Essay Examples on The Glass Menagerie Essay Example

Essay Examples on The Glass Menagerie Paper 1st Essay Sample on The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams is a play in which the contrast between characters – Amanda and Laura – exaggerate one another’s personalities. This is shown throughout on many different occasions and in many different ways. Amanda and Laura are portrayed as social opposites. Although in despite of this – almost never arise in a heated argument due to Laurel’s peacemaker role. Amanda is the typical Southern Belle, constantly reminiscing about her glory days when she once entertained seventeen gentleman callers. Many of whom went on to become wealthy and successful: Champ Laughlin who became vice-president; Hadley Stevenson who invested thousands in bonds and Fiftieth- The Wolf of Wall Street. She ended up marrying her children’s father Mr. Winnfield because of his charm. He left many years before which has evidently affected Amanda greatly, forcing her to put on a false sense of satisfaction. Her life is devoted to her children who she adapts her lifestyle to accommodate. However she does not seem to comprehend that her over confident persona is driving her eldest son Tom away. The pair often argue which results in him leaving – since this is a memory play from Tom’s perspective we do not find out how Amanda copes with her loss. Her other child, Laura -although not appreciating her mother’s actions at times- never argues with her mother. Laurel’s personality I hugely affected by her limp making her a very shy, calm nature. Unlike her mother, Laura is not confident In herself and suffers from low self esteem. She has also never had a gentleman caller which shocks Amanda as she had so many at Laurel’s age, but she admits to liking a boy- once. 2nd Essay Sample on The Glass Menagerie We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on The Glass Menagerie specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In his play, â€Å"The Glass Managerie’, Tennessee Williams uses the imagery of a glass unicorn to help convey the emotional anguish of the character, Laura. The unicorn symbolizes Laura’s feelings of being â€Å"freakish† (scene seven) which has made her a recluse. It is in the second scene that the author begins to reveal Laura’s obsession with her glass collection. Laura is lying back gazing into a crystal and seems to be lost in her own private world when she suddenly hears her mother approaching. It is obvious that her mother, Amanda, has berated Laura many times about her preoccupation with the glass. We know this because Laura panics at the prospect of her mother finding her at it again. Once we have seen Amanda’s tirade about Laura dropping out of business school, Laura’s state seems licit. The glass in this scene seems to be Laura’s hopes and dreams of another life. She hasn’t the courage to live a normal sociable life, but her fantasy world of the glass menagerie fulfills her need for more than the confines of the apartment. Later, in scene three, Amanda’s critical remarks toward her son, Tom, provokes an argument. Laura nearly cowers as she watches her brother and mother yell at one another. It is in this scene that Tom accidentally breaks some of Laura’s precious glass collection as he rushes out the door. When Tom turns to pick-up the glass, he is unable to express his remorse for having shattered something so precious to his sister. The symbolism of the glass in this scene seems to represent Laura’s emotions. The author directs that she remain in plain view, even though she doesn’t speak, so that the audience can see her suffer through the heated argument. As the audience watches her agony, they will begin to feel some of the anguish that Laura undergoes. Laura feels at fault for the tension in the house, knowing that most of her mother’s worry comes from Laura’s neediness.