Significance of Last Scene in The Glass Menagerie

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Significance of Last Scene in The Glass Menagerie

The last scene of a play could be seen as the most important scene of all, often featuring the much awaited climax of the story, then plunging down into resolution, the concluding statement. This is true for the William Tenesse’s “The Glass Menagerie”, a sentimental play depicting the frustration of individuals isolated in their own world of illusions. Composed of scenes from the memories of one of the characters, Tom, “The Glass Menagerie” offers little ongoing action, and the most significant events of the story occur in the last scene.

The arrival of Jim, the gentleman caller, is the much awaited event of the play. He is described as “an emissary from a world of reality that we were somehow set apart from …the long-delayed, but always expected something that we live for.” Hence, the Wingfields live in anticipation for his arrival, waiting for a representative from the ‘real’ world outside to break into their isolated world of illusions and set things into motions. Despite this, Jim turns out to have illusions as well. His long winded speeches reveal his insecurities of not coming far in life since high school and his fear of getting left behind by democracy. He latches onto things that he believes will propel him along into the future industrial developments, public speaking and radio engineering. Just like the other characters in the play, he is trying his hardest to survive in the outside world. His fears and insecurities are covered up by his confident and boisterous demeanor, as well as his attempt to boost Laura’s confidence.

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Alone with Laura after dinner, he begins to charm her with his warmth and confidence. Their following conversation reveals Laura’s insecurities during high school because of her slight limp, but her self-consciousness soon dissolves in their discussion of experiences in choir and the memory of the incident about Laura’s nickname “Blue Roses”. Jim gradually builds her confidence, insisting that her minor physical defect should not be a barrier and proves this to her by asking her to dance. As he takes her into his arms, “a fragile, unearthly prettiness has come out in Laura: she is like a piece ...

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