"The Glass Menagerie" Scene 7

Scene seven begins with the lights going out in the apartment.  I feel this event is a foreshadowing of Toms future actions in his life, by doing what he wants to in his life instead of providing for the family.  He decided not to pay the power bill and save the money to join the Union of Merchant Seamen instead.  While Amanda is dealing with finding out that Tom did not pay the bill, Jim is trying to make jokes and small talk to lighten the mood.  Jim says, "Candlelight is my favorite kind of light."(page 69) which shows he is trying to make the best out of the situation.  When Amanda says, "nobody's given me this much entertainment in years-as you have!"(page 69)  I feel that she herself is flirting with Jim.  Although he was brought to the house for Laura I feel as though Amanda misses the days of having her own gentleman callers.  She wants to be admired and called upon even at her age.

When Jim comes into the room to talk with Laura she is very quite and shy.  By saying, "her paralyzing shyness"(page 70) we can tell she never grows out of this state.  We are always reminded of how she takes on her life.  Throughout their conversation Jim is very interested in getting to know Laura.  Laura then starts to talk to him more and more and explains why she was always ashamed to walk into class.  When she had to wear the cast on her leg she felt it made a loud clumping sound.  Jim then says, "I never heard any clumping"(page 75) this shows that even when Laura thought everyone was staring at her no one noticed anything.  She was again like one of her glass animals, alone and unnoticed.  One of my favorite parts was when "Laura's shyness is dissolving in his warmth.'(page 77).  This is a very strong part of the play because Laura is beginning to loosen up to Jim and let her guard down.  

Further in the play the discussion of Jim's old girlfriend in high school comes up.  He "leans indolently back on his elbows", indolently means wanting to avoid the activity.  I feel that Jim is having such a great time with Laura he does not want to bring up things that might hurt her in the end.  Laura says, "Glass is something you have to take good care of."(page 80) this shows exactly who she is.  Laura is just like a piece of glass, very fragile and innocent.  If she is not taken care of in the best way she could be damaged.  Laura trusts Jim with anything.  She allows him to hold one of her favorite glass pieces.  When the glass piece falls off the table and breaks I took this as a turning point for Laura.  Laura was the unicorn in a group of horses.  She is unique in her own way.  When the horn falls off Laura is changed into who everyone else is.  Laura can finally realize she is not so different from everyone else, but that everyone is different in their own way.

When Jim "turns her about and kisses her on the lips"(page 88) I felt that he truly liked her and thought she was one in a million.  I was very disappointed when I found out he had a steady girlfriend.  Jim should have said something from the beginning.  He was the one who was able to get through to Laura and show her she really is something special.  When Laura gives Jim "A-souvenir..."(page 91) it shows that she has learned from Jim to go out and face the world.  She is giving him a glass unicorn that meant so much to her.  Laura is able to tell Jim through this gift how he has changed her life.

The last part of the play was not a shocker to me.  I knew the time would come when Tom would break out from the home and become his own person.  When Amanda says, "a deserted mother,an unmarried sister who's crippled and has no job!"(page 96) I felt unsure about the matter.  Amanda who is always correcting Tom for calling Laura a cripple is now doing it herself.  This shows all along Amanda really knows what her daughter is but didn't want to face the facts.  She is resorting to Tom's level now to try and get him to stay.  Tom then says, "from then on, in my fathers footsteps,"(page 97).  All along Tom has held some of the same qualities that his father had but finally reaches the point where he has to be like him and leave.  Amanda has driven away her husband and now her son from her own actions.  Tom wants to lead his own life and he the man he wants to be without having to listen to his mother.