Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Theater symbolism in glass menagerie symbolism in glass menagerie In Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie; Williams used symbols to represent the reoccurring theme of the failure to accept reality. The use of the fire escape, Tom’s constant visits to the movies, Jim O’Connor(“the common man”),and Laura’s collection of glass animals were the main symbols Williams used to achieve the escape of the characters into their own realms. Often people try to find small objects to distract them from the reality of the world. Presented in the first scene, the fire escape correspond to the “bridge” between the illusory worlds of the Wingfields and the world of reality. While the fire escape was a symbol of a passage to the Wingfields family’s non existent worlds, it also had an individualized meaning to each of the characters as well. For Tom, the fire escape was the way out of the world of Amanda and Laura and an entrance into a world of just Tom, with no responsibilities like, when Tom would stand outside on the fire escape to smoke. Tom did this to show that he did not like to be inside, he would had much rather ventured out into the world. As Tom searched for the route outward, Laura wished to keep inside. Laura thought of the fire escape as a way into her own private place where she was safe from reality, this could be recognized when Amanda sent Laura to the store and ends up tripping on the fire escape. Laura noticed that she was safe within her own boundaries but once she stepped outside the boundaries she got hurt. Laura used the fire escape as a haven to view out into the real world but keep the harshness of the world away from her. Tom’s habit of going to the movies showed his longing to leave the apartment and head out into the world away from the confinement of the same old walls he had always known. He wanted to find the places where one could find adventure and romance, and Tom being a poet, could understand the longing men sometimes had for adventure and romance. A similar symbol to the movies was the poster of the Merchant Marines, which Tom aspired to join but, his mother, Amanda, criticized him of being a “selfish dreamer”, and kept him from reaching for his ambitions. Another symbol, which dealt with both Amanda and Laura, was Jim O’Connor. Laura looked at Jim as her greatest fear, reality. She was scared of facing up to life , so she ran from any connection to the outside world. Amanda believed that Jim was a perfect example of “the common man,” a person with no real outstanding quality, in fact Jim was rather awkward, which was seen when he danced with Laura. Jim reminded Amanda of the days of her youth, when she went frolicking about picking jonquils and relishing in her “seventeen gentlemen callers on one Sunday afternoon.” Although Amanda desired to see Laura settled down with a nice young man, the invitation of Jim was obviously made so that Amanda could live vicariously through her daughter and remember what it felt like to be wanted. The collection of the glass animals signified Laura’s escape into her carefree happy world. While Laura played with the glass figurines it set her in a place where she could hide and be safe. Amanda told Laura to practice typing, instead Laura played with her glass animals but, as soon as Laura heard Amanda walk up the fire escape, she quickly hid her collection to hide her secret world from others. When Tom left to go to the movies in an angered rush, he accidentally broke some of Laura’s glass animals. The shattered glass epitomized Laura’s understanding of Tom’s responsibilities toward her, and finally understanding that she was the main reason he could not live his life the way he wanted to. One of the pieces that was broken, a unicorn, was broken by Jim. The Broken unicorn directly characterized Laura as a person. Laura pointed out to Jim that the unicorn was different, just as she was different, and that the unicorn did not complain of being different, just as she did not complain of being different. Laura recognized the horn, which made the unicorn unique, was broken making it just like the other horses. The broken horn was a direct comparison to Laura’s life, just like the horn she had broken herself of being shy and she started to become just like everyone else, normal. Through the use of symbols Tennessee Williams made the point that one can never really ignore reality. People may find small objects to distract them from what really happens but, sooner or later people have to face the facts of reality and deal with it. Bibliography: Word Count: 800
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