e crosses to the shelf and drops awdwardly to collect the fallen glass. He knows how much the figuines meant to her and did whatever he could to repair the damage. At first glance, Tom may appear to be a simple character but after closer inspection he is revealed to be a much more complex character.Toms character traits connect greatly to the overall themes and meaning of The Glass Menagerie. Tom betrays his family in more ways than one when he leaves to join the merchant marines. He not only takes their main source of income away but goes directly against Amandas belief that he should find adventure in his daily life, rather than seek it out elsewhere. Toms betrayal reveals a great deal about what he believes to be important in life.Tom obviously believes that while family is important, personal dreams and desires should come first. This shows that he thinks that betrayal and heartbreak are just parts of life that should be overcome. But when he describes feeling his sister behind him, he is letting the audience know that perhaps he has made the wrong choice in leaving his family behind....
