NPM : 180410110210 Subject : Further Studies in Drama (Response)
Short Essay of William’s The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is play written by Tennessee William in 1944. It only
has five characters that are related to each other consisting of a mother, Amanda Wingfield who has been abandoned by her husband, Tom Wingfield as a narrator of the play, Laura Wingfield as a sister of Tom and Jim O’Connor who in the end leads Laura to a situation that is very sorrowful. This play has a first person point of view which makes the play is controlled by the narrator who is also one of the characters. Amanda, as a mother, concerns about finding a partner to her daughter Laura who has a feeling of inferiority that has isolated her from the outside world. In the end, there is Jim who is willing to be a good company to Laura though he already has been engaged to his current girlfriend. Jim, as in the beginning of the play Tom has describe, is a man that knows what no one knows that he is engaged. His being flirtatious to Laura is a sign that he finds an enjoyment in her as in the last part of the play he kisses her. However, in the end, he feels sorry about the kiss and tells Laura the truth. Though Laura and Jim have different memories of they were in school, Jim tries to convince Laura that she, unlike the other girl, is beautiful and unique. His motivation somehow becomes a desire for Laura to seek the true beauty about herself. In the end, there is an act where Jim breaks one of Laura’s glass collections, which is the glass of unicorn. The glass unicorn that is broken is a symbol for Laura as it is unique yet fragile. The broken unicorn that she gives to Jim later shows her feeling to him, which is although he has break her heart she still loves him anyway. The setting where they both dance before the kissing part, which is the apartment of Wingfield’s family is also a symbol of dream. There, in the apartment, her mother, Amanda finds the feeling of coming back to her girlhood and Laura also experiences her feeling to Jim that reflects in her glass unicorn. The very last part Tom gives the final speech, which somehow shows a barrier between him and her mother and sister. The setting of the scene, which is in the apartment also strengthening the feeling of trapped that Tom has. He also shows the guilt by leaving her mother and sister that he cannot stand it. The decision that he choose between take the responsibility to take care of his family or to live his own life has become a nightmare that the audience perhaps could never forget.