In Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie, the main character, Tom Wingfield constantly struggles with his desire to escape. He dreams of adventure and a life beyond his tiny tenement apartment. He is imprisoned in an unsatisfying world where he is constantly nagged and made to be responsible for his unusual sister. Tom’s desire to escape is emphasized by a number of symbols throughout the play. Tom battles with being tied down, his desire to escape, and his actual attempts to escape. They only ever can be considered attempts due to it not being possible for him to truly leave.
Even though Tom dreams about adventure, he is never actually able to reach it. It would be unconceivable due to that fact that Tom is being tied down. His life …show more content…
Instead, Tom only attempts to leave. He uses the fire escape, cigarettes, and the movies as an excuse to leave his dissatisfactory reality. The fire escape is always there. It is always posing as an opportunity to leave but Tom never takes it. He makes it as far as putting a foot out, but never takes the first step. He always returns, and his life stays the same. Eventually, Amanda reaches Tom’s breaking point and it enforces Tom decision to disappear. Tom in his monologue explains, “I descended the steps of this fire escape for the last time and followed, from then on, in my father’s footsteps” (97). He takes that first step into leaving. However, the play is his memory and he will never escape from the pain of leaving Laura. Making this only an attempt of escaping. Moreover, Tom leaves reality when he goes to the movies or gets a cigarette. He only does this after Amanda and him have a disagreement or argue. In the moments when he leaves to go to the movies or get a cigarette he no longer has to worry. Laura is not there to be a burden. Amanda is not there to cause frustration. Tom is alone, with nothing hanging over his head. Unfortunately, this can only be considered as attempts. Tom returns to the apartment every time and never can truly
Even though Tom dreams about adventure, he is never actually able to reach it. It would be unconceivable due to that fact that Tom is being tied down. His life …show more content…
Instead, Tom only attempts to leave. He uses the fire escape, cigarettes, and the movies as an excuse to leave his dissatisfactory reality. The fire escape is always there. It is always posing as an opportunity to leave but Tom never takes it. He makes it as far as putting a foot out, but never takes the first step. He always returns, and his life stays the same. Eventually, Amanda reaches Tom’s breaking point and it enforces Tom decision to disappear. Tom in his monologue explains, “I descended the steps of this fire escape for the last time and followed, from then on, in my father’s footsteps” (97). He takes that first step into leaving. However, the play is his memory and he will never escape from the pain of leaving Laura. Making this only an attempt of escaping. Moreover, Tom leaves reality when he goes to the movies or gets a cigarette. He only does this after Amanda and him have a disagreement or argue. In the moments when he leaves to go to the movies or get a cigarette he no longer has to worry. Laura is not there to be a burden. Amanda is not there to cause frustration. Tom is alone, with nothing hanging over his head. Unfortunately, this can only be considered as attempts. Tom returns to the apartment every time and never can truly