The Glass Menagerie Research Paper

The Glass Menagerie Research Paper
The Glass Menagerie is known to many as a modern tragedy as well as a modern drama. A modern tragedy is when something tragic happens to not
a person of nobility or the rich but to an average person. The Glass Menagerie is a perfect example of a modern tragedy because the Wingfield's, an
average family dreams are not fulfilled. The dreams that each of the family members has seems to come in conflict with one another's dreams and this
is what makes all of their dreams nearly impossible to accomplish.
In the story Tom who is Amanda's son and Laura's brother takes the role of supporting the family since there is no father around. He works long hours
at a shoe factory which drives him crazy because he knows his intelligence is wasted. He has no...show more content...
In the beginning of the Story her dream is unclear she has no motivation to go to school for example she dropout in high school as well has her
typing class in the following years. Laura does not act her age. She constantly is distracted with childish things and makes herself appear fragile.
The thing she plays with and adores the most is what she is her glass menagerie. Her dream is to be ordinary. We truly find this out when she
shows Jim her collection of the glass menagerie. She shows him her most prized possession which is her unicorn. He admires it and quickly
changes the subject and asks her to dance with him. She states that she cannot and he says to her that she needs to stop worrying about her leg and
she agrees to try. As they are dancing Jim bumps into the cabinet and breaks the unicorn. The horn falls off and instead of freaking out Laura says
to him "He is just like the other horses" and then says "Maybe it is just a blessing in disguise". In my opinion this is a way of her telling Jim that
that unicorn was a representation of herself, I believe Laura is saying Jim makes her feel like an ordinary person when no one else could have. Her
dream is starting to look like it is finally coming together, she found a man who she seems to be in love with and he makes her confident and feel
ordinary. Jim later lifts Laura up and says she's not like any ordinary girl and then kisses
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The Glass Menagerie Essay
The Glass Menagerie–Journal Entry #1
If you could change the outcome of the story, what change would you make?
If I could change the outcome of the story, I would have allowed Laura and Jim O'Connor to get married. I would have made this change because
then Amanda's problem would have been solved, and Laura would have had financial support in the future. Another reason I would have made this
change is because Jim O'Connor would have been the ideal man for Laura because he connected with her. He saw past her awkward fondness of a
glass animal set. He also got Laura to take pride in herself.
Another thing I would change is the early department of Tom. I understand that he was longing for adventure outside of the warehouse. I also...show
more content...
Tom's memories also prohibited him from finding happiness and moving forward, but it also led to the creation of the play. All of the characters
have ways to deal with their cruel memories, except Tom. Amanda has her happy days from her youth and Laura has her glass collection. Tom has
no sufficient way of escape. He has tried escaping to the movies, but he came to realize that it was not a real way out. I dislike how Tennessee
William's uses both past and present tenses in the play because it is a bit puzzling. As you know, Tom is both a narrator and a character in the play.
Younger Tom is the character and older Tom is the narrator. Older Tom speaks in past tense since he is telling his recollections. Younger Tom is
speaking in present tense.
The Sun Also Rises– Journal #4
Are you sympathetic or unsympathetic towards a character's dilemma or difficult decision?
I am sympathetic towards Jake Barnes's problem. Jake Barnes was a soldier who fought in the World War I. During the war, he was wounded. Due
to his injury, he is unable to have sex, which can cause problems, both mental and physical. For Jake, his injury causes two major problems which I
feel are very unfortunate. These problems both hinder Jake from moving forward and progressing in his general life, as well as his love life.
The first reason I feel sorry for Jake is because his injury prevents the love of his life from entering into a relationship with him. Brett Ashley is a
woman

In the story, The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, there are many symbols, characters, and scenes that can be interpreted in several
different ways. One of the scenes is where Laura, the fragile sister, meets a gentleman caller named Jim. He leads Laura on, allowing her to think
that they have a future together, just to destroy it. Laura is worse off after the experience with Jim. Laura is unable to survive in the outside
world. She retreats into the apartment and her glass collection. Laura consumes herself with the "little animals made of glass," and tells Jim that if
"[he] breathes it breaks". When Laura is describing the glass figures to Jim, she emphasizes how fragile they are. This is a comparison to Laura,
meaning that she is fragile like the glass. It seems like Laura is describing herself when she talks about the glass pieces. While Jim was holding the
unicorn, he accidently snaps off the horn, and Laura then replies with "its lost its horn, so it is like all the other horses". I believe that this is
foreshadowing what is going to happen between her and Jim. Just like the unicorn, Laura is broken by the experience, never to be...show more content...
In the scene two, Williams explains, "[she] is seated in the delicate ivory chair at the small clawfoot table". She is always around fragile things,
just like she is fragile herself. Laura's fragility is emphasized by the items that are described around her, like the ivory chair. When Laura's mom
finds out that she hasn't been attending school, she is furious, but Laura explains where she has been," I went in the art museum and the bird houses
at the Zoo...Lately I've been spending most of my afternoons in the Jewel Box, that big glass house where they raise the tropical flowers". She talks
about a glass house that is assumed to be fragile, just another example about Laura's fragile state. She also go to places and sees things that are
considered fragile like art and

Essay on The Glass Menagerie: An Analysis
Written in 1944, Tennessee Williams wrote a play during World War II when people were barely making ends meet. Centering on the Wingfield family,
the story consisted of five characters: Amanda Wingfield (the mother), Laura Wingfield (the daughter), Tom Wingfield (son, narrator, Laura's older
brother), Jim Connor (Tom and Laura's old acquaintance from high school) and Mr. Wingfield (father to Tom and Laura, and Amanda's husband)
– who
abandoned the family long before the start of the play. The title, "The Glass Menagerie", represented a collection of glass animals on display in the
Wingfields' home. At one point or another, these animals then represented each character when they couldn't accept reality. The theme of this play were
about the...show more content...
It also showed that her character had the hardest time accepting reality because her shyness sheltered and kept her from exploring the world outside
of her home. This was emphasized by Amanda's lack of concern for her children as she was blinded by her own needs. As a mother, Amanda
Wingfield had always encouraged her children to be all they could be. When Laura asked about clearing the table, Amanda's responded by telling her
to "...go in front and study your typewriter chart. Or practice your shorthand a little. Stay fresh and pretty! It's almost time for our gentlemen callers to
start arriving" (Williams, Scene 1, 976). This quote showed two aspects of the nature versus nurture debate. Amanda intended to nurture Laura's
success by encouraging and pushing her to study hard, to practice her writing, and look pretty while naturally, Amanda was concerned about taking
care of herself and making sure her children make the right decision so that they may provide for her all the things she never had. For example, when
Amanda was going through the finances, she asked Laura what her plans were for the future, while she joked about how they might had an opportunity
in business if it wasn't for Laura's nervousness (Scene 1, 980). When Laura mentioned to her mother that she was 'crippled', Amanda stopped her and
told Laura to never speak negatively

The Glass Menagerie is a play, told by the memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. Tom loves books and writing but is working in a warehouse to
support his mother, Amanda, and sister, Laura. Mr. Wingfield, Tom and Laura's father, ran off years ago leaving Tom to be the man of the house.
Tom's decision to leave his mother and sister was justified on the grounds that Amanda tends to show him little to no respect, on top of the lack of
respect Tom feels as if he would be better off doing what he would like to do. Adventure. With those being said, of course it's difficult for Tom to
make this decision because he is unsure of the state it would leave his mother and sister in, with nobody to take care of them is unsure whether it's the
right decision....show more content...
I say this because Amanda is his mother. Tom "has to" lover her. That being said the constant bickering and downright disrespect between the two of
them amazes me. Amanda always seems to be after Tom about the things he does. "What's the matter with you, you––big––big––IDIOT"!(Pg.49)
Amanda is constantly nagging Tom about everything he does. While Tom may "go out to the movies" too much, amanda often takes it too far referring
to him as an animal in some situations. "Only animals have to satisfy instincts! Surely your aims are higher than theirs! Than

The Glass Menagerie
During the 1930s, the US went through a rough period in their history. Due to a major stock market crash, the US fell into the Great Depression.
Many people were forced to live with little or no money. The play, The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams is set in St. Louis, Missouri during
this period of time. Amanda, the mother of the family, lives in an apartment in the city with her two children, Tom and Laura. Tom's job at the
warehouse and the small pay from Amanda's telemarketer job help to provide for the three of them. They did not have much money but were a typical
family for the time they were living in. Wearing typical clothes, experiencing difficulties, and living in a common home are all characteristics of the
cast in this play....show more content...
The audience learns early on that the father of the family has left. In Tom's opening statement, he refers to his dad as, "a fifth character in the play who
doesn't appear except in this larger–than–life photograph" (scene 1). As times worsened during the depression, a father leaving a family would not be
too uncommon. Pressures of supporting for a family could be difficult, and it could lead fathers to leaving their families which adds more of a real
feeling to the play. Tom is seen to be an alcoholic throughout the play. Afraid her son is an alcoholic, Amanda tends to question Tom and ask where
he is going and what he's doing but Tom simply responds with, "I'm going to the movies" (scene 3). This of course is a cover for what he is
actually doing. Again, this is common during a stressful time like the characters are in. His drinking problem is realistic and the audience can feel
what he's going through. The play is meant to seem as if the situations and conversations they have are real, and the play Williams writes does that
well. Tom and his father are adding realism to the play from the beginning, but the other main characters also can be used to provide some realistic
characteristics. Amanda is a stay at home mom who tries to give the best life possible for her children. She is extremely protective of them, and this
can be relatable to many people. Laura is used as the disabled or lazy one of the

Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie Essay
The lacking of a positive male role model can be very troublesome for any family; especially during the mid–thirties. Prior to the Second World War,
women did not have significant roles in the workforce and depended on their husbands or fathers to provide for them financially. There were limited
government assistance programs during the era of The Great Depression, and it was up to the families to provide for themselves. The absence of Mr.
Wingfield placed enormous strains on the physical as well as mental wellbeing of his family. The effects the abandonment of their father had on the
Wingfield family from Tennessee William's The Glass Menagerie are undeniable. The Amanda Wingfield that we come to know is overbearing,
worrisome, and...show more content...
Amanda's constant pushing of Laura to attend "Rubicam's Business College", whose anxiety disorder already prevents her from leading a normal life,
illuminates Amanda's inability to recognize the abnormalities in her children (1163). When Laura reminds her mother that she is crippled, Amanda
begins to scold Laura, "[n]on–sense! Laura, I've told you never, never to use that word..." this gives further testimony to Amanda's denial of her
children's defects (1165). Amanda is so consumed with preventing her children from making the same mistakes that she has, that she has become a
"witch" and "hateful to her children" (1172). Her thirst for her children's success combined with the lack of ability to give them what "she" thinks
they need, due to her financial constraints of not having her husband's support, has driven her to the current delusional state she is in (Williams). In
present day women are very active in the work force, and a man in his early twenties generally does not have to take on the responsibilities of
providing for his family, like young Tom Wingfield did, even if the father had abandoned them. When Tom's father ran out on them, Tom being the
only male in the male driven work force of that time period, had to abandon his dreams and ambitions to fill in as the main provider for his family. The
lack of adventure in Tom's career at the Continental Shoemakers, leads Tom to attending late
–night movies to suppress

Laura is a character who longs to find companionship, beyond her glass menagerie, although ironically, she is the one keeping herself from this
companionship due to her anxiety against social interaction. Laura does possess the aptitude for companionship, but no sign of this comes until the end
of the memory, at which point we as an audience understand the majority of why Laura behaves the way she does. By knowing the confinements of
which Laura lives (in an apartment with her mother and brother) as they are mixed with her limited relationship(s), understanding her deep obsession
with her glass menagerie and acknowledging the true happiness her glass animals bring her, and knowing the true need that Laura has for legitimate
companionship beyond...show more content...
Most of her fears have been enhanced from events that consisted of personally embarrassing endings. After running from these events, Laura
exaggerates them to a point that makes it hard for her to deal with recalling the feeling, even in memory. We learn of Laura's insecurities through
her confessions of past events. She used to feel embarrassed to walk into the back of her high school auditorium because of her leg brace. She was
too embarrassed to go back to her business college after she got physically ill her first day of class. During her absence from class, she would
distract herself by visiting various locations. "I went in the art museum and the bird houses at the zoo. I visited the penguins every day! Sometimes I
did without lunch and went to the movies. Lately I've been spending most of my afternoons in the Jewel Box, that big glass house where they raise
the tropical flowers." (pg. 15). Presently, she is still hindered by her anxieties and married to the task of caring for her menagerie; when she is home,
she is almost always seated with her glass menagerie. When she does speak (although it is not often, even in her home),

The Symbolism of the Menagerie in The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams' play, The Glass Menagerie, describes three separate characters, their dreams, and the harsh realities they face in a modern world.
The Glass Menagerie exposes the lost dreams of a southern family and their desperate struggle to escape reality. Williams'use of symbols adds depth to
the play. The glass menagerie itself is a symbol Williams uses to represent the broken lives ofAmanda, Laura and Tom Wingfield and their inability to
live in the present.
The glass menagerie symbolizes Amanda Wingfield's overwhelming need to cling to her past and her fulfilled fear of being alone. Amanda resents the
poverty–stricken neighborhood in which she lives so...show more content...
Tom ends the argument by calling Amanda an "ugly– babbling old –witch"(Williams 1875), and struggles to put his coat on, intent on leaving. When
he cannot put the coat on properly, he becomes frustrated with his clumsiness and flings it across the room, breaking some of the glass collection.
Laura "cries out as if wounded"(Williams 1875). This shows how fragile Laura really is and how she reacts when even the small balance of her
apartment is shifted. The most prominent use of this symbol comes at the crisis of the story, when Jim is left alone with Laura. The conversation
turns to Laura's glass collection, when she remarks "glass is something you have to take good care of."(Williams 1900), again showing her fragility.
More parallels are drawn between Laura and the glass collection with the introduction of the unicorn. Jim says, "Poor little fellow, he must feel sort
of lonesome"(Williams 1902) to which Laura replies, " He stays on a shelf with some horses that don't have horns and all of them seem to get along
nicely together"(Williams 1902). The unicorn becomes a symbol for Laura because just like the unicorn she is different. When Jim and Laura dance,
and Jim accidentally knocks the unicorn off the table and its horn is broken off, it loses its uniqueness. Similarly, when Jim kisses Laura and then
shatters her hopes by telling

The Glass Menagerie Essay examples
Research Paper
"The Glass Menagerie"
English 102
Spring 2010
Outline
I. Introduction
a. Thesis statement– Playwright Williams uses symbolism throughout "The Glass
Menagerie" to illustrate the struggle for happiness that each character faces.
II. Symbolism
a. The Glass Menagerie
b. Escape
c. The Unicorn
d. Darkness
III. Conclusion

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the play "The Glass Menagerie" by
Tennessee Williams. Specifically it will discuss the symbolism and imagery in this play. "The
Glass Menagerie" is a tragic story of the Wingfield family, a dysfunctional family of dreamers
who never seem to actually achieve their dreams. Amanda,...show more content...
To
escape the raw facts of her lonely life, her dysfunctional family, and her own lack of motivation,
she retreats into the past. She continuously looks back on her girlhood and the "gentlemen
callers" who filled her home and admired her. In some pathetic part of her mind, she remains
that young, tantalizing flirt, and as long as she immerses herself in those dreams, she can escape
the very dull reality of her present life. She is poor; her husband abandoned the family, her son
does not respect her, and her daughter is disabled. Escape is the only thing she has that brings
her any joy or satisfaction in her life. Another critic notes, "Amanda represents the ideals of the
Old South, the Puritan tradition, and a kind of meaningless conformity that destroys the
individual without the consequence of enriching the world" (Crandle 12). Each member of the
family uses escape in some way to cope with their unhappiness, but Tom is the only one to make
a permanent escape. Critic Harold Bloom writes, "Thus, while the father still personifies love to
the romantic memory of the middle–aged Amanda, he symbolizes another kind of romance to his
son–the romance of escape and adventure" (Bloom 34). Escape is in Tom's blood, and that is

clear throughout the play–his major goal is always to leave, symbolizing his father's role in his
life and his need to

In the class that we had with Mr. Campbell, the class went over many things, ranging from 1851 to 1938. In this time period, Europe was not doing
very well, and there were many conflicts and problems that led to disastrous events such as World War I. However, I am going to connect Mr.
Campbell's class to The Glass Menagerie through Laura, one of the main characters in the play. In The Glass Menagerie, Laura is seen as a
peacemaker, constantly trying to fix, or save, Tom's, the protagonist, relationship with his mother, Amanda. Amanda is a very controlling mother and
wants her children to be something that simply is not possible, especially in The Great Depression. Amanda constantly berates Tom and Laura,
questioning them about their lives and asking why they are not "successful." She goes further still, and meddles in their lives, although mostly in
Laura's, trying to find her a gentleman caller and trying to make her pretty for the boys. With Tom, Amanda always questions why he does not make
more money, and why he goes to the movies so often, repeatedly doubting the answers he gives her....show more content...
Through all of this, Laura is standing right next to them observing the fight, and possibly wishing that they would stop. This relates to Mr. Campbell's
point about the act of appeasement by the Allies. After World War I, when Hitler was coming to power and breaking many conditions of the Treaty of
Versailles, the so–called, "leaders of the free world" stood by, watching Hitler and allowing him to remilitarize Germany and Rhineland, which was
supposed to be a demilitarized zone, demand autonomy of the Sudetenland, which the Allies allowed, and then annex the Sudetenland, which the Allies
again

The Glass Menagerie Symbolism is a major aspect in Tennessee William's famous play, "The Glass Menagerie." On the surface, the short slice of
life story seems to be simple. However, if the reader digs deeper they will find that there are several symbols that give the play a deeper meaning. Each
character defines each symbol in a different way. There are some very noticeable symbols that can be analyzed when studying "The Glass Menagerie."
The first is the actual glass menagerie that represents the fragility of the Wingfield's dreamlike existence. The second is the fire escape, which reflects
each character's tendency to escape from reality in their own ways. The third is the yellow dress, which represents youth and the past....show more
content...
Now it is like all of the other horses. The unicorn losing its horn is a symbol. The unicorn in its original state symbolizes something different. It is
delicate, beautiful, and precious in it's own unique way. This could symbolize Laura has natural beauty in an "unearthly way" that is hidden by her
shyness and limp. When Laura starts to talk to Jim, she gets more confidence in herself and realizes that she is not that different from everyone else in
the world. The horn symbolizes a difference, an obstacle to be overcome and admired.
The fire escape is a major symbol in this play. It represents a different symbol for each character. For Amanda, the fire escape is a way for her to be
protected from the outside world, or reality. She cannot live in the present, and the lack of a front door makes it easy for her to avoid real life. She
convinces herself that she isn't capable of leaving the safe haven she has created by locking herself inside the strange apartment. She has become
trapped by her memories. Laura uses the fire escape as a symbol in a similar way. She, too, is protected from the outside world by the fire escape,
and she is also limited by it because of her handicap. It will require an extra effort for Laura to overcome her limp and get out into the world using
the fire escape, symbolizing how her life is more difficult because of her handicap and her delusional mother. Tom

Tennessee Williams uses the character Amanda in "The Glass Menagerie" to express the attitude of how proper young men and woman should carry
themselves. Amanda's attitude towards her children sets the stage for their unhappy lives. Her refusal to accept her children for who they are has led
to Tom drinking during the evenings and Laura having social anxiety. "The Glass Menagerie" reflects the social norms, roles, and values of the 1940's
when it was written. It depicts woman as helpless and unable to provide for themselves, while men should be focused on furthering their careers and
providing for the family. Amanda believes that a young woman of Laura's age should be attending social events and getting schooling till she can
attract a gentlemen caller who will provide for her. Finally, she believes that Tom should be concerned with furthering his career to provide a better
life for Laura and herself since he became the man of the house once his father left. Amanda's attitude displays the social norms during the 1940's and
sets the framework for Laura's disappointing meeting with a gentleman caller as well as Tom Leaving.
The social norms and values of the 1940's are clearly stated in the play. It is easy to seam that Tom and Laura do not live proper lives for young men
...show more content...
Williams does an effective job of displaying his thoughts and opinions about proper young men and woman through Amanda's character. Obviously, the
social stands of men and woman are very important as it is a constantly expressed theme in the play. Amanda's thoughts and actions are able to
influence the overall framework of the play. This leads to Laura's and Tom's lives looking very undesirable as compared to Jim who seems to have
everything figured out. Gender roles are clearly defined in the play, however, they are not ones that most people would find acceptable in today's day
and

Essay On The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams, an American playwright, his famous works are "The Glass Menagerie" and "A Streetcar Named Desire" Tennessee
Williams creation of drama is directly related to own personal life and experience. He has a sister Rose Williams she is diagnosed with
schizophrenic. In The Glass Menagerie it is talking about a memory play in the 1940s talking about Tom Wingfield in the 1930s, Tom is the narrator
and the major character in the book. The other three characters are Amanda the mother, Laura sister of Tom, and Jim the gentleman caller. Laura in
the book is like a reflection of Rose; they both are disabled in some parts of their body. In The Glass Menagerie's, Laura is crippled and in real– life
Rose has schizophrenic. As the book has been a classical collection of Tennessee Williamsa lot of people have read it from around the world by
westerners and also easterners. The context of the book is talking about the United States classic low class families. For easterners, they might not be
well...show more content...
In The Glass Menagerie, Amanda has an aggressive characterization, she is holding on to her son and daughter. "Oh! I felt so weak I could barely
keep on my feet! ...Just gone up the spout like that" (Williams 13). From this quote we can see that Amanda is making Laura do something that she
didn't want to do and when the command is not done she turns upset. Back in the 1940s mom being aggressive is a very common thing that happens,
the adults take control over the family. But now days, in the modern world children have more of their own opinions of what to do. Readers who are
reading back in the 1940s will think that Amanda is being a normal mom that is teaching their own children what to do, for readers in the modern
world Amanda would become a mom that cares too much for their own children which will make them feel

The Glass Menagerie
As children we have our happiness put before others, such as our parents. When we are young those around us, protect us from the cruel reality of the
world and the fact that not everything is sunshine and roses. Others will compromise their happiness to allow for the young to live freely and
experience the world in their own happy imagination before they are forced to make compromises for others themselves. When faced with the ability
to choose one's happiness over others, and vice versa, the true morals of an individual are revealed. This is shown in the play The Glass Menagerie,
by Tennessee Williams. Tom, the main character in this play is given a powerful role in his family as he is the primary breadwinner of the household;
as a result,...show more content...
His mother Amanda, and his sister Laura both force Tom to make occasional compromises for their happiness. Tom is faced with the decision of
living up to the expectations of his mother, and continually supporting her financially, as well as finding his sister a suitable gentleman caller, or,
chasing after his own dreams of living an adventurous life sailing the world on a merchant vessel. Through the course of the play we witness what
goes through Toms mind, a well as how he acts around his family. Eventually Tom chooses to pursue his own happiness.
(Planning page BP1)
Tom, through the beginning of the play has shown how he is willing to make compromises for his family. He works a beginning job is in
warehouse, for little pay, and has to put the vast majority of the money towards the household and his family members. We know that he is making
compromises on his happiness because it is revealed to the audience that tom has a passion for poetry, among other arts, and that in his free time he
will write as much as he can. Although Tom does make compromises on his own will, so his family members can be happy, he has been forced by the

"The Glass Menagerie" Essay
The Glass Menagerie is what it states itself to be: "a memory play". And, "being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not
realistic" (Williams 5). In the very beginning of the play, it claims an air of foggy illusion– smeared on the windows of time and the narrator's memory.
The mystic undertones of Menagerie is essentially a tension in between the view of moving forward yet the truth of moving backward, suspended in
between the realms of dream and destiny, balanced perfectly in the stop of time ("Symbol" 145). It reveals individuals not only fleeing from the truth
of reality, but also fading into an escape of time and history.The play itself cannot be viewed in the way of direct action– the present is...show more
content...
Laura is oft recognized as a parallel in real life to Williams' sister Rose, a painfully shy girl who was eventually so isolated from reality that she was
declared insane. Laura is also the character in the play most separated from reality– in fact, she cannot even socialize with other people without
becoming sick at the stomach. Her entire emotional being is invested in a glass menagerie of tiny, pristine animals, which may be delicate and
exotic but are "unreal". For example the very animal she claims as her favorite, the unicorn, is regarded as a mythical creature ("Glass" 128). The
separate animals in the menagerie are in fact mirrors of the attitudes of the Wingfield family, as well as their chosen hermitage from one another.
They are presented as crystalline forms in Tom's memory, just as each Wingfield is show to be encircled in their own little universes. Some seek
escape, refuge, or freedom, each one imagining different ways of transcending reality; each one of tem condemned to individual breakage and
mutual misunderstanding ("Symbol" 145). For Laura, her menagerie steals her away to an alternate world where she is protected from the rush of
the 20th century (Bigsby 38). She has carefully contrived to protect herself from what she sees as a hard and judging world by making her own
universe from old Victrola records and small glass animals. She regards herself as unlovable,

In both plays it is seen that the characters experience difficulty with recognizing what is a fantasy and what is reality. Amanda and Willy both deny
their childrens' underachievement and blames and accept that the destiny of their kids exists in their grasp. Consequently, they envision their kids as
being something they are not, trying to shroud their childrens' disappointments. Such illusions permit Amanda and Willy to feel fruitful in framing
Laura and Biff's lives. Amanda denies Laura as a challenged person and adjusts any individual who trusts her to be along these lines, all throughout the
play. Willy impacted Biff's conviction that he had been a sales representative for Bill Oliver. Biff starts to scrutinize this after the meeting that...show
more content...
I was a shipping clerk" (Miller 104). With an end goal to direct their childrens' lives, both Amanda and Willy think that they realize what is best for
their kids. Amanda envisions that Laura "couldn't be satisfied by simply sitting at home" (Williams, 85). Yet Laura needed to stay at home, clear as
she makes excuses for doing as such and would rather play with the glass menagerie. Willy, as Amanda, envisions he is making the best decision also.
At the point when Biff was in high school, Willy felt Biff did not need to study despite the fact that Bernard prompted them that he "heard Mr.
Birnbaum say–" (Miller 33). Willy contemplated internally that "with scholarships to three universities they're going to flunk him?...don't be a pest
Bernard" (Miller 33)! Willy's idea on this circumstance was capricious and impossible. The characters are further illusive in what their position is in
the public arena as they climb the professional ladder and take after the American dream. In The Glass Menagerie, Tom accepts that Jim won't miss the
mark concerning the white house. As a general rule, a factory worker, for example, Jim, turning into the following Roosevelt is

In the story The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, it is about a dark and dreary time, with characters who are trying to escape their miserable
and unhappy lives. There are a few characters, such as Amanda Wingfield and her son Tom, who are trying to escape their predicament, but these
characters are the cause of their own selfish misery. The two who are not as straightforward about their wants and ambitions are Laura Wingfield, the
daughter, and Jim O'Connor, the gentleman caller. Escape can be gained through the mind, body, and soul as Laura and Jim come to understand during
certain aspects of their lives. Laura and Jim are trying to escape their situations brought upon them by not only themselves, but by others too, which is
why...show more content...
When she is standing in the Jewel Box, and looking at all the beautiful flowers, she relates to them as though she is also trapped by an outer glass
shell. These attractions give Laura a small reprieve, but cause her to miss out on a fulfilling life. It seems that near the end of the story all hope is
with Jim in Laura's eyes as she starts to open up to him, and he takes time to get to know her and compliment her. To Laura, Jim is the man of her
dreams, and possibly the savior to help aid in finding freedom from such a dismal life, but as stated in a critical essay by Louis K. Greiff, he does
just the opposite: "Jim O 'Connor 's entrance at first seems to promise the realization of Laura 's dreams, yet he ends instead by destroying them."
During his time with Laura he accidentally breaks one of Laura's glass figurines, and surprisingly, Laura does not seem to be upset by this. With
Jim's visit he manages to coax Laura out of her glass shell some, but she is still unable to find liberation from her unsatisfying life. Another
character that has a need to flee from circumstance is Jim O'Connor. He is a man who does have a plan for life, and even though it is not anything
extraordinary, it is his own and seems to be going well. Jim's need for escape comes from who he used to be as the popular boy in high school. His life
was to be vastly different from what it is amounting to now, which is average at best. Jim describes this to Laura during their talk: "For

The Glass Menagerie Research Paper

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The Glass Menagerie Research Paper