Essay on Escape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie - 506 Words

Escape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie In Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie, each character attempts to escape the real world by creating their own â€Å"reality†. Laura hides from the world by magnifying her illness. Tom convinces himself that his needs supersede the needs of his family. Amanda focuses almost exclusively on the past - when she saw herself as a desirable southern belle. Even Jim focus his hopes on recapturing his good old high school days. Each character transposes their difficult situations into shadows of the truth. Laura, our fragile daughter-figure, finds herself escaping life at every turn. She induces sickness in her typing class and even as the Gentleman Caller awaits her in the livingroom.†¦show more content†¦By making himself believe that he is a righteous male, he convinces himself that his needs supersede his familys. Claiming to be an artist of emotions, he projects to the audience a facade of control and masculinity. His biggest dreams flash before his eyes on a screen in a darkened room; yet, in that little apartment he faces only the dimness. Even during his reflections on the fire escape he is not really separating himself because that metal frame, however sturdy, is still anchored to the apartment wall. Amanda, the Wingfield matriarch, utilizes an almost hysterical mechanism of denial. She surrounds her reality with the images of days she saw herself as the southern belle. Whenever she urges her family forward, she inevitably retreats to a time when her chief problem was to choose a beau over all the other beaus. When Jim visits, she emits the image of a perfect southern hostess, honeysuckle manners and down-home coziness. It does gives her an air of lost youthfulness. Under her vivacity and over her flurry of complaints lies a woman unwilling to age and unwilling to be left by an adored husband. Finally, our ordinary, nice boy, Jim, uses his glorified old memories saved by Laura to find some relief. Stuck in a warehouse job, he uses his past to spur on future success. Believing he will better himself, he takes classes in speaking, hoping toShow MoreRelated Escape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesEscape Mechanisms in The Glass Menagerie In Tennessee Williams’ play, The Glass Menagerie, all four members of the Wingfield family have chosen to hide from reality. Amanda tries to relive her past through Laura, and denies anything she does not want to accept. Laura is terrified of the real world, and choses to hide behind her limp, her glass menagerie and the victrola. Tom hides from his reality by going to the movies, writing poetry, and getting drunk. Mr Wingfield hides from hisRead More Three Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams1429 Words   |  6 PagesThree Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie, the narrator is used to reveal elements of Williams own life as a victim of the Depression in the 1930s. Williams does this through his eloquent use of symbolism. Three symbols seem to reveal Williams intent especially accurately; the unicorn, the picture of Mr. Wingfield, and Malvolios coffin trick.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unicorn is a symbolic representation of ways