Important Symbols and Themes of The Glass Menagerie by...

Important Symbols and Themes of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie is considered a memory play because it is told from the memory of the narrator. The narrator, who is also a character, is Tom Wingfield, the youngest member of the Wingfield family. The other characters are Amanda Wingfield, his mother; Laura Wingfield, his older sister; and Jim OConnor the gentleman caller. A fifth character is represented by the photograph of Mr. Wingfield, who left the family a long time ago. It is this departure by Mr. Wingfield that represents the theme of escape throughout the play. The Glass Menagerie is set in the apartment of the Wingfield family†¦show more content†¦Just the name of the place is a total anomaly in the story. Life with the Wingfields is as far from paradise as it could possibly be. Morning after morning, the only thing Tom and Amanda do is argue. Laura appears to find solace in playing the same records repeatedly again, day after day. Could the music floating from the dance hall to the apartment represent Lauras escape that she is afraid to take? With war ever present in the background, the dance hall could be the last chance for paradise. Another symbol presented deals more with Tom than any of the other characters. Toms habit of going to the movies shows us his longing to leave the apartment and head out into the world of reality, a place where one can find adventure. Tom, who considers himself a poet, can understand mans need for romance and adventure. The number one obstacle keeping Tom from entering reality is Amanda, who criticizes him for being a selfish dreamer (Williams 281). Tom has already take steps to ensure his escape into reality by transferring the payment of the light bill to pay for his dues in the Union of Merchant Seamen (Williams 264). Jim OConnor represents a symbol for both Laura and Amanda. To Laura, Jim represents the one thing she fears and does not want to face, reality. To Amanda, Jim represents the days of her youth, when sheShow MoreRelated The Importance of Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie Essay1609 Words   |  7 PagesImportance of Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie  Ã‚      Tom Wingfield is the narrator and a major character in Tennessee William’s timeless play, The Glass Menagerie. Through the eyes of Tom, the viewer gets a glance into the life of his family in the pre-war depression era; his mother, a Southern belle desperately clinging to the past; his sister, a woman too fragile to function in society; and himself, a struggling, young poet working at a warehouse to pay the bills. 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