Misguided Perceptions In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams
The play “The Glass Menagerie” tells of a family’s perceptions, which are often misguided, and their obligations to each other and themselves. The Wingfield family is not living in reality and therefore cannot be honest with each other about themselves. This leads to misguided perceptions of each other and their situation. Tennessee Williams’ play is somewhat autobiographical as each character has similarities to people in his life. Williams was using the play as a way to reveal human nature as it relates to family.
Tom Wingfield narrates the story as he looks back on the time before he leaves home. The setting is an apartment that Tom shares with his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura. The apartment is located in a large complex representing …show more content…
She calls him selfish for going to the movies and not thinking about “a mother deserted” and a “sister who’s crippled”. Tom replies, “The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I’ll go, and I won’t go to the movies!” Little does Amanda know just how true this is and how far Tom has put his plan into action.
Shortly after this blowup, Tom was fired for writing poetry at work. He had still gone back to the factory to take care of his family, despite Amanda’s talk of Tom’s selfishness. Tom finally reaches the point where he makes the decision to go. In the conclusion of the story Tom speaks about how the memory of Laura still haunts him through certain songs, ones she played on the victrola, and by the sight of any “transparent glass”. Tom has escaped the apartment and the responsibility of taking care of the family, but has not come away without paying a price himself; no longer having a family.
“The Glass Menagerie” conveys how delicate familial structures can be due to perceptions and obligations. The family wanted different things from each other than they could each provide. They were not grounded in reality and didn’t have the honest perceptions of one another, which led to the breakup of the family. It leaves one wondering if they had been honest with each other, and themselves, if they could have
Tom Wingfield narrates the story as he looks back on the time before he leaves home. The setting is an apartment that Tom shares with his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura. The apartment is located in a large complex representing …show more content…
She calls him selfish for going to the movies and not thinking about “a mother deserted” and a “sister who’s crippled”. Tom replies, “The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I’ll go, and I won’t go to the movies!” Little does Amanda know just how true this is and how far Tom has put his plan into action.
Shortly after this blowup, Tom was fired for writing poetry at work. He had still gone back to the factory to take care of his family, despite Amanda’s talk of Tom’s selfishness. Tom finally reaches the point where he makes the decision to go. In the conclusion of the story Tom speaks about how the memory of Laura still haunts him through certain songs, ones she played on the victrola, and by the sight of any “transparent glass”. Tom has escaped the apartment and the responsibility of taking care of the family, but has not come away without paying a price himself; no longer having a family.
“The Glass Menagerie” conveys how delicate familial structures can be due to perceptions and obligations. The family wanted different things from each other than they could each provide. They were not grounded in reality and didn’t have the honest perceptions of one another, which led to the breakup of the family. It leaves one wondering if they had been honest with each other, and themselves, if they could have