The Glass Menagerie CD

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Summary: Impressive play
Review: We liked to read this play even though it is a tragic story. The father left his family a long time ago and so Amanda ( the mother) had to bring up her children of her own. Now she is looking for a gentleman caller for her crippled and shy daughter Laura. Her son, one of the main persons in the story but also the narrator, earns the money for the family. But he isn't satisfied with his job at the warehouse and with his whole life. Well, if you're curious now how the story will go on, then you have to read the play. The story is full of symbols. For example the glass menagerie is like Laura, very fragile and tender. It also shows the unrealistic world in which the family lives, especially Laura and Amanda. We really can recommend to read this play. It's really great.

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Summary: From the Golden Age of American Drama
Review: THE GLASS MANAGERIE, written in 1944, is a painfully poignant drama about a crippled girl, Laura Wingfield, who is so shy and insecure that she spends her days in her mother's house, playing old phonograph records left by her father, who deserted the family long ago, and caring for her collection of glass figurines ("the glass managerie"). Laura's mother, Amanda, is an old-fashioned "southern belle," charming but emotionally weak; though she finds fault with Laura and her shyness, Amanda lives in her own world of illusions. She dreams of a business career for Laura; when this fails, she dreams that Laura will find a handsome "gentleman" to marry. Aside from the "gentleman caller," the other character in the play is Laura's brother, Tom, who also dreams - of being an artist, another "Shakespeare." Tom is both a character in the drama and its narrator; in this way, THE GLASS MANAGERIE is a "memory play": its action is RECOUNTED by a narrator, Tom.
The similarities between this play and both A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN are striking. All three of these works deal with the contrast between illusion - dreams -and reality. In STREETCAR, Blanche du Bois is a delicate, refined "southern belle," who prefers to live in a dream-world; in this way she is like both Laura and Amanda Wingfield. But I find the parallels with SALESMAN even more interesting. These begin with the opening stage directions, which describe the set of the Wingfield's house as having transparent walls (so that Tom can narrate, then walk through the walls into "the past" to become a character in the play) and as being located in an overcrowded section of town. In SALESMAN, the Lomans' home has transparent walls for the very same purpose - so that the characters can exist both in the present and in the past - and is at the same time shown to be "boxed in" with many other houses, showing the desperation and helplessness of the family's situation. Like Willy Loman, Amanda has great but unrealistic hopes for her children. And like Biff Loman, Tom Wingfield is bored with his menial job and dreams of being free to create and to go where he likes. Jim, the gentleman caller, also resembles Biff in that he was a success in high school but now, six years later, is only a shipping clerk - yet he believes in the myth that a winning personality will eventually make him a success. That MANAGERIE and the later SALESMAN resemble each other in so many respects means that Miller must have admired and learned from Williams. Indeed, the twentieth century was extremely fortunate to have had these two great dramatists writing practically simultaneously. THE GLASS MANAGERIE is certainly one of the jewels from that golden age -- the 1910's to the 1950's -- of American drama.

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Summary: The Glass Menagerie
Review: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, is a good book to read. The plot of the story is set around a mother and her two children; Laura and Tom. The mother, Amanda, is a very proud woman and wishes the best for her children. The only problem is that her daughter, Laura, is crippled with a bad leg and extreme shyness, which keeps her from interacting with the outside world. Her brother, Tom, has stepped in to take the role of the father in the family. He works to support the family but often find himself bored with his job. To fix this problem, he does whatever he can to take his mind off his life.

There are a couple things I do not like about this book. I think that the main reason I did not like this book is because it was so short. Because it was so short, the book did not have a very interesting plot. It also lacked very much emotion and thoughts from the characters, which made it hard to see the world from their shoes.

But there were also a few things that I did like that made the book easier to read. First, the book was in the form of a play. This showed you exactly who was talking. There were also very few characters with each of them having distinctly different personalities. This kept the story from getting confusing like Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," which has like five characters with names that sound alike .The ending of the book was decent but it could have been better if it did not leave the reader with so many questions.

Overall the book was a good read. I would suggest it to everyone even though it has some flaws and dull points.

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Summary: The Glass Menagerie
Review: I read the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. I really enjoyed reading this book because it was easy to follow, and it was very interesting. The book is about a dysfunctional family who lives in St. Louis during the Great Depression. The play has three main characters. Tom is the narrator and the oldest son. Tom has been out of high school for six years and works at Continental Shoemakers Warehouse. He supports the entire family. He has a bad habit of smoking, which his mother, Amanda, does not like. Amanda is a mother who has high expectations for her children. She emphasizes all the wrong things Tom does, which frustrates him to a degree where he leaves and does not come home until late at night. The last main character is Laura. She is quiet and does not like going out in public.She usually gets stuck in the middle of the arguments between Tom and Amanda.
I like this book because Tennessee Williams relates incidents to how things actually were during the 1930's. For example during the play, Laura is supposed to be taken tests to see if she is eligible to get a job, but she skips them. Amanda's resolution for Laura is for her to get married. Back in the 1930's, if women could not make it on their own by working, they got married to a man who could support them. Another example would be Amanda does not have a job. Tom has to support his mother and his sister. This shows how people survived during the depression.
I also liked how Mr. Williams conveyed each character in the family with problem of some kind. Tom is bored of his life and wants to go out and have adventure. That is why he goes out to the movies every night. Laura is extremely shy and never leaves the house. She has a collection of glass ornaments that she organizes and keeps with her at all times. Amanda is an over protective mother that will not let Tom go. He is six years out of high school and she still tries to control what he does, and that leads to many arguments between the two of them.
The last main aspect I like about this play was how Tennessee Williams made each character have something special of their own to escape the hardships of life. Laura's glass menagerie of animals helped her escape reality. Those glass animals are all she cared about. Tom, on the other hand, escaped reality by going to the movies. He would go out late into the night and watch movies of people having adventurous lives, just as he dreamt about. Lastly, Amanda's escape from reality was Blue Mountain. She would ponder on the old times when she was popular and was loved by everyone.

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Summary: Glass Menagerie
Review: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee William has three main characters. Amanda is the mother, Laura is the daughter, and Tom is the son. Amanda was married but her husband died. In the Glass Menagerie all the characters have problems and they are trying to escape them. While the characters are trying to escape from their problems, there are little things that happen during the scenes to symbolize their problems. The "music" that is played at the end of each scene and at random parts empathizes the drama. The "Blue Rose" symbolizes Laura's uniqueness, and it represents her appeal to her Jim, a guy from high school. Blue Rose is what Jim called Laura back in high school. The fire escape, which is, symbolizes the characters trying to escape from their lives.

The Glass Menagerie was a fast pace book. It keeps you wondering what was going to happen next. But, I didn't like the fact that it was set up as a play. It was hard to figure out what the little things in the book symbolized. I would like to see the movie the Glass Menagerie, now that I have read the book because you know what is happening and you know what all the symbols in the background represent. Over all the book was had very good meanings and excellent symbols. The book also makes you very emotional; it makes you want to help out the characters. The ending of the book is extremely shocking and it makes you think afterwards. The book was an easy read and very short.

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Summary: "The Glass Menagerie" Book Review
Review: This timeless play has been studies and performed around the world since 1945. Tennessee Williams', "The Glass Menagerie" has been classified as legendary for decades and will continue to appear in classrooms and theaters for decades to come. This play is still so popular today because it can still be related to today. It has effective description, realistic characters, and modern language so it is easily understood.
This play seems ageless although it was written over a half of a century ago. There are several similarities with today's society. In the play, tom, the narrator and main character is less than satisfied with his life. He works as a shoemaker but has big dreams for himself. He complains about his job and life when he says, "Listen! You think I'm crazy about the warehouse? You think I'm in love with the Continental Shoemakers? You think I want with-fluorescent-tubes! Look! I'd rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains-than go back mornings"(page 23). Tom wants to be a poet and experience adventure. We can all relate to this. At times we are not satisfied with life and it's good to dream a little and have goals for yourself.
Another good aspect of this play is how realistic the characters are. The main characters Tom, Amanda, and Laura don't lead a perfect life. They all have weaknesses. Tom hates his job; Amanda has problems raising and supporting Laura and Tom; Laura has a physical disability. The family goes through real life situations and problems.
The description and overall narration of the play is a key role in its effectiveness. The characters and plot are described so you can get a picture in your mind of the people and the apartment they lie in. The narrator being a character helped a lot with getting a visual of things. This description of the Wingfield's apartment is an example of the detailed description in the play. "The Wingfield apartment is in the rear of the building, one of those vast hive-like conglomerations of cellular living-units that flower as warty growths in overcrowded urban centers of lower middle-class population and are symptomatic of the impulse of this largest and fundamentally enslaved section of American society to avoid fluidity and differentiation and to exist and function as one interfused mass of automatism"(page 3).
Sometimes when reading plays it can be difficult to fully grasp a good sense of the plot. However, it is not the case in "The Glass Menagerie". The plot is fully developed through the characters actions and dialogues. Also, the vivid description Tom gives is very helpful. It is easy to understand because Tom comes right out and tells you what to expect like when he tells us, "I am the narrator of the play, and also a character in it. The other characters are my mother, Amanda, my sister, Laura, and a gentleman caller who appears in the final scenes"(page 5).
Not only is this a well written play, but also it is an easy read. It uses everyday language. It's not difficult to comprehend as it uses modern speaking and dialogues. It's a short play that will grasp you attention and be over before you know it. "The Glass Menagerie" is so popular for a reason. It's a classic play that will be studied and referenced for years to come. It's amazing how a play written so long ago is not obsolete and still relates to today's society.

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Summary: The first Tennesee Williams I ever read will be the last
Review: Why is it that in order for a book, play, or piece of literature to be considered "Great" it has to make you feel like you just walked through an emotional meat-grinder and rolled around in broken glass for a few hours? I can easily cite several pieces that illustrate this, from the style of "yanking the rug of hope out from under you" types ("The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, "1984" by George Orwell), to stories of extremely sick, obsessive people ("Wuthering Heights", Emily Bronte), to stories that just bring out the absolute worst human traits available, and builds upon them literal skyscrapers of the bad aspects of humanity. It is in this last group that I include the "The Glass Menagerie", where it sits glumly next to Hawthorne's tepid "The Scarlett Letter" and George Eliot's equally insipid "Silas Marner".

Now don't get me wrong...Mr. Williams has a real gift with writing, putting you practically in the story and taking off with it. I have never seen a stage production of "The Glass Menagerie" but the play itself is written in such a way that it's very easy to visualize as you read along. Pertaining to Mr. Williams style of writing, his use of the "memory play" is among the most unique tools I've ever seen in a story and he works it to great, surreal effect. The protaganist of the story is Tom, a guy stranded in a seemingly hopeless cycle of life that has him as the family's main breadwinner, working a thankless job and living his desired life of high adventure vicariously by going to the movies. His mother, the overbearing Amanda Wingfield, is a woman literally from another time who cannot seem to break out of the idea that she no longer lives in the old, antibellum South, but rather in a seedy tenement in central St. Louis. His older sister Laura is a shy and reclusive 24 year old woman who has a condition that makes one leg shorter than the other and so she's considered "crippled."

Laura in particular is more the central focus of the story, or rather finding a man that will court and marry her is definitely the main goal of the mother, Amanda. Tom on the other hand, while sympathizing with his sister's status, really on the whole has larger dreams and just wants none of the whole thing, only to escape his lowly job at the shoe warehouse and avoid his overbearing mother. He brings home a coworker one night (after being codgered to death by good ol' Mom) which introduces the character Jim O'Connor to Laura. A surprisingly good rapport occurs between the two, and just as you think the story might have a hopeful ending it turns out ol' Jim is already engaged to the enigmatic Betty. The scene ends, Jim departs, Laura is left devastated with a half broken collection of glass animal figurines (the titular "Glass Menagerie") and Tom makes his big escape to the merchant marine by way of the fire escape, all while having deprived the whole family of electric because he spent the money to register with the service(lights go out right after dinner, what timing). Nice guy, eh?

This is allegedly a semi-autobiographical reminiscing by Tennessee Williams on his childhood, and the end of the play has Tom remarking how his sister Laura still haunts him. And it's about the only inkling of conscience that you get out of this play. That he writes so well only leaves you feeling more robbed at the end. The whole fiasco might have gotten 2 more stars out of me had he taken Laura with him when he escaped, but with no more presence but to fish out a cigarette and head for the hills (like father, like son) I think this one will stay at 2.

This play should be issued with a bottle of St. John's Wort. Thanks Tennessee!

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Summary: The Glass Menagerie
Review: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams has many things I found you can relate to your own life. Even if you don't have an annoying mother crippled sister or lives in St. Louis. There are three main characters. Amanda, Laura and Tom and they all have problems that they are trying to escape. I first found their problems made the book more realistic but as the book progressed they were, at times, nearly oblivious to reality.
Williams also uses some symbolism, which emphasizes the themes. The music played at the end of each scene and at random times show drama. The blue rose symbolizes Laura's uniqueness, and it represents her appeal to Jim, a guy form high school. The fire escape symbolizes the characters trying to escape from their lives. I like when writers use symbolism especially with a short book because you can pick up on the meanings and the point of the book better. The plot was simple, yet very effective. A reason for the simplicity I think is that this book is meant for us to realize that even though things may have been better in the past you shouldn't dwell on them or you may be missing something better that is right in front of you.
Getting enthralled in what has happened in the past and staying in the past had happened to too many people in their lives. I think Williams brought this to our attention in a good way. The novel is a fast paced book and it kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I didn't like the fact that it was set up as a play though. I don't like reading plays but if you do I recommend this novel.

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Summary: Overview of The Glass Menagerie
Review: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennesse Williams is a tale of desperation and a longing for something more. The characters within this incredible stories pages yearn for more than the mundane facts of life. Amanda, who plays the mother, grew up a pure southern belle. As she describes it, men practically kissed the ground she walked on. Wouldn't you think her daughter Laura would be the same? The answers no. Laura is a shy, crippled girl who is forced to wear braces on her legs. Unlike her mother, Laura rarely has gentlman callers and this bothers Amanda. Her mother, not knowing what to do with Laura, signs her up for business classes which Laura secretly skips. Her brother Tom is an aspiring poet who is forced to work in a shoe warehouse so he can support his family. Their father ran out on them at an early age and the only thing they have recieved from him in years is a single postcard.
The Glass Menagerie is one of the few books that has ever caught me by surprise. You can't help but feel the agony of repression these three main characters feel. The novel, which was originally written for the stage, only takes place over a very short period of time in late 1930's. It was a time of change and growth of the human spirit. The beliefs of youth and age clashed and no matter who you were you longed for something different. But as our character Tom figures out at the end, change isn't always what you need.
I feel the most interesting quality this novel contained was it's use of symbolism. The fire escape had so much meaning behind it, it was practically impossible to miss. It was their only way of escaping the pain that was inside the walls of their home. The music that was often cued in the play took a major part in creating the essense behind the story. Music relates to memory and that is what this play comes down to, memories of how it should be, or should I say, the delusions the Wingfield family created.
Overall this book impressed me. It had all the elements a good story should have,(pain, pleasure, humor, distruction and healing). I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sit down and sink into a well written story. After all, everyone lives within their own glass menagerie.

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Summary: The Glass Menagerie
Review: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, is truely a book you can't put down. Each charachter is so different from another, and somehow you connect with each one, whether you like their actions or not. Amanda, the mother, and your two kids, Tom and Laura, live a depressing life starting from when their father left years ago.
I for one, really enjoyed reading this book. I liked that it was in play format, making it an extremly easy read, not to mention it was not very long. I found myself finishing the play in one day because I couldn't put it down, I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. My favorite character was the mother. I thought she was a riot because of how she was always on her kids for something, whether it was Tom, and how he was always out late at the movies; or Laura, and how she never had gentleman callers. Although, she did annoy me at times when she would speak of old memories when her gentleman callers would be lined up for her each week. She reminded me of someone that did not have a lot of money, but loved pretending like she lived some other life to show the gentleman callers how good the family had it. I also like Tom's character a lot. I thought it was really easy for people to relate to him. He was an average man working at a shoe warehouse to support his mother and sister. I really connected with Tom because I could feel for how truely frustrated with his life he was. I felt bad for the numbing routine of his job, and then coming home to his nagging mother. Although I do not agree with how he choose to deal with it(movies and excessive drinking), that is how he escaped the reality of his life. The only thing I did not really like about this book was Laura. I think is was because we are such different people. It annoyed me how shy she was, and quick to give up on things because she was nervous. I felt that if I was actually in a room with her, her nervousness would just fill the room immeadiatly and I would become uncomfortable. Her whole presence just annoyed me. I didn't like the fact that she gave up on her schooling, and pretended as if she was still going. It bothered me that she was okay not doing anything with her life. All that mattered to her was her "glass menagerie".
After many of countless nights of Amanda begging for a gentleman caller, Tom finally brought one home for Laura. Ironically, it was Laura's highschool crush, Jim O'Connor. She was so nervous, she couldn't even open the door until forced to by Amanda. She was so sick to her stomach that she didn't even show up to dinner, which again annoyed me. When Amanda was cleaning the kitchen, Jim went for Laura. The two of them talked, danced and even kissed. Jim really got to Laura and opened her up. At this point I was really happy, because for the first time I wasn't annoyed by Laura, but I was thrilled for her. By the way things were going, I thought Laura was going to find someone. That is until Jim apologized for the kiss and explained to her that he was in a serious relationship, and actually engaged. I was really sympathetic towards Laura now, and I felt bad that her heart was broken by Jim. I thought the ending of the play was good. The only thing that bothered my is that I didn't get to see what happened to the characters. I was left wanting to know more, like if Laura ever got married, or if Tom ever found a job that would make him happy.