The Glass Menagerie and Symbolism

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Laura's glass collection in the play symbolizes in many ways Laura's own being.  The glass embodies oddity, fragility, and beauty simultaneously.  Laura, too, behaves peculiarly, lacks self-confidence, and yet exudes a unique "unearthly" beauty all the while (Williams 1271).  Furthermore, Laura acknowledges this symbolism when she indirectly identifies herself with the glass collection.  In speaking to Jim O' Connor about her figurines, Laura employs anthropomorphism to ascribe human feelings, her own feelings, to the glass figurines.  She says, "Put him [unicorn] on the table. They all like a change of scenery once in a while!" (Williams 1281).  Previously in the play, Laura walked around many different places and enjoyed the changes in scenery instead of going to school.  Moreover, when Jim leaves the Wingfield family, Laura utilizes the glass figurines to give Jim something of herself.  Before he departs to pick up Betty, Laura places the unicorn piece Jim broke in his hand and closes his fingers around it.  That unique glass piece represents Laura and its being broken represents the significant affect Jim had on Laura.  Accordingly, Laura gives Jim the unicorn so that he will remember her and their evening together.