Živilė Bendoriūtė (Vilnius University, Lithuania). Important Symbols in Tennessee Williams’ „The Glass Menagerie”. – In: Languages and Cultures of the Baltic Region: Collection of Papers. Vol. 2. – Rīga: Sociālo tehnoloģiju augstskola (STA), 2007. ISBN 978-9984-39-253-0.
Summary
In his play The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams describes four different characters, namely: Tom, Amanda, Laura, Jim. He reveals their dreams and their inability to face reality. The characters desperately search for a way out from their present lives. The fire escape is one of the most obvious ways of exit. Each of the characters has the symbol, which best represent his or her personality. Laura’s symbols are Blue Roses, her glass menagerie and the unicorn. Amanda’s symbols are Blue Mountain and Jonquils. Light and colour are essential in creating the characters’ images. They are used as a device to reveal the mood of the play. The understanding of various symbols helps the reader to come to a greater understanding of the play’s theme.