People dream. That is natural. But, when dreams are only in the past, they can be dangerous. By dangerous, I mean they don't deal with reality. Tennessee Williams uses the word "illusion." The play starts that way: "I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion." (Meyer 1255). It would be easy to say: the little glass animals are the illusion he is talking about. Not so. They are real. They don't move or speak or get older. They don't limp. They don't have imagination. They don't push for something that won't happen. Maybe, these animals are the only "real" thing in the play. One little figure in particular is important-the glass unicorn. It is "different." So is Laura. The glass figure is fragile. So is Laura. And when the Gentleman Caller, Jim, breaks then figure, she says: "Now it is just like all the other horses" (Meyer 1293).
             What is the fantasy world for these characters? For the Mother, Amanda Wingfield, fantasy is that her daughter is not "crippled". The fantasy is that Laura is desirable. The fantasy is there will be many grandchildren and a happy grandmother who made it all happen.
             Laura's fantasy is not to be treated as a child. Her fantasy is not to be a typist. Her fantasy is to be left alone. She resents her mother's pushing her: "Girls that aren't cut out for business careers usually wind up married to some nice man" (Meyer 1262). This is not Laura's fantasy or her reality.
             Tom's fantasy is to get away. Tom is the author, Tennessee Williams. In real life, he never got away completely. His fantasy is not to feel too responsible for his mother or to not feel sorry for his crippled sister. Of course, Amanda won't hear the word: "Don't say crippled! You know that I never allow that word to be used" (Meyer 1275). But, who is really more crippled? Th...