... gentleman caller, Tom singles out as a symbol of unrealized hope. The fifth and final character, the father, does not appear in the play: he skipped town long ago and hasn't been heard from except for a terse postcard farewell from Mexico. Amanda calls Tom to the dinner table and ... illusion is autobiographical. Tom is the playwright's stand-in. Tennessee Williams (born Thomas Lanier Williams) was an aspiring poet in St. Louis when he lived with his family and, at his father's behest, worked in a shoe factory. His older sister Rose was, in childhood, his one true friend and, in adulthoo...

• Word Count: 5517
• Approx Pages: 22
• Grade Level: High School