The last two scenes of “The Glass Menagerie” were very predictable, in my opinion. It was very apparent throughout the play that Tom was unhappy with his life by his frequent visits to the fire escape, which made his departure in the end unsurprising. However, Tom could not truly escape his past, for he was haunted by the thought of leaving his sister behind, causing him to hold an intense emotional connection to her.
Laura’s glass figurines were a reoccurring symbol throughout the play. Just as Jim accidently broke the horn off the unicorn, he broke Laura’s heart by admitting that he had to go pick up his soon-to-be wife. It also symbolized how fragile all of the Wingfield family is. While reading, I would get an overwhelming sense of doom for all the characters. Each felt hopeless about important aspects of their lives: Tom felt like he was going to work in a coffin instead of pursuing what he was passionate about, while Amanda felt like her golden days were over and her children would never fulfill what she thought would bring them happiness and success. Laura felt helpless, as well, which was evident through by her complex during Jim’s visit.
I was not shocked to discover that Jim was involved with another woman. Although Laura did warm up to him when left alone, Jim was a completely different caliber than she was. The pressure that was placed on their meeting to begin with was enough to assume it would not work out. This was not a fairy tale ending by no means, but instead a very realistic one. It left me with the feeling that that’s life, and life is rarely fair at all.
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