The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example

The theme of escape is manifested widely in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams. The characters seek escape so as to protect themselves from the conditions that surround them. At the very outset, escape is clearly demonstrated by Amanda and Tom. It clearly shows how Amanda is continuously quarreling with the latter for failing to eat properly. What Tom does when he cannot take criticism anymore is classical escape (Williams, 1944). He leaves to smoke instead. This is designed to help Tom escape from outside phenomena that are irritating him. In this case, the outside phenomenon is Amanda.

The same characters also provide us with the other case of escape. It seems that they are in eternal conflict. Amanda seeks to know from Tom why he has a habit of frequenting the theater every night. Tom responds that it is his way of finding rest after toiling so hard for the family (Williams, 1944). This is another form of escape. He seeks to find balance in life by immersing himself in the movies. This is an external phenomenon that motivates him too. These two characters explicate the theme of escape in the way that they relate to one another. Tom leaves again for his movie's ritual and returns very late and drunk (Williams, 1944). This way he finds solace in the alcohol that he drinks. It is his form of escape.

Finally, and at the very end of the play, Tom leaves and does not return again. This way he also seeks escape from this surrounding that is bothering him. By and large, the characters in the play find escape in various ways. Mostly, they have to find solace in external phenomena like movies, alcohol, and even escape.