Summary Of The Glass Figurines In The Play The Glass Menagerie

Everybody has something about them that makes them unique, but sometimes they tend to not realize how special they are because of it. In the play, The Glass Menagerie, Laura possesses a collection of glass figurines that symbolize how others see her despite her limp. She has allowed her limp to define who she is, as well as play a major part in the way that she acts around other people. Laura’s limp has restricted her life in certain ways and because of it, she has become a delicate, radiant, and unique individual. Delicacy can be understood as someone or something that is sensitive to words and actions or someone that is physically fragile. The glass figurines, in general, are very easy to break, like Laura who is extremely reserved and with one hurtful word can be torn apart. When Laura dropped out of school, she did not tell her mom, maybe it was because she was embarrassed or she did not want to disappoint her. She acted the same way with her glass figurines, the play states, “She is washing and polishing her collection of glass. Amanda appears on the fire escape steps. At the sound of her ascent, Laura catches her breath, thrusts the bowl of ornaments away, and seats herself stiffly before the diagram…” (William 37) She was

Laura has used her limp as an excuse for not getting out into the world and instead hiding away and almost becoming non-existent in the world. Once Laura’s unicorn’s horn breaks off, her favorite figurine, she states, “Now he will feel more at home with the other horses, the ones that don’t have horns.” (Williams 125) This is the first time it shows Laura accepting that she is no different from everyone else, she is just more unique like the unicorn. Being different can be a burden to some people unless they are willing to embrace their “flaws” and turn it into something that they can be proud