Fantasy and Imagination in The Glass Menagerie by...

Fantasy and Imagination in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie: Wingfields are alike in terms of their imagination Every character exists in their own little world in which they indulge themselves in whether it is real or just a fantasy. In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, everyone in the play allows for their imagination to run wild. The contrast is shocking when they withdraw from there because the differences in their appearance, personality and behavior transform drastically. Tom supports his family despite his unhappiness with his lifestyle. He tries to please his mother, Amanda by being the sole supporter of the family, but only gets rewarded by Amandas constant nagging and distrust.†¦show more content†¦With such a dull and stressful life, Tom was always looking for adventure like his father. Although it is only referred to a couple of times, the portrait of Toms father is one of the most important symbols representing Tom. In the play, the portrait is a constant reminder to Amanda of the past she once knew and cherished. A long time ago, Amandas husband abandoned h er and her children because of his unhappy home life. Tom, like his father, felt that his home life was suppressing his true desires for adventure. It became unbearable for Tom to enjoy himself with Amandas nagging. Tom regularly spoke of his desire for adventure. He felt that instead of wasting his life away inside the house, he could experience something more exciting. Eventually, Tom makes a fanatical choice. Instead of paying for the electric bill, he decides to pay dues to the Union of Merchant Seamen. That organization was his savor from suffocation and a ticket to the life of adventure. Malvoli the Magician was an act that Tom would often see when he went to the movies every night. His coffin trick is a symbol of Toms suffocating life. Both Malvoli and Tom face life-threatening situations. In the trick, Malvoli faces death by suffocation if he does not successfully escape the coffin. Tom faces death by emotional and spiritual suffocation if he does not find away out o f the house. Also, the coffinShow MoreRelated The Importance of Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie Essay1609 Words   |  7 PagesImportance of Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie  Ã‚      Tom Wingfield is the narrator and a major character in Tennessee William’s timeless play, The Glass Menagerie. Through the eyes of Tom, the viewer gets a glance into the life of his family in the pre-war depression era; his mother, a Southern belle desperately clinging to the past; his sister, a woman too fragile to function in society; and himself, a struggling, young poet working at a warehouse to pay the bills. 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