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  • Essay / A theme of failure to accept reality in the glass menagerie

    Is it conceivable to escape into your own masquerade of a world ignoring the daily realities we all must face? There is no doubt. Typical of human nature, we tend to find relief by living in situations that reduce the stressful anxieties of life, as opposed to those that arise from the unforgiving circumstances that occur in life. This idea is present in Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, which uses the actions, character portrayal, and overall setting to further prove the theme of the difficulty of accepting reality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the play, each member of the Wingfield family struggles to overcome their own perception of reality. As a result, none of the characters appear to live in the "real world", but rather in their own alternate realities. To elaborate, each person retreats into their own world of illusions, which acts as a safe place where they can find solace and meaning. Reality has by far the weakest hold on Laura, emotionally and physically paralyzed. Laura retreats into adolescent imaginations and “lives in her own world.” The fragile reality she lives in revolves around the old records left by her father and the glass menagerie collection. His escape involves hiding inside the apartment, avoiding the outside world. Instead of facing the difficulties of her life, Laura escapes into a fantasy world, a world as fragile as her glass menagerie. Laura's escape from reality cuts her off from the rest of the world because the fantasy she escapes from is completely unique. Unlike his sister, Tom Wingfield is apparently able to function in the real world, his difficulties lie within the home. Tom hopes for a better future to escape his current state of depression due to his overbearing mother. He is used to going to the cinema every evening to experience the adventure he has not experienced in his life. Tom retreats into the fantasy provided by literature, movies, and the carefree act of drinking. When Tom is not in the movies he works in the factory, even though he hates it, he does it to support his sister and mother. Although his mother pushes him to become an excellent factory worker, Tom emphasizes the fact that he is not satisfied with this kind of lifestyle. While Laura seeks comfort in the present and Tom in their mother's future, Amanda Winfield remembers the past for comfort. Amanda is portrayed as a faded southern belle whose relationship with reality is the most complex in the story. Whereas it can be inferred that Amanda was raised in a prominent southern family and is now struggling to accept her new lifestyle. Suffering today from a reversal of the economic and societal hierarchy, it tends to deny its sterile reality to escape the past. Unlike her children, she is not interested in real-world values ​​and strives for financial and social success. However, these values ​​prevent him from realizing the truths of his own life. For example, due to her traditional upbringing, Amanda expects Laura to have many men waiting for her hand in marriage. Yet, we know that Laura is not a typical prize for a suitor due to her shyness and inability to connect with the real world. As she doesn't accept Laura as she is and constantly tries to change her to make her more suitable for others. Although the Winfield family is united by the unique way they cling to reality, the illusions they seek do not.”