What Does The Unicorn Symbolize In The Glass Menagerie

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, there is heavy emphasis on symbolism as representation of characters that can be related to symbolism found in two other plays, A Raisin In the Sun and The Death of A Salesman. In particular, these symbols reveal more to the characters than can just be seen from their words or actions and act as an indicator of growth or change or as a forewarning of their future. They are also connected by the main characters - three families of poorer status who all face the challenges that come from poverty and dealing with the expectations of others. The most prominent symbol of the play is Laura’s favorite piece from her collection of glass menagerie - a unicorn. The unicorn symbolizes Laura since both are different from the others around them. The unicorn has a horn that the horses of the collection do not, and Laura has a crippled leg that other girls do not. Ironically, Jim - who manages to connect with Laura and get her to open up - does not even notice the horn at first. It is when only when Laura points it out that he realizes that the piece is different, symbolizing how he is able to “overlook” Laura’s leg. Later too, he seems regretful that he breaks the horn off while Laura only feels relief. She proclaims, while smiling, “The horn was …show more content…
For Laura, it is the glass unicorn. For Amanda, it is memories. For Tom, it is his father. These symbols are also close in relation to symbols found in two other famous plays, Raisin In the Sun and The Death of A Salesman. In all three they deal with poor families struggling to overcome hardships and the symbols present each character’s response to these troubles for it is in the face of adversity that we see the most growth. Williams writes it so each symbol allows the reader or viewer to gain a more profound insight of each member of the Wingfield family: Laura dreams, Amanda reminisces, and Tom