Plot Summary

Bus Stop

William Inge
Guide cover placeholder

Bus Stop

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1955

Book Brief

William Inge

Bus Stop

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1955
Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Kansas • 1950s

Publication Year

1955

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Set in a rural Kansas diner during a snowstorm, William Inge’s Bus Stop depicts a diverse group of characters stranded overnight: the diner owner Grace, waitress Elma, Sheriff Will, singer Cherie, cowboy Bo, his friend Virgil, professor Dr. Lyman, and bus driver Carl. Their interactions reveal personal struggles, romantic entanglements, and transformations shaped by the enforced, shared experience.

Romantic

Emotional

Heartwarming

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.0

1,108 ratings

61%

Loved it

31%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Bus Stop by William Inge receives praise for its authentic dialogue and nuanced character development, capturing small-town dynamics and human longing. Critics commend its wit and emotional depth, though some feel the plot is overly simplistic and the dramatic tension uneven. Overall, the play is valued for its insightful portrayal of human relationships.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Bus Stop?

A reader who enjoys character-driven dramas and explores themes of love, isolation, and human connection will appreciate William Inge's Bus Stop. Fans of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie or Arthur Miller's The Crucible will find the small-town setting and complex interactions engaging.

4.0

1,108 ratings

61%

Loved it

31%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Kansas • 1950s

Publication Year

1955

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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