The play ‘The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams focuses on the life of Amanda along with her son Tom, and “weakling” daughter Laura during the year 1937 at St. Louis. Having been left by their father, Tom, as the eldest son, was forced to work for the family (Bigsby, 1988).
The characterization, the lines used, and the symbolisms frequently used in the play make up for one whole interesting and heartwarming play. Moreover, the feelings of isolation, disappointment, entrapment, and/or expectations coupled with failed dreams are all highlighted in this story, written in a very dramatic and effective way enabling the readers to easily relate to the feeling of each of the characters.
First, there are personality differences. This occurs in the three most important characters in the play – Amanda, Laura, and Tom. Tom, as the sole breadwinner of the family, attains a strong personality along with a great determination to keep on living, not only for himself but also for the people who only live because of him. During the day, he is seen working at the Continental Shoemakers warehouse, but at nighttime, he seems to be always out, watching movies (Bigsby, 1988). Tom is a lot different from Amanda, the loving yet nagging mother, who is frequently in word fights with Tom because of her habit to meddle over her son and daughter’s lives. Her past story with her “bad” ex-husband kept on bugging her as if reminding her how she chose badly when it comes to men. And Tom is also a lot different from Laura, the frightened and shy daughter of Amanda, and his younger sibling. Her lame foot and poor self-confidence makemake herdepictedas a “burden” for the family. This is the reason why upon knowing that she has no guts to finish her class in Rubicam’s Business College, she is pushed by her Mom to look for a possible husband (Bigsby, 1988). However, Laura seldom goes out and is always seen holding and taking care of her glass menagerie, that is why Amanda entrusted to Tom the duty of finding a guy for Laura.
The main problem in the play started when the father and the husband left his family. That made Amanda’s life miserable resulting in an equally miserable life for their sons and daughter. All the problems encountered by the family such as Laura’s indifference and lack of confidence in herself are just part of the results of what happened to Amanda. And with this, the solution for their problem should also start with Amanda. If only she restrain herself from thinking and burying herself with the memories of the past… if only she just encourages her son and daughter to live a happy life, advice them of what is good, and teach them how to avoid those that are not good instead of full interference with their lives even to the point of pushing her daughter to marry the guy Laura doesn’t know personally… if only she knows how to show love and concern for her family and to put a happy environment with their home, maybe their lives could be a lot different and maybe Tom will not leave them and Laura will not be that ashamed of herself.
With the story plot and the major characters stated above, it became very clear that the major theme of the play is all about moving on… continuing your life … and making it more productive despite every negative thought and/or bad experience you may have had. The feeling of failure makes epicted to Amanda’s personality. Her way of nagging her kids is the best sign that she really felt bad about what had happened to her love life. That could be the greatest failure for a woman. Failing to maintain a complete family – one which has a responsible father, a loving mother, and respectful children – seems to be the heaviest burden on her shoulder. Tom, on the other hand, feels isolated. He feels that he became the sole responsible for his family; with no help whatsoever from his sister nor his mother. That makes him thinks and feel that nobody is depicted as there for him… that nobody has been backing him up. Moreover, because of his mother’s problem, he then feels that he was trapped inside the web of his own family. This is because he feels trapped and obliged that he should provide for his family. After all, it is only him who has the means to do that. The feeling of disappointment is what is in Laura’s mind and heart. She is disappointed towards her physical appearance… her being lame (Bigsby, 1988). She is extremely disappointed with her family’s way of life, in general, which she thinks is responsible for why she can’t find a good guy to marry her.
Indeed, this is one good and carefully written story… a story that is about a family and really for the family. Every family member could reflect his or her life on this story. Every family member could get some lessons on this story… lessons which she/he could use in managing his/her own family life in the end.
Reference:
Bigsby, C. W. E. “Celebration of a Certain Courage.” Modern Critical Interpretations: Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988, 89-99.