What is the main idea of The Glass Menagerie?
The Glass Menagerie identifies the conquest of reality by illusion as a huge and growing aspect of the human condition in its time.
What does Tom symbolize in The Glass Menagerie?
Tom’s double role in The Glass Menagerie—as a character whose recollections the play documents and as a character who acts within those recollections—underlines the play’s tension between objectively presented dramatic truth and memory’s distortion of truth.
What mental illness does Laura have in The Glass Menagerie?
Tom brings home a gentleman caller for Laura at the request of his mother. The Glass Menagerie not only reflects on the playwright’s sister Rose’s diagnosis of schizophrenia and her lobotomy, but also Williams’ feelings about the procedure. Williams’ had a close relationship with his sister and doted on her.
What does the broken unicorn symbolize in The Glass Menagerie?
Eventually, Laura gives Jim the unicorn as a “souvenir.” Without its horn, the unicorn is more appropriate for him than for her, and the broken figurine represents all that he has taken from her and destroyed in her.
How is the Glass Menagerie about the American Dream?
The characters of The Glass Menagerie all achieve varying degrees of success in achieving the dream referred to in the quote by Ruby Dee. The dreams alluded to include prosperity, having the ability to do as you please, and happiness, which can all be considered aspects of the American Dream.
What breaks in the Glass Menagerie?
It is clear, at this point, that Laura and her glass menagerie break when they both become exposed to the outside world, represented by Jim. In the same manner, although not very major, the use of rainbows and cigarette smoking are minor symbols in the play. The rainbows signify the hope in the future.
What are some allusions in the Glass Menagerie?
– Glass Menagerie. The title of the play, and the play’s most prominent symbol, the glass menagerie represents Laura’s fragility, otherworldliness, and tragic beauty. – Fire Escape. – Glass Unicorn. – Blue Roses. – Music. – The Movies. – Typewriter.
What is the ending of the Glass Menagerie?
Laura gives Jim the glass unicorn.