The Glass Menagerie, a play by Tennessee Williams, is a memory play set in St. Louis in 1937 just at the start of the Great Depression in America. The Glass Menagerie focuses on three completely different characters, their dreams, and each individual’s inner struggle to face reality. Laura Wingfield and Tom Wingfield obtain certain weaknesses, which include self-consciousness and the incapability of making the decision to remove oneself from their current circumstances which ultimately inhibits their ability to deal with the world in which they live in. Laura and Tom both wish for more in life but are held back due to their positions they choose to remain in. Laura is a sweet and compassionate young lady, however, she is also extremely
…show more content…
Tom as well as Laura both display emotion throughout the play through their actions and speech. Each character conflicts with the idea of what they would like their life to be and how both are in a deep predicament with their few options in life. Tom would like to explore the world and leave behind the secluded world he feels he is currently living. Laura’s shyness and unwillingness to finish high school or even begin college demonstrates her want to escape the world she feels secluded from. Both display the fantasy of following different lives. In the play, Tom points out Laura’s personality and describes her as living in her own little world, while this is true of Laura; it is also true of Tom. Tom says, “She lives in a world of her own-a world of-little glass ornaments…” (Scene 5). Although Tom understands that Laura uses the glass and the Victrola to escape from the world he is never able to believe they are alike when they most definitely are. Laura encounters Tom when he is returning from the movies. Pleading to Tom, she says, “Tom! It’s nearly seven. Don’t make mother nervous. Tom speak to mother this morning. Makeup with her, apologize, speak to her” ( Scene 4). Laura attempts to settle things between Amanda and Tom, asking him to apologize to prevent an argument when Tom arrives home drunk. Laura understands Tom’s eagerness to escape and explains it to her mother. Before Tom actually leaves both Laura and Amanda, he lives with the idea and desire to travel far and view the world. This belief defines Tom as a dreamer which Laura demonstrates as well. Both are under the control of their mother, who wants to have life planned out for them, which makes them vulnerable and more defiant to what they actually want to do
Tom as well as Laura both display emotion throughout the play through their actions and speech. Each character conflicts with the idea of what they would like their life to be and how both are in a deep predicament with their few options in life. Tom would like to explore the world and leave behind the secluded world he feels he is currently living. Laura’s shyness and unwillingness to finish high school or even begin college demonstrates her want to escape the world she feels secluded from. Both display the fantasy of following different lives. In the play, Tom points out Laura’s personality and describes her as living in her own little world, while this is true of Laura; it is also true of Tom. Tom says, “She lives in a world of her own-a world of-little glass ornaments…” (Scene 5). Although Tom understands that Laura uses the glass and the Victrola to escape from the world he is never able to believe they are alike when they most definitely are. Laura encounters Tom when he is returning from the movies. Pleading to Tom, she says, “Tom! It’s nearly seven. Don’t make mother nervous. Tom speak to mother this morning. Makeup with her, apologize, speak to her” ( Scene 4). Laura attempts to settle things between Amanda and Tom, asking him to apologize to prevent an argument when Tom arrives home drunk. Laura understands Tom’s eagerness to escape and explains it to her mother. Before Tom actually leaves both Laura and Amanda, he lives with the idea and desire to travel far and view the world. This belief defines Tom as a dreamer which Laura demonstrates as well. Both are under the control of their mother, who wants to have life planned out for them, which makes them vulnerable and more defiant to what they actually want to do