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The Glass Menagerie Symbolism

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The Analysis of “The Glass Menagerie” In 1944, the very first, “The Glass Menagerie” play was performed in Chicago, Illinois. The play later became premiered at Broadway in New York City. This play introduced itself at the scene of a single mother named Amanda Wingfield who is desperately raising her family during a difficult time without a husband at home. The setting and setup of the stage begins in the Wingfield’s apartment, located in St. Louis, Missouri. The story describes each character’s different life complications and how they deal with their struggles in result. Amanda is the mother, who is the stronghold of the family. She is always striving for her kids best interests at all times. Her children are now adults who are still living …show more content…

I would say that for Amanda the “gentlemen callers” that she mentioned in scene 1, was her prized possession in her life (681). To her it was her whole reputation and her definition of becoming successful in life as a woman. This persuades Laura that Jim, her former high school friend, could be the next gentlemen caller, so that she doesn’t have to go through with her business career. Another piece of symbolism is that the glass unicorn that Laura had in her collection. This glass collection represented Laura’s value in life of success that she could cherish. Tom invited his co-worker Jim that knew Laura from school over for dinner one evening. After the meal, the power suddenly went out and they had to sit by candlelight. Laura was showing Jim her treasured glass unicorn and her glass collection. She more than welcomed Jim to hold the unicorn. They hear music playing outside and Jim asks Laura to dance with him. While they were dancing they accidently knocked off the glass unicorn, which ended up breaking the horn off the unicorn’s head (713). Although it was so valued by Laura she didn’t seem to care about it being broken. The unicorn resembled her life, even though she ruined her business career, now she was entrusting her life in Jim by allowing him to kiss her. After deep regret, he suddenly told her that he was engaged to another woman and

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