Tom's Memories

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Several aspects of the play support the conclusion that the entire play, save Tom's final monologue, actually consists of a string of Tom's memories connected together.  First and most obviously, Tom narrates the play and explicitly states that the play consists of memories. Who else could be able to identify certain instances as memories but the owner of those memories himself?  Secondly, many of the stage directions during the play occur at Tom's cue, implying that Tom has some control over the scenes as he would his own memories.  For instance, when Amanda recalls all of her gentlemen callers in scene one, Tom "motions for music and a spot of light on Amanda" to dramatize the event as he had seen it (Williams 1238).  Other stage directions correspond to Tom's inner thoughts or personal epiphanies.  In scene four, when Laura asks who could ever accomplish such a feat as escaping a nailed coffin, "the father's grinning photograph lights up," to explain what Tom thinks in reply to her question (Williams 1249).  Finally, Tom's reflective monologue which concludes the production removes any doubt that the play consists of his memories.  Tom thinks of Laura and how he tried to abandon all feelings of obligation in supporting her, but realizes, "I am more faithful than I intended to be!" and thus feels guilty at leaving her (Williams 1289).  This guilt explains the obnoxious frequency in the play of Amanda accusing Tom of being selfish.  These instances occur in Tom's memories because he still feels guilt over selfishly leaving the family altogether.  However, Tom still wishes to disassociate himself with his family, and therefor urges Laura to blow out her candles and erase all memory of him so that he can truly say goodye.