The Glass Menagerie #5

There are many themes conveyed in Tennessee William's "The Glass Menagerie". However, the most important themes that stood out to me the most were realism versus nonrealism, the idea of escaping, and abandonment. These themes add to the overall meaning of the play because they create drama. The theme of reality comes into play with Tom, who is both the narrator and a character in the play. Because the play is action taken from Tom's memory, the audience cannot believe absolutely everything that Tom says. His opinions and feelings could lead to bias details and descriptions that stray away from what actually occured. The theme of escaping occurs multiple times in the play. This theme is connected to both the father and Tom. The father makes his successful escape before the play even begins. Following in the footsteps of his father, Tom plans his escape throughout the play. He feels like his current living situation with his mother Amanda and his sister Laura is like a prison. The theme of escaping from problems and reality also connects to the final theme of abandonment. The whole family has already experienced the feeling of abandonment when their father/husband left to pursue his own ambitions. When Tom leaves like his father did, Laura and Amanda will have to experience this sad and hopeless feeling yet again. This brings Laura and Amanda right back to square one.