THE GLASS MENAGERIE, by Tennessee Williams, 1944
Describe Tom’s aspirations and dilemmas. How does he initially try to reconcile the conflicting demands of his dreams and his sense of responsibility to his family? What does he decide to do at the end of the play? Is he successful in his final attempt at escaping from his family? What significant symbols does the author use to illustrate Tom’s struggle?
State your thesis clearly at the end of the introduction.
Use topic sentences to start your body paragraphs.
Analyze examples from the play to support your interpretation.
In each body paragraph, use one or two short quotes from the play to support your analysis. Use appropriate in-text citation format.
Incorporate comments from at least three secondary sources in relevant parts of the paper.
Sample Solution
om Wingfield, the main protagonist and narrator of Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie, is an individual struggling to reconcile his dreams with the weight of responsibility he feels towards his family (Williams, 1944). Tom’s ambition lies in writing, as is evidenced by his job at a shoe warehouse and his collection of poetry books. His wish to leave the cramped apartment and escape from the oppressive atmosphere within it is palpable; however, Tom does not simply abandon his mother and sister but instead attempts to ease their burden through various measures such as taking on extra work (Williams, 1944).
Despite this effort to support them financially and protect them emotionally from reality outside their home, Tom knows that he cannot stay much longer. He acknowledges that he has “one great determination — to be free” yet feels guilty for wanting something more out of life than what can be provided within this familial environment (Williams, 1944). This dilemma causes him feelings of deep internal conflict between duty and desire which only worsens when Laura fails to show up for her date with Jim O’Connor. At this point, Tom recognizes that loyalty to one’s dreams sometimes requires breaking away from those closest: “I’m going now! I’m free!”(Williams ,1944).
Ultimately then, Tom moves back into nature after deciding there was no way for him reconcile these conflicting demands– staying would have meant sacrificing himself too heavily whilst abandoning his family would have been wrong. Therefore through various means- avoidance being one – Tom seeks a balance; some kind of equilibrium between love for what is familiarly known yet equally yearning for unknown territories (Williams ,1944).
