The Glass Menagerie Research Paper

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“The Glass Menagerie” portrays characters who find difficulties in facing reality, and they struggle to escape from it. Except Jim O’Connor, none of the characters in this play move forward or improve their lives. Jim goes to night school to improve his skills while all the members of the Wingfield family are either in a fantasy world, talking about the past, or going outside to the fire escape to flee from the situation. Tennessee Williams adds the character Jim O’Connor to make the struggles of the Wingfields stand out even more. Williams draws contrasts between the Wingfields and Jim. Before I read this play, I did not understand people’s lives after the Great Depression. After reading the play, I was able to grasp how some people like the …show more content…

I enjoyed reading the play, and I really liked how Tennessee Williams uses symbols. The biggest symbol that revolves around the whole play is the collection of Laura’s glass animal figurines; also called the glass menagerie. These animal figurines depict the fantasy world that Laura lives in; the peaceful world that Laura wants to stay in forever. She spends all day admiring her glass unicorn and listening to old records rather than interacting with people. All her figurines are made out of glass, and glass is very easy to break. Williams writes, “She wears a dress of soft violet material for a kimono – her hair is tied back from her forehead with a ribbon. She is washing and polishing her collection of glass.” (Williams, 8). This quote shows the fragility of Laura. She is weak just like glass. Laura is also …show more content…

A pack a day at fifteen cents a pack. How much would that amount to in a month?...
TOM I’d rather smoke.” (Williams, 29).
The fire escape also shows the pathway to the outside world and that Laura is unable to walk into society. We can see this by the following quote:
“LAURA Going – going! (A second later she cries out. Tom springs up and crosses to door. Amanda rushes anxiously in. Tom opens the door.)
TOM Laura?
LAURA I’m all right. I slipped, but I’m alright.” (Williams, 22).
While reading the play, I was amazed at how often Williams related these two examples of symbolism to the story and the various interpretations the reader could derive from

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