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The Glass Menagerie, known for its rich symbolism, presents a tapestry of themes and metaphors that
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The challenge lies in navigating through these intricate symbols and weaving them into a cohesive
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The symbolism in The Glass Menagerie is multifaceted, demanding a comprehensive grasp of

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characters, their actions, and the symbolic elements requires a meticulous examination of the play's
text, as well as a broader understanding of literary criticism.

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For Tom, the fire escape is the way out of the world he lives in with Amanda and Laura and an
entrance into the world of reality. Laura can also be considered as a representation of life as it was
before the great depression, but with the advent of the economic downfall, the austerity of the
society was also compromised. One the other hand, Tom resents him, because by doing so, he was
left with all his responsibilities over the family and is too struggling to depart from his deranged
mother. By: Tennessee Williams. Presented By: Cindy Prom, Victoria Keith, Carlos Tovar, Carly
Millard. It reminds her about how exciting her life used to be in the Old South. According to Gross,
Williams was very shy as a boy and did not like to socialize, causing him to be teased by his peers
(cited in Bard 6). The fate of the unicorn further represents the developments in Laura’s life. His
picture is featured prominently on the wall as a constant reminder of better times and days gone by.
Essay on The Glass Menagerie Research Paper on Symbolism in the. In the end, no character makes a
clean break from the situation at hand. All of the Wingfields are strange creatures who are fragile
enough to break easily. This is exactly what happens to Laura; usually she never talks and is
incredibly shy but then when Jim comes around she finds that human communication is better than
talking to her glass menagerie. This desolation and falling of living standards can be seen reflected in
the play. When Amanda learns of the news that Laura had dropped out of business college she is
very disheartened and worried as to how they will survive (Kirszner and Mandell 1813). At first
sight Tom seems to be the only one in the Wingfield family who is capable of functioning in the real
world, interacting with strangers, and holding down a job to finance his mother and sister. As the
play goes from start to finish, as the events take place and the play progresses each of the characters
undergoes a process, a change, or better yet a transition. This entrance into the apartment provides a
different purpose for each of the characters. Symbols in The Glass Menagerie essaysIn the Play The
Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, symbols represent his message he is trying to get through
to. Laura is so incredibly shy, so much so that she can't even compose herself for a business class at
the local college (Kirszner and Mandell 1813). Amanda’s efforts Scenes VI and VII: Questions
Amanda's efforts: Describe what she has done--to the house, to herself and to Laura. The rose-
colored light of the lamp in the living room seems to reflect an inner light coming from Laura with
Jim. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 8, 1991. Print. 25-26. What is this young man's position
at the warehouse. This is 100% legal. You may not submit downloaded papers as your own, that is
cheating. Also you. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our. The play has been done by
many with some The Glass Menagerie literature essays are academic essays for citation. Jim was
universally well-liked in high school for his friendly nature. When she says to Jim “Maybe it’s a
blessing in disguise” he change becomes more apparent. The moon is still a significant symbol when
Tom is about to leave the house and Amanda tells him, “Go, then. Just talk to our smart assistant
Amy and she'll connect you with the best.
Would your appraisal of the events be different if there were no narrator. The movies make him think
about all the adventures he missing. Blue roses are, although beautiful, not real and can’t be found in
nature, what refers to Laura’s uniqueness but also to her very own, special beauty that lies beyond
her differentness and inability to live in reality. You can use essay samples to find ideas and
inspiration for your paper. Tennessee Williams uses many situations, characters and objects as
symbols. In the audience’s view, when Amanda suggests Tom is living his dream she is the person
who lives in her illusion of good-old-days, where a bunch of gentlemen’s callers would appear every
day and each woman found a suitable man to marry with. Tom spends most of his free time
watching movies, drinking alcohol and writing poem and stories. With this being said, the narrator in
the play, Tom Wingfield, resembles Tennessee Williams himself. This idea of a church also links to
Laura, because you don’t only get candles in churches but you also get nuns. Amanda, who is the
domineering parent of Tom and Laura, lives in a fantasy world in which she was a young beautiful
girl, living in an area called Blue Mountain. His characters act within specific social expectations and
stereotypes, even while trying to escape or forget them. The behavior annoys his family “I do not
believe you go out to movies every night” (Tennessee 67). Also in terms of stage lighting the main
symbols are the candles, spotlight and the moonlight. But the glass menagerie is larger than just
Laura's collection. Laura manages to live such a life by withdrawing from people owing to her
shyness. This emotional colouring is most certainly memory, intended to reflect the feelings of the
characters and mood of the scene, rather than the actual time of day. The Glass Menagerie
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory - Shmoop. It could perhaps the ironic “Aha!” afterthought that one
gets so often when looking back on a situation. There is also a religious theme running throughout
the play. By description, it is a cramped, dinghy place, not unlike a jail cell. Her unique beauty and
delicateness is reflected in the glass pieces, which might be transparent and uninspiring, yet when
light falls on them, they can form a rainbow of colors. Laura is different from the others with her
shyness and her disability. She thinks he spends too much time watching movies and that he should
work harder and find a suitable companion for Laura. In my view, sympathy for Laura is advanced
by words, actions and symbolism. Moreover, there are characters in both narratives who. Amanda
sees the fire escape as an opportunity for gentleman callers to enter their lives. Tennessee Williams.
Born Thomas Lanier Williams in Columbus, Mississippi in 1911 His family moved frequently but
most of his school years were spent in Missouri near St. Louis. Laura points out to Jim that the
unicorn is different, just as she is different. Life with the Wingfields is as far from paradise as it
could possibly be. This is a touching display of innocent selfishness, a selfishness that exudes
vulnerability.
These three characters are: Amanda Wingfield, the mother and a women of a great confusing nature;
Laura Wingfield, one who is slightly crippled and lets that make her extremely self conscious; and
Tom Wingfield, one who feels trapped and is looking for a way out (Kirszner and Mandell 1805-06).
The Glass Menagerie identifies the conquest of reality by illusion as a huge and growing aspect of
the human condition in its time. Perhaps the music floating up to the apartment from the dance hall
is supposed to be her escape which she just can't take. Tom leaves, but his going away is not the
escape that he craved for so long. Being that this play establishes itself as a memory play Williams is
giving the audience a look at his own life, but being that the play is memory some things are
exaggerated and these exaggerations describe the extremity of how Williams felt during these
moments (Kirszner and Mandell 1807). Her unique beauty and delicateness is reflected in the glass
pieces, which might be transparent and uninspiring, yet when light falls on them, they can form a
rainbow of colors. In the end, no character makes a clean break from the situation at hand.
Tennessee Williams wrote the play so that each character had a special symbol that resembled their
personality. He is didn’t live in any fantasy world like Tom and his family did. Some theatre critics
also maintain that, because William’s material for his play is real and based on his childhood
memories, he does not have to drape his plays in realistic conventions for fear of lack of credibility.
The most important of the religious symbols is the fact that Jim is depicted as a potential savior for
Amanda and Laura. The theme of illusion is further developed by the glass unicorn, a symbol for
Laura. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our. Jim addresses Laura with her high
school nickname, “Blue Roses,” during the play. She is seeing now what she could have if she would
only come out of her shell, if she would come out of her world of glass, if she would come into
reality. The lighting, music and screen device are all used to create nostalgia and sadness, to speak to
the heart, not the mind, “.for memory is seated predominantly in the heart.” (Stage directions, p.
233). Free Essay: Tom ends the argument by calling Amanda an 'ugly- babbling old -witch'(Williams
1875), and struggles to put his coat on, intent on. Louis apartment, and Tom, at the end of the play,
becomes a wanderer like Williams (Barnard 3). Laura is metaphorically overdressing her glass
animals. The escape from this lifestyle, this apartment and these relationships is a significant theme
throughout the play. The Glass Menagerie is a play about coming-of-age. She also accuses Tom of
being a “selfish dreamer”, attempting to stop him from entering the real world, because of her and
Laura’s dependence of him. Even Jim, who represents the “world of reality,” is banking his future on
public speaking and the television and radio industries, all of which are means for the creation of
illusions and the persuasion of others that these illusions are true. Another would be the movies that
Amanda is always nagging him about. As a result of their inability to overcome this difficulty, the
characters withdraw into a private world of illusion to find the comfort they can’t find in real life.
The breakage of the unicorn also foreshadows the outcome of the play. What does the narrator
compare the apartment to in the opening sentence. Tom opines to Jim that the other viewers at the
movies he attends are substituting on-screen adventure for real-life adventure, finding fulfillment in
illusion rather than real life. In Scene 4, Amanda makes a type of agreement with Tom in regards to
Laura and his freedom. The main reason why the civil war started was because the confederate states
wanted to self govern and there was a very big problem with slavery because the Negro’s as they
were called, were being kept as slaves and made to pick cotton from the cotton fields.
The shinning moon is there during the whole time Jim stays with Laura, a slight glimmer of hope.
Her Menagerie is her escape from reality and provides a safe realm for Laura. According to him,
“Art is made out of symbols the way your body is made out of vital tissues” (cited in Barnard 1).
Tennessee Williams. AMANDA: They do or they do without it. Circulatory shock Cardiogenic
Shock Hypovolemic Shock Sepsis, Septic Shock an. First of all, we present you this The Glass
Menagerie essay to act as an example of how such papers should be written. The themes that are
particular highlighted are dreams, time, communication and imprisonment. He introduces the scenes
and gives an insightful commentary into the background of the play. She tells him of how she let her
disability get in her way, she tells him of how she was, and still is for that matter, very shy and didn't
have luck making friends, and she even admits to him that she liked him in high school (Kirszner and
Mandell 1843-45). I was having a lot of trouble with school, parents, and some more things I felt I
couldn’t deal with any longer so I began to play an online computer game, for hours every single
day, escaping into this digital world where I was a mighty warrior, appreciated and valued by other
players from all over the world. One could argue that Williams used these words, so that one would
interpret the menagerie, as a mother like figure. Essay on The Glass Menagerie Research Paper on
Symbolism in the. In the play of The Glass Menagerie the use of “magic lantern” slides was called
for in the production notes. Williams' characters are all lost in a dreamy state of illusion or escape
wishing for something that they don't have. Symbolism is a major aspect in Tennessee William’s
famous play, “The Glass Menagerie.” On the surface, the short slice Discuss the symbol of the glass
menagerie. He is placing them as characters because this “memory play” that Tom describes, is in
actuality Williams’ memory. In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams utilizes symbolism to help
convey a central theme. As the strain gets worse, the movie watching becomes more frequent, as
does Tom's drinking. Two of these objects are the glass menagerie and the glass unicorn. Symbols in
The Glass Menagerie essaysIn the Play The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, symbols
represent his message he is trying to get through to. In regard to stage props the main ones are the
glass menagerie, the fire escape and Mr. Wingfield’s picture. Laura's view is different from her
mother and her brother. Essay Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie The Glass Menagerie uses an
extensive pattern of symbolism that describes the characters of Tom,Amanda,Laura. The events that
happen to Laura's glass collection throughout the play affect her emotional state. Amanda is the boss
who influences the actions within the fire escape. Overall, it is a symbol of the passage from freedom
to being trapped in a life of desperation. The way he describes their location also has a lot of
symbolism in its roots because he describes them to be flowering as warty growths in overcrowded
urban centers. She wants Tom to attend college and make something of himself, but he lacks
ambition. As the strain gets worse, the movie watching becomes more frequent, as does Tom's
drinking. Being called blue roses by Jim, again symbolizes how he was able to see Laura’s beauty
when no one else could.
The rose-colored light of the lamp in the living room seems to reflect an inner light coming from
Laura with Jim. Amanda eventually pushes him over the edge, almost forcing him out, but not
without laying overpowering guild trips on him. Unfortunately, however, the glass collection is not
really useful for anything other than admiration; it does not have a function. Laura points out that
now it is like the other horses, just as Laura has shed some of her shyness and become more normal.
Her glass collection that she carefully takes care of, is the imaginary world she lives in to escape the
real live where she doesn’t finish high school, fails typing class, and doesn’t have any “gentlemen
callers” like her mother expects her to. His picture is featured prominently on the wall as a constant
reminder of better times and days gone by. This is why she enrolled Laura in business school, so that
when Tom left Laura would be able to take care of both herself and Amanda. I give you Truth in the
pleasant disguise of illusion.” (Scene 1, p. 234). This accessible literary criticism is perfect for anyone
faced with The Glass Menagerie essays, papers, tests, exams, or for anyone who needs to create a
The. Tom leaves, but his going away is not the escape that he craved for so long. They take him to
another world for a while, where mothers and sisters and runaway fathers do not exist. Accordingly,
for purposes of this brief analysis, the author will focus specifically upon the manner through which
symbolism is represented within Tennessee Williams “ the glass menagerie ”. The only time they
conversed was when Jim expressed concern about her extended absence from school, showing his
kind and friendly persona. By: Tennessee Williams. Presented By: Cindy Prom, Victoria Keith,
Carlos Tovar, Carly Millard. Amanda eventually pushes him over the edge, almost forcing him out,
but not without laying overpowering guild trips on him. Unlike her children Amanda is in a state of
illusion but convinced that she is not, this makes her flawed and responsible for the tragedy that
befell them even though she didn't realize it (The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams Analysis of
Major Characters). To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here. Unlike Tom who
changes of his own free will, Amanda is jerked out of her world and thrown into reality. On one
hand you have Laura behaving motherly, she is looking after her glass animals. The collection
provides her with a safe place where she can hide from the reality. She thinks of the fire escape as a
way into the life she wants to lead, and not a way out. Her unique beauty and delicateness is
reflected in the glass pieces, which might be transparent and uninspiring, yet when light falls on
them, they can form a rainbow of colors. The fire escape allows Tom the opportunity to get out of the
apartment and away from his nagging mother. There is one glass object that Laura really likes which
is a unicorn, so she picks it up and gives it to Jim then Jim accidentally drops it. To Laura on the
other hand, Jim represents her greatest fear. Report this resource to let us know if this resource
violates TPT’s content guidelines. The nationalists were very strong, powerful and rich they also had
powerful leaders by the name of Hitler, Mussolini and Franco, but the republicans had England and
France and later on in the battle the Russians came for support. The breaking of the glass unicorn by
Jim, and the other glass pieces by Tom at the end of the play, symbolizes how Tom left Laura, and
her uniqueness was also shattered and broken (Brandan 16). All in all, there are times when certain
denotations can help to convey a central teaching. As Tom says, “.I am the opposite of a stage
magician.
Merle, Jackson. E. The Glass Menagerie: Its No Tragedy, Freckles. When Amanda is heard walking
up the fire escape, Laura quickly hides her collection. This desolation and falling of living standards
can be seen reflected in the play. Jim also talks about how the unicorn must “feel sort of lonesome”
and like an outcast (Williams 97). It is significant that while she is dancing with Jim, an act engaged
in by active people with average lives, the couple accidentally bumps against the table; the unicorn
falls over, and its horn breaks off. Both of Amanda's children also escape from reality. I was having
a lot of trouble with school, parents, and some more things I felt I couldn’t deal with any longer so I
began to play an online computer game, for hours every single day, escaping into this digital world
where I was a mighty warrior, appreciated and valued by other players from all over the world. The
box-like apartment, entered from a fire escape, is a perfect symbol of their confinement. She also
points out that the unicorn does not complain of being different, as she does not complain either.
Most of these symbols have a direct meaning in the author’s own life, for example the magician who
escaped the coffin, which is what Williams did to his family. The Glass Menagerie is a play about
coming-of-age. She is mad and spread all anger to blame Tom’s irresponsibility, while Tom decides to
leave the family but cannot forgive his beloved sister Laura. This accessible literary criticism is
perfect for anyone faced with The Glass Menagerie essays, papers, tests, exams, or for anyone who
needs to create a The. When Jim later tells Laura that she has a fiancee and must leave, Laura
appears composed and sees him off a feature that shows her coming of age as she overcomes her
fears and shyness thanks to Jim. This shows us his longing to leave the apartment and head out into
the world of reality, a place where one can find adventure. Especially when you consider the later
references towards the glass menagerie. TENNESSEE WILLIAMS. BACKGROUND. Tennessee
Williams born Thomas Lanier Williams in 1911, Mississippi Very close to his sister Rose who suffered
from mental illness and had a lobotomy which altered her psychology permanently. Tennessee
Williams. AMANDA: They do or they do without it. The glass menagerie is one of the largest
symbols in the plot thereby influencing the title of the play. On page 30 when this happens, she looks
at Mr Wingfields picture which signified her downfall in her life. Tom develops the three behaviors
to escape from the condescending atmosphere around his home. What is this young man's position at
the warehouse. Tennessee Williams uses many situations, characters and objects as symbols. First of
all, the unicorn among Laura’s glass menagerie collection represents her individuality. THE
SYMBOLISM OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS THE GLASS MENAGERIE: AN In a later essay, he
speaks of the transformation into art of objects and events. The structure of the family complicates
Tom’s predicament while worsening Laura’s shy personality. Let us write or edit the research paper
on your topic. She controls the other characters and nags at Tom thereby making it difficult for the
two to live their lives naturally. The Glass Menagerie is fragile and delicate, just as Laura This
fragility is manifested physically in the glass; as Laura says, 'If you breathe, it breaks!' Yowzah.
Also, it represents Tom’s broken love to Amanda as being a son because he finally bursts out the
anger of cannot stand her irrational requests by directly depart from her control and leave the family.
It is getting harder and harder for Tom to avoid real life. These papers were written primarily by
students and provide critical analysis of The Glass Menagerie. Life with the Wingfields is as far
from paradise as it could possibly be. When Amanda tells Laura to practice typing, Laura instead
plays with her glass. Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest Serena Tanchella Presentation on
Hamlet by William Shakespeare Presentation on Hamlet by William Shakespeare Monir Hossen
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Frankenstein by Mary Shelley SSCCM, Dept. She always told Laura
and Tom about the many gentleman callers she received every day. In 1950 and 1951 his works the
glass menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire were made into motion pictures. There are several
symbols in the play that represent that in some way. All the world was waiting for bombardments!”
(Scene 5, p. 265) Williams also refers repeatedly to the Spanish revolution: “In Spain there was
Guernica. The name is also associated with Laura’s attraction to Jim and the joy that his kind
treatment brings her. This is evident when Tom stands on the fire escape to smoke, showing that he
does not like to be at home; to be a part of the illusory world of both Amanda and Laura, which they
both find security in. And when Jim breaks the horn off the unicorn, Laura points out that now it is
like the other horses, just as Laura has shed some of her shyness and become more “normal”.
Tennessee Williams. Themes. Reality versus Illusion Tom Laura Amanda Loneliness Amanda’s
loquacious nature Power of Memory Father’s picture Laura blowing out the candles. Symbols. Fire
Escape. What is the significance of Laura blowing out the candle at the end of the play. He points
out that this is not an unrealistic story; rather, beneath the layers are found real characters,
experiences, and relations. Aristotle's poetics were created by Aristotle himself and they were a
literary work of his dramatic theory. “The Glass Menagerie” is a play written by, Tennessee Williams,
that exemplifies Aristotle's opinion of poetry being an imitation of life. Laura also enjoyed the name
because the name helped her have a better connection with Jim. The reason why Amanda
continuously prevents Tom from leaving home is mainly because of Laura’s dependence of him. This
is when she realizes that unless there is a major change on Laura's part, that Laura will never be
suited for a business career nor will she be married. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of
truth. It could perhaps the ironic “Aha!” afterthought that one gets so often when looking back on a
situation. Louis, Missouri. Amanda is completely unable to comprehend he son’s needs in life and
often doesn’t believe that he is going to the movies night after night. The way he describes their
location also has a lot of symbolism in its roots because he describes them to be flowering as warty
growths in overcrowded urban centers. The theme is this particular piece of music is imprisonment,
because Laura is imprisoned by her mother’s expectations and dreams for her becoming a great
woman when she is older. What effects did the war have on the country though. The symbolic
intentions and motives are that Laura will be transformed into a productive, independent and
married individual, in order for Tom to be able to leave home with the assurance that she is well
cared for and that Amanda is satisfied. It is also very apparent that the movies not only provide Tom
with inspiration and adventure, but it also symbolises escape from the dull life he leads living with is
mother and sister is St. The collection provides her with a safe place where she can hide from the
reality. Williams' characters are all lost in a dreamy state of illusion or escape wishing for something
that they don't have. She had high hopes of marrying a wealthy man but instead, she settled for a
telephone man who eventually abandons her and the kids.