Glass Menagerie Definition

There are times in life that a person can feel as if they are trapped. People can be trapped by their parents, others by their own insecurities, and some by their past. In The Glass Menagerie, each character fights themselves with a different definition of captivity. Although the characters may seem as if they have could change their situations easily, there is no tangible or direct answers to the reasons people cling to the past. Although each character is unhappy with their lives, each rationalized with themselves to normalize the situation.
Tom lives with his sister and his mother and convinces himself that it is his responsibility to care for the family. His father is no longer in the picture, having ran out on his mother some years ago. Tom feel jealous of his father, often fighting with his mother about not having a life of his own. “It seems unimportant to you, what I’m doing- what I want to do- having a little difference between them!” (1147: pt. 1, ch. 2). Tom is unhappy with his life and longs to have adventure. He is trapped by his mother feeding his guilt and responsibility. …show more content…
Taking care of delicate glass figures gives her a past time and makes her feel as if she has importance in her life. Being shy has made Laura an introvert, she has dropped out of typing classes and has a nonexistent social life. She feels a special connection with a glass figurine of a unicorn, the only one of its kind in her entire collection. Caring for her aptly named menagerie gives her a sense of purpose in her life. “My glass collection takes up a good deal of time. Glass is something you have to take good care of.” (1176: pt. 2, ch 2). By immersing herself into a pretend world, Laura traps herself by her own