The Fantasy World of The Glass Menagerie :: Glass Menagerie essays

The Fantasy World of The Glass Menagerie         In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams creates a world in whichthe characters are disillusioned by the present.  Amanda, Tom, and Lauraachieve this disillusionment by resorting to separate worlds where they canfind sanctuary.  Each character develops their own world, removed away fromreality.         Amanda frees herself from the harsh realities of disembodied spirit by constantlyreminding herself of the past.  To begin with, she continuously repeats thestory of the one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain when she originalseventeen gentlemen callers (1195).  Furthermore, she keeps a larger-than-life-size photograph of her husband over the mantel who left the familywhen the children were young. When Jim came over for dinner, Amanda wearsthe girlish frock of yellowed voile with a blue silk stays that she woreon the day she met her husband (1222).  Amanda obsesses with the past, andat the same time damaging the children psychologically.                      Constant allusions to the past have psychologicallyaffected Tom and Laura, trapping them into Amanda$BCT(J muzzy world.  Tomand Laura fail to survive in the present because they are always trying tolive through the past.  However, the past no longer exists, causing them sadness in their journey through life.  Tom is unsuccessful with his jobat the warehouse and Laura cannot seem to fit in with the outside world.These personal downfalls in life drive Tom into a life of verse and movies,and Laura into a world of glass figurines.         Tom is unsatisfied with his work at the warehouse and feels hislife lacks adventure.  Therefore, he finds it through writing poetry andwatching movies.  When business is slow at the shoe warehouse, Tom goes toth e washroom to work on his poetry.  Tom finds adventure in poetry becausehe is able to create and control his own world.  Along with poetry, Tomretreats to the movies every evening to fulfill his adventurous nature.Amanda questions Tom, why do you go to the movies so much, Tom?  Tomreplies, I go to the movies because$BM*(J like adventure.  Adventure issomething I don$BCU(J have much of at work, so I go to the movies(1210).Tom$BCT(J obsessions with adventure leaves him no time or energy toconcentrate on his present responsibilities at work.  Therefore, he leavesAmanda and Laura for the Merchant Marines, a place where he can live outhis dreams for adventure.  However, he cannot forget Laura, I tried toleave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be(1247).         Lauras problem, according to Jim, is her inferiority complex