The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is by Tennessee Williams, is about how unstable and fragile a persons life can be. Tom is a warehouse worker who often goes to the movies. The movies are symbolic because he uses them to escape from his controlling, delusional mother Amanda. He feels that the movies is the only place that will give him adventure, there he has a since of belonging and is able to be free. Another Symbolic place for Tom is the fire escape; this is where he goes to smoke. Fire escapes are used to flee from fires, which is also the place Tom enjoys to get out of the house.
Laura is Toms sister she is a high school drop out that never amounted to anything. Laura collects Glass Menageries. The Glass Menagerie symbolizes how fragile Laura is. Laura is like her collection the odd one out of all of them. Lauras collection consist of all horse and one Unicorn. During the play Laura gets reacquainted with a high school gentleman named Jim. Jim helps Laura put her guard down and dances with her in her living room. Jim accidently knocks over Lauras glass unicorn. Laura doesnt seem to mind, this to her seems to be a sign for change and that herself could be changing too. Another Symbol for Laura is her record player. Laura listens to music as a means to escape her daily life and problems.
Amanda is most unstable one of them all. She lives in a delusional world in her mind. She has deceptions that her children will succeed and become greater things. Symbolically for Amanda is the apartment. The Apartment is the only place where she can control her children. Even though she doesnt pay rent, Amanda feels as if it is her own.
In conclusion, The Glass Menagerie shows the instability of the familys life, symbolically its main focus is on Laura but the entire family seems to be stuck in their own world and at any point could break just like the glass menagerie.
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