Breaking the Symbolism in "The Glass Menagerie"

Tennessee Williams expressed himself in the language of symbols in his play The Glass Menagerie. They were not ornaments to his work but were to his mind the only satisfactory means of expressing himself as an artist. Williams uses many symbols in The Glass Menagerie which represent many different things. Almost every element of the play serves as a symbol which amplifies the struggle of each character. Many of the symbols used in this play try to symbolize some form of escape or difference between reality and illusion. This book consists of five chapters with an introduction and conclusion. The introductory chapter is about Tennessee Williams and his use of symbols in his play. The second chapter deals with Laura, the third chapter deals with the symbols representing the theme of escape, the fourth chapter deals with the symbols of illusion and hope. The conclusion deals with the overall symbols used to represent illusion and reality in the play.