Symbols In Glass Managerie Essay Research Paper

Symbols In Glass Managerie Essay, Research Paper

Symbolism in The Glass Managerie

The Glass Managerie written by Tennessee Williams is a modern drama that focuses on the personal experiences that a family goes through during the 1930?s depression. Tom serves as the narrator and protagonist. He lives at home with his mom, Amanda and his sister, Laura whom he supports by working in a show warehouse. Tom hates his job very much and constantly dreams of becoming a marine someday. Tom dislikes having all these responsibilities and continues to strive for adventure by going to movies and sitting on the fire escape. Tom?s mother, Amanda, is quite controlling and confused. Her husband left when the children were very young. Therefore it is hard for her to cope at times and her overload of words belittles them. At some points, it seems as if Amanda finds it necessary to lie to her children to make matters better. Brown has noted that ?if they lie to others, their major lie is to themselves? (qtd. in 457). Tom?s sister, Laura, suffers from a minor disorder creating problems in distinguishing the difference between reality and fantasy. Due to this disorder, Laura becomes very dependent on Tom and Amanda. Lastly, Jim O?Connor is one of Tom?s friends at the warehouse. He is different from all the other characters. He works very hard and does his best to reach his goal of obtaining the American Dream. Jim acts as a guardian angel for the family, letting them all know there is still hope in fulfilling their dreams. Tennessee Williams places symbols around these characters that creates a variety of attitudes but one focus ? survival.

These symbols used in The Glass Managerie are extremely interesting. The unicorn symbolizes Laura?s complexity and uniqueness, the picture of Mr. Wingfield symbolizes a very dictating/strong influence on the family he deserted, and the coffin trick done by Malvolio symbolizes the overwhelming breathtaking pressure that Tom sometimes feel concerning his lifestyle.

The unicorn symbolizes ways that Laura is unusual. The structure of the unicorn especially the horn refers to ways that Laura is a strange person. Laura?s escape includes her glass managerie, listening to records on the Victrola, and visiting the park and zoo. Laura is able to identify with the glass managerie because she has trouble facing the real world. The pieces are small and delicate just like Laura feels she is. The Victrola is a reminder of her father, Mr. Wingfield. She plays records to get away from the present day situations and reminiscence about the times she had with her father. When Laura stops going to Rubicam?s Business College, she would spend many a lot of her time at the zoo or park. She loved nature and thought that the zoo and park were absolutely beautiful which was a deep contrast to her real life. Laura?s emotional problems cause many difficulties in her life. While in high school, Laura was really self-conscious about the brace she has to wear. This is very apparent while she talks to Jim:

?Yes it was hard for me, getting upstairs. I had that brace on my leg ? it clumped so loud! I never heard any clumping. To me it sounded like ? thunder! Well, well, well, I never even noticed. And everybody was seated before I came in?I had to go clumping all the way up the aisle with everyone watching! You shouldn?t have been self-conscious. I know, but I was? (Williams 1055).

Laura suffered all the way through high school. She scored very low on her final examinations and dropped out of school. After this failure, her self-esteem dropped from low to basically nonexistent. She could not face going back to school. Six years later, with a lot of pressure form her mom, Amanda; Laura tried to work towards completing her education again. She enrolled at Rubicam?s Business College. Laura only made it to the first test. When the test began, Laura became nauseous, and vomited on the floor and had to be carried out and lead to the bathroom. Laura never returned to school, and once again her fragile emotions got the best of her. The crystal clearness of the unicorn represents the fact that problems are easily apparent to anyone who cares to notice them. This is best seen through Jim?s evaluation of her:

?You know what I judge to be the trouble with you? Inferiority complex! ?Yep ? that?s what I judge to be your principal trouble. A lack of confidence in yourself as a person. You don?t have the proper amount of faith in yourself. I?m basing that fact on a number of your remarks and also on certain observations I?ve made? (Williams 1056-1057).

Jim, a stranger, was able to see good things through Laura and recognize her problems. Although the unicorn is the most recognizable symbol in the play, the portrait of Mr. Wingfield also serves as a meaningful symbol.

Mr. Wingfield?s picture is an insignia of his influence on Amanda, Laura and Tom. First, the size of the portrait suggests Mr. Wingfield?s strong grip on Laura, even though he has been gone nearly sixteen years. The ?blown up? photograph emerges on the wall as a gloomy reminder of him (Williams 1033). This really distresses Laura, who is optimistic that her father will return someday. This is visible when she plays the Victrola. The Victrola gives her pleasant thoughts of her father. She thinks about when times were good and wishes for that to take place again. The grin on Mr. Wi