As we all know, the Great Depression of 1929 is one of the most negative icons of North-American history. The effects of this global crisis did cause numerous families to lose everything they owned as the banks collapsed. This placed devastating economic, social, and psychological strains upon these American working-class and middle-class families.
I believe that the influence of the Great Depression in this play is an interesting topic to discuss. Willie's family lost their boarding house business. As a result - presumably - Willie's sister used sex as a commodity; their father - as happened with several families after the Great Depression - deserted his wife and children; Willie, a 13 yo girl, was living alone in an abandoned house. Along with the economy, the Great Depression destroyed society's moral values - which is perhaps one of the themes of play(?).
Can you establish some kind of bridge between the effects of the Great Depression and Williams' play? Or do you think that the explosive spending of WWII brought an end to the depression and thus it isn't related at all (considering this is a 1946 piece)?
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