Barn Burning
Tennessee Williams' play, The Glass Menagerie, is about a family's struggle to survive the trials and tribulations of life in the early nineteen hundreds. The Wingfield family is faced with many tough times which include Laura's inability to attract a gentleman caller, Tom's mischievous behavior, and Mr. Wingfield's departure from the home. Tennessee Williams created the character, Tom, to act as an inside voice for the audience. He acts as the narrator, central character, and stage manager. Tom's different roles in the play are essential to the understanding of the story line and theme. Tom's quest for an escape passage out of the life he is living is evident through out Tennessee Williams' use of imagery and symbolism in The Glass Menagerie. Mr. Wingfield left his family behind as he went off to seek a better life. Tom often makes jokes about his fathers prior job at the telephone company, and tells the audience that he "fell in love with long distances"(Williams 695). This is his attempt to ease the pain of abandonment by turning it into something humorous. At one point in the story Tom is talking about a magician he went to see and how he got out of a nailed coffin without removing a nail. " You know
Tennessee Williams use of imagery and symbolism in The Glass Menagerie illustrate Tom Wingfields desire and need to escape from home. He also escapes from his coffin, but unlike the magician he removes a nail. Amanda screams to Tom, as a result of her anger building up towards Tom's desire to leave his family behind and pursue a life of adventure. Works CitedBoxill, Roger. It takes him to another world for a while, where mothers and sisters and runaway fathers can be complained about openly, with out having to hear anything in return. It's almost like a light bulb going off in someone's head. Tennessee Williams: A collection of critical essays. The Distorted Mirror: Tennessee Williams' Self Portraits. Martin's Press, 1987Cluck, Nancy Anne. American Literature, Volume 51, Issue 1(Mar. Tome temporarily finds adventure at a local movie theater. " Literature and the writing Process. Tom is kept from fulfilling his dreams because his mother Amanda criticizes him as being a "selfish dreamer". Tom leaves home, but his going away is not the escape that he craved for so long.
Common topics in this essay:
Menagerie Wingfield,
Seaman's Union,
Tennessee Williams,
Glass Menagerie,
Movie Theater,
Amanda Tom,
Tischler Tom's,
Roger Boxill,
St Louis,
Tennessee Williams',
tennessee williams,
glass menagerie,
fire escape,
movie theater,
tennessee williams',
imagery symbolism glass,
nj prentice,
theater tom's,
tom looks,
life leave,
symbolism glass menagerie,
tom makes,
|
Acceptance Essays
