The play the Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams appears to be a jumbled mess of random scenes filled with half minded characters living in an insane world. But when you look into the details and analyze each scene and the object and references within you discover it's a carefully planned work of art. By far Williams's genius is scene by his use of symbolism to reflect the true conflicts in the characters lives. Many objects mentioned in the play have a direct connection to the characters personality and problems they face. These objects often symbolize the reality of the situation and help us discover the true conflicts.
             We find the first symbol in the very first scene. The fire escape is used as the connection between reality and fantasy. Even the word 'escape' itself symbolizes one of the major conflicts in the play. Tom uses the fire escape as a retreat from his house. He goes out there to smoke cigarettes and relax away from the family. For Laura the fire escape is a retreat from reality. Amanda makes no use of the fire escape. She has no desire to leave her fantasy world.
             Whenever Tom is running out in rage to go to the movies he exits thought the fire escape. His frequent trips to the movies show how he so desires to get out of the house. The fact that he uses the fire escape shows that connection between the fake world at home and the escape he has to make to see and be part of the real world. Tom says he goes to the movies to find adventure that has been a void in his life. For Tom the life at home with Laura and Amanda is not satisfying. He earns for realism and adventure. These frequent trips represent his desperate attempt to escape into reality. For the time being he accepts filling that void with his trips to the movies.
             Amanda is the only character that shows no real interest or even comprehension of the issue of reality verses fantasy. Out of all the characters s...