The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Finishing The Glass Menagerie over the weekend left me a little disappointed.  I enjoy reading novels or plays that answer all of my questions.  In the end you never know if Laura ends up finding a man or if Amanda is able to continue living her life off of someone else’s money.   Looking at the big picture however, the play is not about Laura or Amanda; it is truly about Tom and his struggle with working in the warehouse.  Tom shows Jim his membership to “The Union of Merchant Seamen” (Williams 62) says how “[he] paid [his] dues this month, instead of the light bill” (Williams 62).  Clearly this statement describes how he does not care for his family as he does for himself.  From the beginning he has done whatever he can to escape from the control of Amanda and be the person he wants to be, like his father.  His father left the family and Tom ends up doing the same thing.  Tom does feel bad leaving Laura however.  In his final speech he says, “Oh, Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be!” (Williams 97).  This statement shows that he does care for his sister and hopes that she will succeed in life.

The scene where the young gentleman caller, Jim O’Connor, comes to dinner is very entertaining.  Jim’s character is outgoing and a little bit arrogant.  It is clear that he thinks very highly of himself and wishes that he could relive his glory days in high school where he was a star athlete and excelled in the debate club.  His entire interaction with Laura is a show on its own.  He seems to take advantage of the fact that she is interested in him and builds up her confidence and kisses her, only to tell her in the end that he is in love and explains that he is “going to be married the second Sunday in June” (Williams 93).  As the reader I was sad that Jim didn’t end up with Laura but found it sweet that she gave him the broken glass unicorn. 

The title of the play, The Glass Menagerie, fits perfectly.  The whole family is like a collection of unusual animals.  Laura is crippled and terribly shy, while Amanda is controlling and abrasive, and Tom is a drunk who ultimately ends up leaving the family.  The whole household is like Laura’s little glass animals, fragile and a spectacle to look at.