The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie is a story of a family that is trapped in an endless cycle of heartbreak and hardship. The pictures of the Great Depression depict their time period and a view at their everyday life of drear and hopelessness. Despite this, they hold on to their optimism by seeing an escape from their way of life. When the characters look for the brightness in their future, they are often depicted on the fire escape, just outside the house waiting to get out. Tom's dream is to be in the military, but he also has a passion for writing, which also gives him an emotional escape. Laura hopes for love, much like she thinks she had with Jim, the boy who called her "Blue Roses." Laura clings to her glass menagerie, a representation of their dreams, which are fragile treasures in the hands of the world, and she especially loves the uniqueness of the unicorn. The soundtrack, "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers, describes a man's battle to understand his position in a place he dislikes because it suppresses his potential. Tom feels much the same way as he tries to find a better life for himself.