Symbolism+Glass+Menagerie


 * The Glass Menagerie** - The glass Menagerie is the central symbol of the story. This symbolizes Laura’s grasp on reality, she is more enthusiastic and entertained with fantasy and falsities (based on fragile illusions) rather than reality. The glass menagerie also symbolizes Laura's personality, "the glass menagerie figures are transparent, but when light is shown through the figures it produces a ray of rainbows." This correlates with Laura's personality because Laura is quiet and shy around strangers, but when people look at her with the right light, she shows her true personality.




 * The Glass Unicorn (then horse)** - This is symbolic of the change Laura is going through now that she has to find suitors get married someday fairly soon. She has to break out of her fantasy world and grab onto reality and live a normal life (breaking of the horn off of the unicorn).


 * Blue Roses** - This Nickname given to her by Jim O'Connor was symbolic because it was her first and long time crush; that memory had never left Laura. This also symbolizes Laura's unusualness. Furthermore, this represents William's sister, Rose, which Laura was based off of.


 * Fire Escape -** The fire escape symbolizes the way out. "This is an escape route from the fires of frustrations and the conflicts that the Wingfield's are facing. Laura tries to get out from the fire escape, but slips and this shows her inability to escape from her situations that she is facing." Tom was able to go in and out the fire escape like that which foreshadow his escape at the end of the story.


 * Mr. Wingfield -** foreshadows what Tom is going to do at the end of the book.

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