On “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams
(A Literary Analysis on the Relationship between Fire-escape as a Symbol and the Personalities written by Zhi Yu Lee. Video clips of music pieces mentioned in the drama is also embedded here as a side note.)
(A Literary Analysis on the Relationship between Fire-escape as a Symbol and the Personalities written by Zhi Yu Lee. Video clips of music pieces mentioned in the drama is also embedded here as a side note.)
Introduction and Summary of The Glass Menagerie
“The Glass Menagerie”, a memory play set in an alley in St. Louis during the Thirties, starts off with Tom Wingfield, the narrator-cum-character, introducing the social background and the characters in the drama. In the earlier scenes, the personality and the concerns of each character are portrayed: Amanda, the pragmatic, loving yet sometimes too possessive mother who still lives in her past; Laura, the shy, slightly crippled sister who drops out of the business college and lives in her own world of glass menagerie; and Tom, the breadwinning brother who spends his time in the cinema the whole night out of boredom and disappointment.
Amanda and Tom quarrel over Tom’s excessive midnight outings that may have already affected his work and also his reading of D.H. Lawrence’s works that she deems as filths. After their reconciliation, Amanda repeatedly asks Tom to look for potential gentleman caller for Laura. Tom later invites his colleague, Jim O’ Connor, to his house without telling him about Laura. When Laura finds out that Jim happens to her crush during high school, she refuses to meet him. Jim, with his gentle humor, brings Laura out of her paralyzing shyness. After their reminiscing chat and waltz dance, Jim gently kisses Laura on her lips but quickly withdraws and explains that he is already attached to another home-girl, Betty. Laura, though disappointed, understands and even gives Jim the glass unicorn broken during the dance as a souvenir. Amanda blames Tom after knowing it. Tom then slams the door and leaves them for good.
Amanda and Tom quarrel over Tom’s excessive midnight outings that may have already affected his work and also his reading of D.H. Lawrence’s works that she deems as filths. After their reconciliation, Amanda repeatedly asks Tom to look for potential gentleman caller for Laura. Tom later invites his colleague, Jim O’ Connor, to his house without telling him about Laura. When Laura finds out that Jim happens to her crush during high school, she refuses to meet him. Jim, with his gentle humor, brings Laura out of her paralyzing shyness. After their reminiscing chat and waltz dance, Jim gently kisses Laura on her lips but quickly withdraws and explains that he is already attached to another home-girl, Betty. Laura, though disappointed, understands and even gives Jim the glass unicorn broken during the dance as a souvenir. Amanda blames Tom after knowing it. Tom then slams the door and leaves them for good.
The fire-escape whose name is a touch of accidental poetic truth (Williams, 1944, p. 965) serves as both the entrance and exit of the apartment. In the novel, fire generally symbolizes the slow and implacable desperation of the Wingfield family. To me, fire-escape as a symbol reveals much about the characters’ life for fire signifies their suffering and escape represents their means of running away from the reality.
Fire-escape And Tom Wingfield
Tom Wingfield at the fire-escape
Among all the main characters, Tom is the most intertwined with the fire-escape. He has appeared on the fire-escape more often than the others. More importantly, in most occurrences, he is moving out of the apartment. This shows how much he yearns for the outside world, far away from the troubles at home. The burden of being Amanda’s breadwinning “right-hand bower” (Williams, 1944, p. 978) and the habitual bickering with Amanda are parts of the fire Tom experiences. The harshest part of the fire he is facing is the discontent with life as most aptly summarized by his line “what I’m doing-what I want to do-having a little difference between them!” (Williams, 1944, p. 974) He has always wanted to be a man who is “by instinct a lover, a hunter, a fighter” (Williams, 1944, p. 974) but is bound by his warehouse job as what he exclaims, “For sixty-five dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever!” (Williams, 1944, p. 975) He is also unsatisfied with the state of the American society where liquor, movies and sex “flooded the world with brief, deceptive rainbows” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) amid brewing revolutions in other countries such as the Nazis in Berchtesgaden and the Spanish Civil War near Guernica. This disappointment is only illustrated more when Tom comments that people “go to movies instead of moving”. (Williams, 1944, p. 992)
To escape from the everyday agony, he resorts to writing poetry which earns him the nickname Shakespeare and gets him laid off. He also reads the controversial works of D.H. Lawrence. Out of boredom, he seeks for excitement through watching night movies and stage shows, a habit Amanda condemns. He also smokes habitually at the fire-escape to temporarily detach himself from the worries. Tom chooses smoking over a night-school accounting course, an irrational choice Amanda describes as “…the tragedy of it…” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) Tom’s form of escape is rather similar to his father’s, at least in the spirit. Both of them choose abuse of substances as a form of escape. To me, it is this similarity that adds to Amanda’s worry that “more and more you remind me of your father…” who “was out all hours without explanation.” (Williams, 1944, p. 980) It is also this very concern that roots the quarrels between Tom and Amanda.
In the end, Tom does follow his father’s footstep to embark on an escapade to faraway places. Although he finally escapes from the fire of being the breadwinner and facing the triteness in his life, he inevitably jumps into another fire, the one of his guilt towards his sister. Due to his negligence in Jim’s case, he has to leave without anyone to take his place. He can never perform the “coffin trick” (Williams. 1944, p. 977). Indeed, he is right when he says “…who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing a nail?” (Williams, 1944, p.977) The fact that the drama starts and ends with Tom being at the fire escape is particularly revealing. I think that Tennessee Williams is implying that Tom, despite his escapade, still never leave the fire-escape, the one in his memory. He never enters the apartment filled with the fire either. Instead, he clings on to the fire-escape, his means of escape. Metaphorically, his not-letting-go represents his regret and guilt of leaving his unmarried sister who might have to “eat the crust of humility all their life” (Williams, 1944, p. 971)
To escape from the everyday agony, he resorts to writing poetry which earns him the nickname Shakespeare and gets him laid off. He also reads the controversial works of D.H. Lawrence. Out of boredom, he seeks for excitement through watching night movies and stage shows, a habit Amanda condemns. He also smokes habitually at the fire-escape to temporarily detach himself from the worries. Tom chooses smoking over a night-school accounting course, an irrational choice Amanda describes as “…the tragedy of it…” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) Tom’s form of escape is rather similar to his father’s, at least in the spirit. Both of them choose abuse of substances as a form of escape. To me, it is this similarity that adds to Amanda’s worry that “more and more you remind me of your father…” who “was out all hours without explanation.” (Williams, 1944, p. 980) It is also this very concern that roots the quarrels between Tom and Amanda.
In the end, Tom does follow his father’s footstep to embark on an escapade to faraway places. Although he finally escapes from the fire of being the breadwinner and facing the triteness in his life, he inevitably jumps into another fire, the one of his guilt towards his sister. Due to his negligence in Jim’s case, he has to leave without anyone to take his place. He can never perform the “coffin trick” (Williams. 1944, p. 977). Indeed, he is right when he says “…who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing a nail?” (Williams, 1944, p.977) The fact that the drama starts and ends with Tom being at the fire escape is particularly revealing. I think that Tennessee Williams is implying that Tom, despite his escapade, still never leave the fire-escape, the one in his memory. He never enters the apartment filled with the fire either. Instead, he clings on to the fire-escape, his means of escape. Metaphorically, his not-letting-go represents his regret and guilt of leaving his unmarried sister who might have to “eat the crust of humility all their life” (Williams, 1944, p. 971)
Fire-escape And Laura Wingfield
Laura Wingfield with her escape, the glass menageries
Compared to Tom, Laura is much less directly related to the fire-escape as a symbol. Nevertheless, happenings on the fire-escape do shed light on Laura’s intricate personalities. The fire Laura experiences is gentler than what Tom faces. Hers is the fire of inferiority, dependence, worry and the memories she conceals in her glass menageries. Despite her exemption from financial responsibility, she has her worries especially in the increasingly stiff relationship between Tom and Amanda. Due to her slight physical defect, she cannot be physically involved in their quarrels but she does play a vital role in mending the difference between the two. Sharing the same worry as Amanda’s, she is the one who is “observing Tom’s empty bed” when he comes back late. Besides, she cannot seem to escape from the thought that she is crippled as seen in how she apologizes to Amanda, “I’m-crippled!” (Williams, 1944, p. 972) She also suffers hearing the clumping of the brace on her leg that seems “…so loud!” (Williams, 1944, p. 999) to her but is “practically nonexistent” (Williams, 1944, p. 1002) to the others. Perhaps less obviously than Amanda, Laura still misses her father. She always plays the worn-out phonograph records of her father’s although it is not clear whether it is “a painful reminder” (Williams, 1944, p. 971) to her as it is to Amanda. Not less grueling a fire is her hidden crush on Jim since high school and her disappointment on this unattainable relationship. Laura’s fire-escape is her collection of glass menageries which she spends most of her time with.
From her description on the unicorn which becomes “less-freakish” (Williams, 1944, p. 1004), the readers can see that Laura has subconsciously likened and linked herself to her glass collection. This is the way Laura escapes from her fire. Instead of escaping outward like Tom, she escapes inwards, into her own imaginary world in the glass menagerie. To me, to escape inwards is Laura’s only choice due to her physical defect that forbids her to travel far. She does, however, yearn for the outside world as seen from her admiration of penguins and tropical flowers, objects from exotic places. Sadly, she is still trapped in the house at the end. In my opinion, her fall on the fire-escape signifies her inability to escape from the family. Her inability to escape is due to her dependence on Amanda and Tom, which is then symbolized through their concerning questions afterwards.
Throughout the drama, the relation between Laura and the fire-escape is often indirect. Laura climbs the fire-escape less frequently. However, the readers can still infer her personalities based on how she reacts when other climb up the fire-escape. In the second scene, at the sound of Amanda’s ascent, she “catches her breath, thrusts the bowl of ornaments away…” (Williams, 1944, p. 969) This instance shows how submissive Laura is to her mother and how she cares not to hurt Amanda’s feelings. Another instance is when Tom and Jim arrive at the doorstep and how she hesitates to answer the door. Again, fire-escape as a symbol is at play here. The often extreme reaction of Laura’s towards what happens at the fire-escape symbolizes how strongly influenced she is by what Tom and Amanda do to escape from their troubles.
From her description on the unicorn which becomes “less-freakish” (Williams, 1944, p. 1004), the readers can see that Laura has subconsciously likened and linked herself to her glass collection. This is the way Laura escapes from her fire. Instead of escaping outward like Tom, she escapes inwards, into her own imaginary world in the glass menagerie. To me, to escape inwards is Laura’s only choice due to her physical defect that forbids her to travel far. She does, however, yearn for the outside world as seen from her admiration of penguins and tropical flowers, objects from exotic places. Sadly, she is still trapped in the house at the end. In my opinion, her fall on the fire-escape signifies her inability to escape from the family. Her inability to escape is due to her dependence on Amanda and Tom, which is then symbolized through their concerning questions afterwards.
Throughout the drama, the relation between Laura and the fire-escape is often indirect. Laura climbs the fire-escape less frequently. However, the readers can still infer her personalities based on how she reacts when other climb up the fire-escape. In the second scene, at the sound of Amanda’s ascent, she “catches her breath, thrusts the bowl of ornaments away…” (Williams, 1944, p. 969) This instance shows how submissive Laura is to her mother and how she cares not to hurt Amanda’s feelings. Another instance is when Tom and Jim arrive at the doorstep and how she hesitates to answer the door. Again, fire-escape as a symbol is at play here. The often extreme reaction of Laura’s towards what happens at the fire-escape symbolizes how strongly influenced she is by what Tom and Amanda do to escape from their troubles.
Fire-escape And Amanda Wingfield
Amanda Wingfield (right) who always worries for her daughter, Laura (left)
The fire-escape for Amanda is different that of Tom and Laura. Contrary to Tom’s fire that is based on idealism, the fire Amanda has to go through bases more on the reality. It is the reality of being a single mother in the Thirties that is grilling Amanda. She is constantly worried about the finances of the family ever since his husband’s unannounced departure. For instance, she comments on how expensive Tom’s smoking habit is and how the money saved can give him “…a night-school course in accounting at Washington U” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) She also manages the subscription of the Companion to gain extra incomes. Though external signs are not obvious, Amanda still loves his husband but cannot accept his sudden abandonment that is so “painful” (Williams, 1944, p. 971) to them. She confesses to Tom after their reconciliation, “I’ve never told you but I - loved your father” (Williams, 1944, p. 979) Out of this love and the fear of losing another beloved, she is increasingly terrified when she sees Tom taking after her husband’s way. Besides, the worry that Laura “just drifts along doing nothing” (Williams, 1944, p 980) for either her business career or marriage has been vexing Amanda. This is why she makes “plans and provisions” (Williams, 1944, p 980) for Laura’s independence.
Different from her children’s, Amanda’s escape is into her glorious past as a Southern belle in the Blue Mountain. She repeatedly recounts her youth in conversations, even the one with Jim. I think that her tendency to do so roots in her regret over her irrevocable choice of his husband instead of the planters. Reminiscence as such can temporarily bring her out of the fire as she travels back in time far away from the agonizing now. In my opinion, Amanda’s participation in D.A.R (Daughters of American Revolution) is also one of her ways to relate herself to her wonderful past. Only a woman who can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence is eligible to participate in the association. Exclusive membership as such can remind Amanda of her past identity.
Throughout the drama, Amanda appears on the fire-escape a few times. One notable instance is when she comments that “a fire-escape landing’s a poor excuse for a porch” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) and knows about the incoming visit of Jim, the gentleman caller. This comment of hers has a secondary meaning. Porch, an external attachment of a building, can be an extended living space. Fire-escape, as aforementioned, is the means of escaping troubles in life. So, Amanda’s line can be interpreted as “one cannot avoid troubles forever as if avoidance has become his life” just as a fire-escape can never be a porch. It is an apt remark for her husband’s and Tom’s sudden disappearance. As mentioned earlier, Laura’s reaction to Amanda’s ascent up the fire-escape signifies how influential Amanda is to Laura. However, how Tom insists on going out despite her pleads ironically shows her inability to contain Tom’s adamancy in leaving the family behind.
Different from her children’s, Amanda’s escape is into her glorious past as a Southern belle in the Blue Mountain. She repeatedly recounts her youth in conversations, even the one with Jim. I think that her tendency to do so roots in her regret over her irrevocable choice of his husband instead of the planters. Reminiscence as such can temporarily bring her out of the fire as she travels back in time far away from the agonizing now. In my opinion, Amanda’s participation in D.A.R (Daughters of American Revolution) is also one of her ways to relate herself to her wonderful past. Only a woman who can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence is eligible to participate in the association. Exclusive membership as such can remind Amanda of her past identity.
Throughout the drama, Amanda appears on the fire-escape a few times. One notable instance is when she comments that “a fire-escape landing’s a poor excuse for a porch” (Williams, 1944, p. 982) and knows about the incoming visit of Jim, the gentleman caller. This comment of hers has a secondary meaning. Porch, an external attachment of a building, can be an extended living space. Fire-escape, as aforementioned, is the means of escaping troubles in life. So, Amanda’s line can be interpreted as “one cannot avoid troubles forever as if avoidance has become his life” just as a fire-escape can never be a porch. It is an apt remark for her husband’s and Tom’s sudden disappearance. As mentioned earlier, Laura’s reaction to Amanda’s ascent up the fire-escape signifies how influential Amanda is to Laura. However, how Tom insists on going out despite her pleads ironically shows her inability to contain Tom’s adamancy in leaving the family behind.
Indeed, fire-escape as a symbol has multiple dimensions in the drama. Its meaning and significance change with the different fire and escape of different character. Tom’s fire is that of discontent with current life while Laura’s is that of her inferiority complex. The fire facing Amanda is sparked from the challenges in her life as a single mother in the Thirties. With different forms of trouble and types of personality comes different form of escape. Tom chooses to escape outwards when his sister seeks refugee in her own imaginary Utopia. On the other hand, Amanda’s escape is towards her long lost past. Tennessee Williams intelligently uses the happenings on the fire-escape to complement the descriptions of each character’s personality. The fact that drama ensues and ends with the fire escape simply suggests the importance of fire-escape to the storyline. What each character says and does on the fire-escape is not only crucial to the plot but also particularly revealing of the characters’ personalities. Even whether the character appears on the fire-escape more often that the others and whether the character uses the fire-escape more as an exit than entrance do matter, just as in Tom’s case. I truly admire the depth and the aptness of the symbolism that the author applies in the drama.
A Side Note: Songs Mentioned In The Glass Menagerie
On a side note, I have found video clips for some of the music pieces mentioned in the play, the Glass Menagerie and embedded these for you. Enjoy!
World is Waiting for the Sunrise
A Capital Ship For An Ocean Trip
Part of its lyric is included in the play. It goes: O blow, ye winds, heigh-ho.
A-roving I will go!
I'm off to my love
With a boxing glove-
Ten thousand miles away!
Dardanella (1919)
This is mentioned when Laura saw Jim O'Connor at the door. If the story happens in year 1934 or 1937, as most reviews propose, then this song was a song released when Laura was still in high school. (She would be between 15 to 18 years old back then)
Book I Used
Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto and William E. Cain. An Introduction to Literature (15th Edition). New York: Pearson Longman, 2008.
Book You Should Read
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