As you read the analysis of all characters you will see that every single person who plays a role in this play will have a hard time excepting reality. Having said, each character have problems towards each other that withdraws them into their own illusions and world. All disagreeing with each others beliefs and wants in life only makes matters worse and soon drives others into great despair.
Laura Wingfield, daughter of Amanda Wingfield, plays a major role in the Glass Menagerie. Laura is a twenty three year old who is crippled and who’s maturity level is low. Seems as if she shes a 11 year old stuck in a twenty three year old body who is extremely shy. The only things that draws her attention is her music and the glass menagerie. Laura resembles the Glass Menagerie in many ways. Like the glass, Laura is fragile and delicate. And when light shines on it a certain way its intriguing in many ways. For example when Toms friend from work, Jim shines the candle light on Laura, which happens to be symbolic in many ways. When Jim openly talked to Laura and made her open up more and show her true colors, in the candle light it seemed as if she was more brilliant then at times when there was no light at all. Also the menagerie seems to represent the imaginative world that she seems to be in. Other symbolic things mentioned in this play that is related to Laura is the nick name “blue roses” and the glass unicorn itself. Both, because they are unique.
Light plays a major role in The glass Menagerie also, that is where impressionism comes into the play. When Jim shined the candle light onto Laura seemed as if she was a different person.
Tom Wingfield, Laura’s older brother who supports her and their mother. Tom resents his father who left their family. In my opinion, Tom has the most trouble in the family and the only way he feels as if he could escape reality is to go to the movies, smoke, drink and through literature. Tom is like most older children in the family… basically get craped on for everything! NOT COOL!! anyways, Adolescence can easily relate to Tom, Where his mother expects so much out of him because he is the oldest and the “man” of the house. Like kids the oldest kid always gets blamed for everything and have high standards that the parents set for them. Unlike the younger siblings they don’t have as much to worry about. But Tom, on the other hand he has everything against him, Feeling as if his sisters future is his responsibility. Having to work a job that he greatly despises makes him want to escape reality more and also Toms imagination would effect his judgments in many things. His mother it a nut! she should have seen that putting all this pressure on him would only drive him away, which is what ended up happening. The relationship between Tom and Laura is close. Tom cares deeply for laura but his mothers nagging causes Tom to only think of how to get away and how he could possibly leave and go on a adventure like the stars in the movies. When Tom leaves at the end of the play he felt nothing but hopelessness because the thought of his sister being alone made him depressed about leaving her. Nothing was accomplished when Tom left.
Amanda Wingfield, Tom and Laura’s mother. A nut case! During the entire play Amanda’s main goal was to find Laura a husband. Amanda was terrified by the fact that Laura maybe single for the rest of her life. There for she would always have to care for her. Even though she put so much pressure on Tom and Laura all she wanted was what was best for her kids. But only seeing that she forgot to see what her kids wanted, which was her downfall.
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