ultimate success.

—Repeats his praise of Jane Bowles as a writer: 170.

—1959 failure of Orpheus Descending: 172.

—his feeling that the critics turned on him.

—his use of drugs and alcohol.

Chapter 10: p 180; loc 3565; 54%.

—story of “Iguana.”

—dog bites result in staph infection; dog “Satin” euthanized.

—his sexual promiscuity and tension with Frankie.

—Frankie’s mysterious ailment: 185.

—after more tension, and violence, he leaves Frankie.

—he has a new romance with a young poet—“Angel.”

—tension with Frankie after the break up; Frankie battled lung cancer: 189.

—He tries to help Frankie after learning the cancer is terminal.

—He, Frankie and Angel live together; they share a vacation rental on Nantucket.

—He returns to NYC with Frankie; Angel goes to Key West.

—he praises Frankie’s “strength of spirit” and “pride never broken”: 192.

—Frankie ravaged by cancer; his suffering. His death: 194.

—beginning of a 7-year depression for Tennessee.

—Tab Hunter In Milk Train: 199.

—his own defense of Milk Train: 201.

—he resumes his relationship with Angel in Key West: 203.

—he dismisses Angel.

—he is depressed and socially withdrawn.

—he moves to New Orleans.

—he also spends time in New York.

—he begins to receive injections, and also vials, from “Dr. Feel Good”: 209.

—his relationship with “Ryan.”

—return to time period of Small Craft Warnings; his concern about his mother’s health: 215.

—conflict while he is living in Los Angeles: 215. His mental health deteriorates.

—he returns to Key West: 218.

—He decides to seek help after an accidental burn.

—in hospital for psychiatric care, he argues with his family members. He experiences convulsions and is reassigned to another part of the hospital—the “Violent Ward”: 221.

—his memories of violence and disturbing scenes in the hospital.

—his hospital stay is extended.

—occupational therapy at hospital: 223.

—he is transferred to an open ward in the hospital: 224. He plays bridge with others in the ward.

—one of his bridge partners is terrified of her shock treatments.

—released from hospital.

—watching film version of Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone on TV with his mother: 226.

—severing of his professional relationship with Audrey Wood: 227.

Chapter 11: p 230; loc 4572; 70%.

—on being a writer.

—return to Key West after his psychiatric hospitalization.

—“eviction” of Ryan.

—his play Out Cry.

—his 1970 voyage to Bangkok: 235.

—his diagnosis of breast cancer.

— his last encounter with Yukio Mishima.

—his current companion: “a stormy young man”: 242. A novelist.

—point at which time past and present converge in the chronologically alternating story he is telling: 243.

—his sister Rose’s delusional state.

—Carson McCuller’s fondness for Rose; suicidal threat from Carson’s husband Reeves: 244-45.

—his “fugitive” life: 247.

—his thoughts on death: 248.

—after effect of Rose’s lobotomy: 251.

—the Lodge staff approves a 3-day holiday visit away for Rose.

—note his fondness and respect for Rose; she is a survivor.

—I find it significant that he ends the memoir with Rose. It is tender and moving.

Afterword by Allean Hale: p 253; loc 4990; 76%.

— fact check of historical inaccuracies in memoir, which Hale attributes to Williams’s stream of consciousness style.

—detachable figleaf story: 253.

—Hale reveals the true identities of Santo, Angel, and more.