Final Thoughts On The Glass Menagerie

Wow! Tennessee Williams blew me away with this play. It wasn't particularly the story line, but the way he went about introducing Jim. He was perceived to be single to the audience and this gave me a sort of comfort and happiness for Laura at finding an ideal suitor who honestly cared about her and tried to help her out with her inferiority complex.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams tackles a pair of problems that everybody at one point or another takes into consideration, success and happiness. The author goes about this theme with two key characters, Tom, Laura, and Amanda. Tom exemplifies a person in the middle class who wants more, Tom isn't content with living life working in a warehouse and making minimal pay for mind numbing work. Laura is used to show how success was perceived for women back then. Laura didn't have to worry if she did bad in school because she could just find a man to support her. Tennessee is writing to an audience with a rather broad view, this story isn't meant for a particular audience because it can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of people.

 Vocabulary

Menagerie- Collection of wild animals

Supercilious- A desire for some distinction or achievement

Emulate- Copy or model after

Wire- Used to be used to refer to the phone.

Tone

The tone varies from character to character, but is usually assertive with Tom and distant with Laura.

Rhetorical Strategies

Stage Directions- "The scene dims out with The Glass Menagerie music" (pg 10)

Monologue- Jim: "You know what I judge to be the trouble with you..."  (Pg 80)

Soliloquy- Tom: "Yes I have tricks in my pocket..." (Pg 4)

Dialogue- Laura: It wasn't as bad as it sounds I went inside places to get warmed up

Amanda: Inside where?

Questions

Why is it that the common thought back then was that to succeed one had to marry into it?

Why did Tennessee WIlliams employ the use of so little characters?

How serious was Laura's leg problem?

Quote

Amanda: "... Oh honey don't let them burn go take a look in the oven and I'll hold onto the wire! Heavens- I think she hung up!" I thought this was pretty funny