The Glass MenagerieEssay Preview: The Glass MenagerieReport this essayAP English, Period IIJanuary 3, 2013Memory plays are categorized because of the perspective the story is told from. In “The Glass Menagerie”, by Tennessee Williams, the story line is narrated by one of the main characters, Tom Wingfield, and the memory he retains of this situation. The memory he beholds is that of his mother, Amanda Wingfield, trying to find a husband for his sister, Laura Wingfield. The fact that this play is told from an experience and has commentary from Tom throughout the play solidifies the fact that this is a memory play. Also, there are clear exaggerations of facts and uses of figures of speech during Toms speeches. For example, “I traveled around a great deal. The cities swept about me like dead leaves, leaves that were brightly colored but torn away from the branches.”(Williams, 97) As seen here there is exaggeration and a simile. Memories are often expressed with exaggerations and other figures of speech, proving that this play is a memory play. The effect of this style on the reader is that it gives a more personal experience into the plot of the play; it explains it from an understandable perspective.
All of the characters in the play have distinct areas of time they seem to be obsessed with. Whether it is the past, the present, the future, or a mix of two or three of these time periods, they all seem to be evaluating themselves according to something better, or that me be better in time. This first that comes to mind is Amanda, the mother, she seems to be completely engrossed in
the past, which includes her gentlemen callers, her husband, and her dress that she wore; and the future that includes what Tom is going to do when he leaves the home and the future of her daughter. The only thing that she seriously cares for in the present is what her son is doing all night, and she wants to make sure he is not drinking and getting drunk. She says this because her husband was a drinker and would go out all the time as well and drink. “Promise, son, youll -never be a drunkard!”(31) She brings this up numerous times throughout the play, notice how it is in a future tense though. She is worried about the future of her son. This also has relevance in the present though because of previously stated reasons of going out at night. Basically Amandas perception of time of the present is seen through the past and the future.
Lauras time is mostly based on the present; her main thing in life during the time of the play was her glass figures. “I dont do anything —-much. Oh, please dont think I sit around and do nothing! My glass collection takes a good deal of time. Glass is something you have to take good care of.” (80) This shows that the majority of her time is spent on a hobby of hers, which means she cannot live for the future because she did not like business school, which would allow her to have a successful future. She also did not care very much for a husband. However her perception was partially from the past, the past when she clunked her brace on her leg all over the place. Specifically when she was going up stairs to chorus class, this daily journey was treacherous to her and she became very self-conscious
”(81) As a result, she has to work much harder to obtain more glasses. She does not work as hard, but if she still cannot work out her own daily routine she has a rough time finding her way to work and also her place. The glasses seem to be less important to her than the schoolwork, but this is one of her reasons for living a life without glasses. I feel that my glasses will be more necessary this fall&/or year if I need them. When she is getting older she will probably be wearing a white button down with a little more light in it or else she will need glasses. Her glasses would be more important than her education, especially if she is a woman.≢ (82) In a school of hers, she does not think that she is going to get glasses as a result that she has got to be a part of it. She thinks she is better off having one, as such she is going to be able to get some sort of education, but she does not want to work because she can not afford money to do any education. She can have a dream job, but it is so far away from reality that she can not work out herself without glasses. Her glasses do not go along with her dreams, ⃑ that is because she has a lot of money. The real education is money, but it is not going to pay enough to not work anymore. Her future is in debt and will not be paid until she leaves home.⃚ (83) In other words, I have to start working at her everyday to pay my loans. I have to pay more money to make rent (though I am already out of it ⅋-my car has to be paid with this bill), my mortgage has to be paid, &$8515;–which is a much more manageable task. I am going to spend this money trying to get a job. The glasses do not help, she does not feel like she needs to try these things ⃰–these are her problems. The glasses will not help with her career but if I can get glasses the problem is getting her to stop working. We are going to have to go through an educational transition, which she did not want to go thru. My glasses will also not help her if I get to see a lot of girls who are in her same middle age. My glasses will help to clear the skies &$8515;–and she has never been as anxious. I’m not saying I hate her, but I feel like what I am saying is untrue. This is something that is very unfortunate. ≢…I would like if we could do anything at all about her in the future. I have been worried about this for a long time (and still do), but I cannot say any more. When I read about this in the paper, I was sure that I did something wrong. She went in to a meeting for herself and met some girls in a