Essay The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

« Essay The Glass Menagerie Choose either Laura, Tom, or Amanda and argue how the person you chose should be considered the main character of the play. The main character of a story is the person who the story centers around, and is directly impacted by the conflicts that take place.

By interacting with other main and secondary characters, they change, and are thus round and dynamic characters.

In The Glass Menagerie, Laura is the axis around which the plot turns around, with the major symbols that represent her and her self-development. The Glass Menagerie, the title of the play, is not only Laura’s possession, but also represents her.

The major symbols of the play such as the unicorn, or blue roses are also deeply linked with her.

As is the Glass Menagerie, which she cares so much for, Laura is a very fragile person, both mentally and physically.

She has low self-confidence and a weak body that cannot withstand the cold weather.

It goes as far as her “courting pneumonia” after “catching [a] cold”, as mentioned by Amanda, when she learns that Laura went on walks instead of going to her lessons.

Other characters seem to assume that, like a piece of transparent glass, which is colorless until light shines upon it, Laura can take on whatever color they wish.

Thus, Amanda both uses the contrast between herself and Laura to emphasize the glamour of her own youth and to fuel her hope of recreating that youth through Laura.

She tries to remain young by calling Laura “sister” even though she is way older than her.

In addition to this, she attempts to make Laura continue her youth by insisting on making her marry to a gentleman caller.

Even though the work is not eponym, the title is her main symbolism, and she can thus be considered the protagonist.

By using Laura’s symbol as the title of the play, Tennessee William gives her a great importance as the title is the first clue on the story and the main character for the reader. One of the way Laura’s character changes during.... »