The Glass of MenagerieTennessee Williams “The Glass of Menagerie” is a play that takes place in a St. Louis apartment. The play presents the narrator's memories of the life he lived in 1937. As the character in the play, Tom Wingfield, the narrator of the play presents his memories from the time his father abandoned the family to the time where he leaves home to look for a job. . Although Tom is an aspiring poet, he works in a shoe warehouse to support his mother Amanda and sister Laura. His father, Wingfield, as Tom tells it, abandoned them when they were young. Tom's memories and his mother's reflections reveal that the family misses their breadwinner. Amanda tells her children about the many suitors she had when she was the age of her daughter, Laura. She wonders why Laura isn't attracting suitors. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Amanda enrolls Laura in business school so she can support herself once she graduates. However, Amanda learns that Laura dropped out of college and spent time polishing her glass menagerie. Disappointed, Amanda tells Tom to look for a suitor for his sister and he agrees to bring Jim who turns out to be engaged, thus disappointing the family. The author's focus on the events taking place in Wingfield's family has sparked criticism that the play deals only with the theme of family relationships. Critics have argued that the book is not rich in thematic concerns. However, a thorough review of the text reveals the author's success in presenting the themes of marriage and love, abandonment, freedom and confinement, dreams and aspirations. Amanda's insistence on Laura to get a man reveals the theme of marriage. in William's room. Although the writer does not explicitly show his intention to present the theme, it is clear from the conversation between Amanda and Laura. The mother asks her daughter; “Haven’t you ever liked a boy?” (Williams 35). The question opens a conversation that reveals the theme of marriage and love as one of the main ideas presented by Williams in the text. Amanda says that not marrying prepares women for humility and forces them to live a sad life. She states that women who are not married are tossed from one parent to another as they search for a place to end their loneliness (Williams 33). The author creatively presents Amanda's message to her daughter about marriage in a way that presents marriage as social fulfillment in society. For example, Amanda says that women who fail to marry in her society end up developing grudges against their brothers' wives or their sister's husbands. Interestingly, Amanda doesn't say anything regarding love in marriage. Williams may have left out Amanda's perspective on love because she is a victim of abandonment. Although Amanda asks about her daughter's love life, she does not feel the love in her marriage given that her husband abandoned her and the children. Contrary to the reader's expectations, Williams depicts Laura as having fallen in love with only one person. Laura remembers Jim and tells her mother that he is the only person she has ever had love for in her life. Since Jim calls Laura “Blue Roses,” she remembers him as someone who recognized her uniqueness (Williams 37). Williams constructs the theme of love as something that develops afterthe abandonment of a character. For example, Tom's family hangs a portrait of his father on the wall to remember him after he abandoned them. Additionally, Laura remembers Jim at the time when she couldn't have him. Additionally, she feels weak when she finds out that Jim is engaged. The brief interaction between Laura and Jib during the latter's visit reveals the author's ability to package the theme of love. Although Jim and Laura have been disconnected for a long time, their interactions lead to a kiss that brings Laura out of her shell and confesses that she loved Jim since they were in school (Williams 57). By describing Jim praising Laura for her uniqueness, the author constructs the theme of love in a way that suggests that the two characters might want to marry in the future. Williams portrays Jim as the only man who managed to trigger Laura's desire for love. For example, the author reveals that Laura shows Jim her favorite work and he likes it. Even though the play ends on a cliffhanger, the audience understands that Jim is interested in Laura even though he has a fiancé. Tom's narration reveals that his father abandoned the family and does not seem to regret his decision. Williams' presentation of Tom's memories reveals the theme of abandonment. Tom says the last the family heard from their father was a note saying "hello goodbye" (Williams 1). Tom's memories show that his father was a soldier who could have fought in the World War and that he could have abandoned the family to continue fighting in the war. In his conversation with the mother, Tom expresses his dissatisfaction with the five-dollar salary and claims that he can abandon the family like his father did. He tells his mother, “…listen, if I thought of myself, Mother, I would be right where he is – GONE” (Williams 34). Williams seems to suggest that in the context of the play, abandonment occurs after conflict between the characters. By showing Tom contemplating abandoning the family after his argument with his mother, Williams manages to connect the themes of dreams and aspirations with abandonment and family conflict. By saying “where he has gone”, Tom shows the photo of his father and therefore, he suggests abandoning his sister and mother (Williams 34). The theme of abandonment also appears when Tom argues with his mother and leaves home for an unknown location. Although Tom makes the final decision to abandon the family, Williams presents him thinking a lot about his sister. The thoughts indicate that Tom is haunted by his decision to abandon his sister and mother. Williams uses Tom's experiences at work and at home to bring out the theme of freedom and confinement. For example, Tom states that he does not want to spend his years in the “celotex interior with the fluorescent tubes” (Williams 33). The author uses this statement to show that Tom is confined to his workplace and lacks freedom. As a poet, Tom feels his talent is threatened by his continued stay at the shoe factory. However, Williams portrays him as an individual with few options given that he must take care of his family. Concerning the theme of dreams and aspirations, Williams constructs the play in such a way as to present Tom, Laura and their father as constantly living individuals. pursue their dreams but fail in most of their attempts. For example, Laura dreams of becoming a successful artist, but her mother interrupts her aspirations by sending her to business school and always reminds her to find a boyfriend. Amanda's hope for Laura doesn't come to fruition when she drops out of school and starts wandering around town. Amanda says she hoped for “success and happiness” for her children, but she did not achieve it (Williams 23). Tom's aspirations for a life..