During the dust and heat of a long Kansas summer, William Inge鈥檚 A Loss of Roses is a tale set in a Depression both economic and emotional. Lila Green, a tent show actress who鈥檚 traveling troupe has folded, finds refuge with old friends in a small town. Helen Baird, a respectable widowed nurse and former neighbor, looks on her with motherly affection, and son Kenny has fond memories of the 鈥淎unt Lila鈥� who used to babysit him. But Kenny is now a full-grown man, full of flirtation and eager admiration, and fragile Lila, dealing with the latest in a long line of abusive men, is sorely tempted by Kenny鈥檚 sincerity and youthful ardor. As Kenny鈥檚 relationship with Helen grows increasingly volatile, still poisoned by the emotional fallout from his father鈥檚 death, and Lila鈥檚 scummy boyfriend Ricky tries to blackmail her into the porn industry, Lila and Kenny are increasingly drawn to the sanctuary of each other鈥檚 arms. Intergenerational strife, the loss of innocence, and the fragility of love weave themselves through the story of William Inge鈥檚 A Loss of Roses, a bittersweet and brooding drama, heavy with regret, pain, and fleeting beauty.
A Loss of Roses guide sections
