What does `The Glass Menagerie` by Tennessee Williams, reveal about the cultural behavior contemporary to it

The Glass Menagerie , by Tennessee Williams was the play that put Williams in the public eye and limelight . William 's other famous works include `A Street Car named Desire ' and `Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ' It was premiered first in 1944 and 1945 , and soon , Williams shot to fame . It is set in St . Louis , Missouri , America , in 1930 's in the time of the Great Depression . The Depression started in the United States , but spread to many European countries quickly . Badly hit were those countries which were dependent on industries . Conditions

were worse for agricultural areas , as demand and prices both fell steeply . The play is set in 1935 or 1936 , and deals with the troubled lives of a mother , and her two children [2] . Narrated by Tom Wingfield , the play is also said to be a memory play ' describing their lives in that time . The present Tom Wingfield , the narrator is in 1945 . He seems to dwell more in his past rather than his present . The play is also semi-autobiographical Tennessee William 's lived in St . Louis , around the same time , and had a mother he was not fond of . `His mother also had a frontal lobotomy performed on his actual sister [3]

The Glass Menagerie has been adapted on stage and on screen many times It was first premiered in Chicago , in 1944 , and then on Broadway in 1945 and was also awarded the ` HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /New_York_Drama_Critics '_Circle " \o "New York Drama Critics ' Circle " New York Drama Critics ' Circle ' Award for Best Play of the season

The Glass Menagerie is about a disturbed family of three , in St . Louis in mid-1930 's , in a time of great economic and political instability The Second World War is looming around the corner . The Great Depression had taken its toll

On the outside , the members of the Wingfield family lead very normal lives , but a little deeper , we discover them to be troubled by grave problems . All have one common trait - running away from reality

Aging Amanda Wingfield is all too proud of her Southern ' youth . She was brought up in the south , and is very protective and proud of her upbringing and traditions . She often talks about her youth , in Blue Mountain , when as many as `seventeen gentlemen ' would call on her , in one afternoon . Her present though , is completely reversed . Her husband left her almost 16 years ago , and since then , she has been making a meager living selling news subscriptions . `Her family is a regular lower-middle class family , stuck in a small apartment ' like thousands of others [1] . `They are in a social gridlock , and have impossible dreams [1] ' Her daughter Laura is physically handicapped . We learn that she used to wear a brace , and now has a slight limp when she walks . Laura is painfully shy . What is strange and interesting is that Williams has made her the centre of the play . She is the quietest and the most reserved character in the play yet , all events are connected to her in some way or the other . Laura spends most of her time with her glass animals , or listening to her father 's old records . Amanda is getting worried about Laura 's growing age . She is twenty-three , and not one man has been interested in her . Amanda decides to send her to a business school Later , she learns that Laura has dropped out of the school , and has been spending her time in a library , or just roaming the streets aimlessly Amanda figures that the only solution is Laura 's marriage to a decent young man

Tom Wingfield is Laura 's brother . He is the narrator of the play . Tom 's character is probably most painful and complex . He goes to the movies reads literature and poetry , writes , dreams about adventures and journeys , is interested in politics , but in reality , is trapped in small St . Louis , with a job at he loathes . The story is developed around these three members of the Wingfield family , and the relationships they have with each other

The relationship between Amanda and Tom is edgy [2] . They argue often mostly about Tom 's irresponsible behavior , and his bad habits of going to the movies and drinking . In a fight with his mother , Tom accidentally breaks several of Laura 's glass animals [2] . Later , he apologizes Amanda asks Tom to look for a decent young man for his sister . Tom tells Amanda of an Irish man , Jim O 'Connor , he came across at work . Amanda asks Tom to invite him to dinner and begins making preparations for the party enthusiastically [2] . When Jim arrives , Laura discovers that Jim is same boy she liked when she was in high school . Out of shyness and timidity , Laura sits in the lounge , away from everyone else . After dinner , Jim comes to the lounge . The two talk , and dance , and Jim accidentally breaks Laura 's most prized possession - her glass unicorn Laura forgives him , and in an emotional moment , Jim kisses Laura . He apologizes immediately , admitting that he has a fiancye , Betty [2] Laura is crushed . She offers Jim the unicorn , now without a horn as a `souvenir [2] ' After Jim leaves , Amanda reproaches Tom , blaming him for not telling them of Jim 's engagement . Tom flies into a rage , claiming that the warehouse is a place of work , not idle talk . He also gets fired from his job . The play ends with Tom looking down at the fire escape [2] . We see him doing this often . He leaves Laura and Amanda , and years later , is still unable to erase their haunting memories from his mind [2] . At the end , Tom reveals that he was very close to Laura , and finds it very difficult to move on [2]

The play is narrated through Tom . William depicts a double character [3] . One is in the story and one is the narrator . Laura , being the centre of the play symbolizes delicacy , beauty , but dangerous fragility Like her glass animals , she too is frail , and is often heart-broken . She tends to live in a world of illusion , and seems to be a quiet , but a very bright and deep person . In reality , she is intelligent and deep but is an extremely shy . Because of her introvert nature she does not open up to people easily , and so , often ends up getting hurt . She is also very conscious of her limping , and feels that she is not acceptable , and constantly worries about what people think of her [3] We learn that she liked Jim in high school , but nothing followed . She does not socialize with anyone , and her mother is all too worried about her growing into an `old maid ' Laura reflects a lot of the emotional mind-set at that time . Living with such rapid technological advancements , quiet people like her found solace in old and beautiful things . She remains disconnected with much of the world around her . The ruthless modern world had little sympathy for people like her

Tom too reflects a lot of the culture of the mid-1900 's . He is a driven young man , but is confined to his life of home and work , and so finds solace in movies , literature and drinks . Tom comes across as a romantic and ardent young man , and many believe and agree that Tom 's character was William himself . Laura is believed to be inspired from William 's sister Rose . Tom goes to the movies regularly , which move him , and make him want adventure and suspense in his life . He also reads D .H Lawrence Amanda thinks it is outrageous . William 's has portrayed each character with immense precision and creativity . `Finding a husband for Laura becomes Amanda 's crusade . Finding a way to leave becomes Tom 's [1] ' Tom is passionate about adventure , and wants more from his dull and dreary life . He is a spirited young man , bounded in one place by emotional reasons . Escaping his life for his own self would mean doing harm to his sister and his mother [2] . Williams uses many different devices to depict the culture contemporary to the setting of the play . Life in the Wingfield house is drab , and all three are trying to evade reality . This forms one of the major underlying themes of the play . Amanda dwells in her glorious past . Laura dreams . And Tom indulges in poetry and literature , and prefers to lose himself under the trance of drinks

Amanda 's relation to the reality around her is probably most pathetic [2] . Even though she is the most present minded and practical character she is not able to move on from her southern childhood and youth . She represents a typical reproachful character , who finds everything in the contemporary world ugly and `obscene ' Laura though apparently disconnected from the world around her seems more in touch with her inner self . She is terribly shy , and emotional , which makes the audience be sympathetic towards her . What is more , she is as innocent and transparent as her glass animals . Many critics have argued about William 's symbolism with regard to Laura [2] . He uses the glass animals to reflect her character [2] . If light is shone the right way , a glass appears brilliant , reflecting beautiful colors [2] . It appears simple and clear otherwise . Similarly , Laura 's personality is quite beautiful but few look at her in that dimension . Because of her reclusive nature few get to know her well enough to see that brilliant side of her . Tom prefers to drown himself out in drinks and movies . He is most functional in the real world , which is evident form the fact that he pursues a job he thoroughly hates , and talks to other people , even strangers [2] Illusions are not just related to these three characters . In one of the scenes , we see young people waltzing at the Paradise Dance Hall - a fleeting fantasy , created by the glass ball [2] . At another point Tom tells Jim that the people watching the movies are happy with the visions of adventure on screen , and find fulfillment in the movies , rather than in real life [2] . Jim too has based his future on television and radio - devices that create illusions [2] . William 's uses a subtle style to put across his thoughts . With development came this intimidating possibility of moving more and more away from reality . The plot is also driven by factors like abandonment , triggered again , by contemporary times . Set in the pre-World War II era , we can see much of the culture and life around the characters very clearly . There has been rapid industrialization . In fact , one of the first cases of this is the desertion of Mr . Wingfield [2] . He leaves his family , since he has fallen in love with long distances [2] ' It is predictable that Jim would not commit himself to Laura , since he intends to pursue his future in radio and television and has his mind set on a successful career [2] . And finally , Tom 's desertion of his family is a direct result of the contemporary times New discoveries and inventions show him a new world altogether , a world he would have never known otherwise . The spirit of adventure and exploration was infused from the movies he used to watch . He is driven by the illusions he sees around him . His passion for literature and writing came from reading books . We also see he likes D .H Lawrence , an author who was constantly criticized in his time for having written improper books . A character like Tom would find a connection with works of contemporary literature , and would also find such works touching and inspiring . William 's also uses symbolism with regard to the fire escape [2] . For Tom , it was the one way to escape his reality [2] . He used to think about leaving often , and used to wonder if his father too left to escape the tedious Wingfield house . Another important symbol used is the glass unicorn [2] . When Jim breaks its horn accidentally , it looks like a horse [2] . A unicorn is a unique animal a horse , on the contrary , is common [2] . But using this comparison , many believe that when Jim deserts Laura , she is left shattered like many others [2] . She is no different from any one else [2] . We also get a glimpse of the economic and financial hardships of the time . The Wingfield family does not even have enough money to pay the electric bill . The play also brings out the general attitude of women in the first half of the twentieth century They were very dependent on men , and were typical women who spent their time in unrealistic and romantic thoughts and dreams . Amanda was willing to collect money to attract suitors for Laura , but not pay the utility bills . We also conclude that employment was going down from the fact that Tom has to do a job he has absolutely no interest in , possibly because alternative job were not available . Amanda and Laura both represent women very disconnected from reality . Amanda still dreams about her life as a `southern belle ' Laura believes that she can never be accepted in society the way she is . William 's brings about the haunting truth about trying to escape reality , and repercussions it can have . In the background plays the music of `The Glass Menagerie ' making the play all the more intense and dramatic . Throughout the play , all three characters struggle to come to terms with the world around them [1] . William 's has used simple words and an elegant style to create a poignant play , which continues to be read widely . It is one of the most acclaimed works of American Literature , and has left an indelible mark in the history of drama and theatre

Works Cited

James , Katherine , The Glass Menagerie , 2007 , retrieved from http /www .culturewars .org .uk /2007-02 /menagerie .htm

The Glass Menagerie , Tennessee Williams , Sparknotes , retrieved from HYPERLINK "http /www .sparknotes .com /lit /menagerie http /www .sparknotes .com /lit /menagerie

Amazon Books , Reviews for the Glass Menagerie , retrieved from http /www .amazon .com /Glass-Menagerie-Tennessee-Williams /dp

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The Glass Menagerie ...