Student Essay on Glass Menagerie Theme Analysis

Glass Menagerie Theme Analysis by Tennessee Williams

Essay

Personally, I did not like the play "The Glass Menagerie." I did not like how it played out or how it ended. The way Tom just up and left his mother and sister to fend for themselves in the pre-WWII years, with the ever-growing threat of it war becoming more imminent. He was tired of his mother telling him he was selfish; by leaving them by themselves with no income was very selfish, he should have stayed until his sister actually had a gentleman caller. If he had stayed, he would have proven to his mother that he was not selfish and that he still felt concern for their wellbeing. The way Jim goes around and acts toward Laura was very selfish as well. He dances with her, and then kisses her, and then he goes and then tells her he is engaged. What kind of sadistic person is he? And Amanda, Tom and Laura's mother, she was selfish as well, expecting Tom to do things for the family, which wasn't even his responsibility in the first place, she puts all of her responsibilities on top of original ones to begin with. Laura too, she was selfish enough to drop out of business college, which her mother paid for with Tom's money, and not say anything to anyone; and in her past too, which is brought up when Jim and Laura are having a conversation, she was always worried about the clomping of her brace, she worried of what people thought of her. The main role Jim played was that he was there to try and help this troubled family get over there selfishness, and become concerned for each other, he did this by openly speaking with Laura, and showing her how it affects people if you are selfish, we don't know if she took that meeting to heart or not though. In my opinion, the point of the play, the main theme is selfishness, and where it will get you in life. If you only think about yourself, then that is the only person you will ever have to worry about. The play is very well written, but should tell us more of what happens to Laura and Amanda in the end, when Tom leaves, and maybe how Jim is living his life.