The Glass Menagerie Theme Essay Research Paper — страница 2

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the pieces in her glass collection; she is very delicate and also fragile, to only be placed on a shelf and only looked at not touched. The glassware and Laura are unable to withstand the bumps and busyness of the outside world. Laura is aware of her mother’s goals for her but makes them not important to her at all. What is important to Laura is the comfort and feelings of continually unity of her family. During the fights between her mother and brother the stage lights are positioned as “a clear pool light on her figure” (1908), showing that is the one totally suffering from this fight. Williams, as if to imply the hurt done by this argument, gives us examples of ; “a tinkle of shattering glass”, then “Laura cries out as if wounded” (1910). Laura tries to covience

Tom to “make up with her, apologize, speak to her” (1912). Maybe in doing this the relationship between Amanda and Tom will help Laura reign the feeling that her family is going to get a-long. She desperately needs the peace in her family so she can live. Later in the play, Jim O’Conner, is brought into Laura’s life. He is a attraction to Laura that she has had for a long time. The outside influence of Jim creates a major change in her “world of little glass ornaments” (1922). Here again she is forced into the goals her mother has made for her. As a result of her mothers goals, Laura lies “huddled up on the sofa” (1932), alone like always. When this antagonist which is emotionally approaches Laura, she is scared with lots of fear. His “warmth overcomes her

paralyzing shyness her paralyzing shyness” (1934), and she lets Jim McKendry 4 slowly into her small little world. Laura is easily impressed with his compliments and conversation. Her precious glass unicorn is broken but she accepts the damage as “maybe a blessing in disguise” 1942). This encounter with Jim is to Laura, the “climax of her secret life” (1934). Jim has know become a way for Laura to get away from her mother dominance. Throughout the whole play, Williams portrays for us how Tom feels the distress of his sister’s trapped life, and the overwhelming love and high expectations of his mother and is lowly being forced out of living with his family. Tom feels like he has to take care of his mother and sisters because of his father being gone. He is

involuntarily torn between the duty of caring for his mother and sister and the desire to get out on an adventure. Tom lives his adventure every night by going to the movies. Williams explains to us that to “escape from a trap he has to act without pity” (1898), just as his father apparently did. He tries to stay and uphold the responsibility of the house made by his mothers high expectations. When finally confronted by Amanda he runs to the firescape or off to the movies. Finally, just as his father did, Tom chooses to leave and live the adventure he has watched so many times on the movie screen. Tom makes his choice to “follow” in his “father’s footsteps” (1947). the faithfulness that he has to Laura as put on by his mother, goes with him and ends up scaring him.

In closing, Williams has proven to us the reader that in the best efforts of Amanda she guides her children into the high expectations that she has planned out for them. They ultimately do the opposite. Laura has become a part of here glass collection. “too exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf” (1898). Brought on by the high expectations of her mother, Laura lives a life of shyness. This makes Amanda upset for her only wish is “success and happiness” for her “precious children” (1918). Tom just cannot avoid following in his fathers footsteps. Tom would McKendry 5 love to escape his role as the man of the home without hurting or taking away the love of Amanda or Laura. Amanda only does what she thinks is best but does not always do that.