Symbolism In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams

A play based on the power of memory, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a story told from Tom Wingfield’s point of view and depicts Laura’s imaginary world, a place where she can retreat and escape the reality of the present, and live in a â€Å"perfect† world. Laura’s memories from the past shape her personality, such as the name, â€Å"Blue Roses,† which illustrates her fragile nature, much like the fragility of the glass menagerie. In order to symbolize Laura Wingfield’s fragile behavior due to her disability, and emphasize her personal hell throughout the play, Tennessee Williams incorporates the presence of the Glass Menagerie, the name of â€Å"blue Roses,† as well as the glass unicorn as symbols. The most prominently seen symbol†¦show more content†¦Laura’s cripple throughout the play is depicted as a liability on the family, particularly on Laura, who allows this disability to take over her life and personality. When in high school, Jim O’Connor, the gentleman caller, makes a mistake by calling Laura, â€Å"Blue Roses,† instead of Pleurosis, the childhood disease that left Laura crippled. This nickname is symbolic of Laura’s character, as it can represent her uniqueness among other girls at the time. Like the rarity and mysteriousness of â€Å"Blue Roses,† Laura’s shy and fragile character is rare, a trait that only Jim recognizes of Laura, saying, â€Å"They’re common as—weeds,† referring to the rest of society, â€Å"but, you’re—Blue Roses!† (Williams, 87). The nickname â€Å"Blue Roses,† can also symbolize Laura in that it turns her overwhelming defect into a virtue. When this name is used, it is able to transform her unusual qualities to something that is seen as special rather than debilitating. The ultimate symbol of Laura’s fragility and her inability to change, in this way, is her glass unicorn, which illustrates Laura’s uniqueness among others. Notably, Laura’s favorite figure in her glass collection is the glass unicorn, which can represent her peculiar nature among society. Like the unicorn, who is, â€Å"Extinct in the modern world,† (Williams, 83), and whose horn differentiates it from other horses or animals in the glass menagerie, Laura’s crippleShow MoreRelatedSymbolism In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams858 Words   |  4 Pages Tennessee Williams had a rough past as a result it influenced him to write plays about the conditions in the 1930s. Although Williams had a tough past, Williams became very successful in his writings and plays. Nevertheless Williams gained popularity among his peers. His experiences in the 1930s affected his work especially in The Glass Menagerie. Williams’s homosexuality made him be seen as an outcast in American society. 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