Summary: Many Themes and Symbols In The Glass Menagerie

We can all relate to the timeless symbolism and themes that intertwine in “The Glass Menagerie”. Tom Wingfield, who acts as both a character and narrator throughout the play, best relates to me personally through the many personality traits he exemplifies and hopes and dreams that he holds dear. His want to experience 'adventure', his use of poetry as an escape from real-life problems, and his never-dying feeling of being contained by his own family all relate to personal experiences I have felt at some point in time in my life.

Although Tom tends to like the rest of his family, escape into fantasies, the drama reveals many similarities between the personalities of the character Tom and myself, and we both feel trapped by the ones we love.

At some point in every person's life, one can feel a sense of entrapment by their own family. Tom Wingfield loves his family dearly and feels loyal to his mother and elder sister.

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At the same time, Amanda and Laura's unbelievable dependency on Tom as their security, protection, and income can often consume him. Their need for his presence at home makes him feel stuck, isolated from the rest of the world, always to work and provide for his family, never able to live on his own. Although I do not feel trapped as Tom does, I feel contained at home, unable to express my true thoughts and feelings. Not exactly my family, but my present life in New York City seems to trap me into a future full of regrets.

I feel a connection with Tom Wingfield no only because we both feel trapped by personal life experiences, but we also have a desire to expand upon our deepest ambitions and experience authentic adventure.

My personality shares many similarities with the traits of Tom, as we both aspire to achieve greatness and success while at the same time experiencing thrills and excitement. Many times throughout the drama Tom expresses his long to escape, travel, and experience 'adventure' through his actions, conversations, and interactions with other characters. He considers his job at the warehouse mind-numbing, and he despises it as it restricts him from what he wants to do. This need to experience some 'adventure' in life also relates to many times in my life where I have felt a need for change and thrills to give a release from the constant stresses in reality. With this reoccurring need for letting loose and experiencing 'adventure,' both Tom and I dream of an escape from daily routines, and we both make use of our interests and hobbies to provide this sense of freedom.

When looking into the symbolism that lies throughout the drama Tom Wingfield represents the movies, which shows his longing to escape and break up the routine. Also as an aspiring poet, Tom often retires to his room and loses himself in his poetry, letting the vibrant and descriptive words send him to a surreal, fantasy world of his fondest memories and dreams. Both the character of Tom and I hold high goals in our futures and the promise of hope of success act as substitutes for a real escape. As Tom 'escapes' through his poetry and goes to the movies every night, I flee to the stage where I can let all problems go and truly feel a sense of happiness. We both have similar dreams that allow us to lose ourselves from the conflicts in the real world and these dreams, connect in a way better than any other character in the play.

The 'Glass Menagerie,' a drama written by Thomas 'Tennessee' Williams integrates many themes and symbols with realistic characters who all experience conflicts of the real world while desperately trying to hold onto their deepest hopes and dreams. Tom Wingfield relates to me through many personality traits that he possesses, as well as other actions and feelings that he reveals throughout the play. Surroundings, such as the ones we love, and our environment often entrap us into feelings of never achieving what we truly desire and holding us back from a future of difference. Tom and I, as well as many others, do with their daily life routines, experience boredom, and desire a change of scenery and some new 'thrills' in their lives. Lastly, a never-ending want to escape from the problems of life reflected in the deepest hopes of both ourselves. Throughout the play, Tom's symbol of the movies and the problems that he goes through reveal much to the reader of his real character, and allows many, like me, to see connections of real-life experiences and relate on a whole other level.