oup, indicating how she feels about herself in a world with normal people. Laura can be broken both literally and figuratively as easily as glass. “If you breathe[on glass], it breaks.” (101) Laura suffers from an “inferiority complex,” much like how Jim described. She feels burdened with The fracture of the unicorn converted the figurine from “freakish” to normal. At this point in the play, Laura is no longer retreating to her imaginary world. Her self- confidence has risen because the man she desired for in high school is showing an interest in her. In a stark contrast to an earlier reaction in the play when a figurine was shattered, Laura reacted to the unicorn fracture almost nonchalantly. Earlier in the play when Tom broke a figurine, Laura reacted as though the breaking mortally wounded her. When the unicorn was fractured, Laura seemed to be relieved that the unicorn was no longer freakish. Her interactions with Jim allowed herself to believe that she could be normal. By believing that she could be normal, her true charm is seen and she no longer appears withdrawn. The symbolism of the fractured unicorn shifts when Jim reveals to Laura his engagement to another girl. The news of the engagement shatters Laura’s self-esteem and forces her to revert back to her imaginary world. The fractured unicorn no longer represents Laura’s intentions to become normal, but represents a new life Laura is not willing to deal with. She can no longer relate to the normal unicorn because it is no longer freakish or unique, as the reverted Laura is. She parts with the unicorn and gives it to Jim because the unicorn now represents the ordinary, which is characteristic of Jim. ...
