There is almost no sexual energy at all for Laura throughout the play until scene seven and if there is a trace, then it is indeed very delicate.
Also, it can be noted that because Laura is reserved with delicate sexual energy, she is hardly ever much in contact with other people her own age, and most definitely not with the opposite sex, so there is almost no possible way that her sexual energy could be blatant.
However, this is an immense contrast to her mother Amanda.
Amanda is the mother of the family in the play, and it is evident right from the beginning of the play that she has a lot of blatant sexual energy.
During the first scene, she blatantly shows off her bold and absolute personality. She tells a story of when she was young and when she used to receive gentleman callers. We get the impression that she is and was well-known with the opposite sex.
Moreover, this story has been repeated many times before, and we know this because when she starts the story, her son Tom says “I know what’s coming!” This makes it evident that Laura is blatant about her sexual energy and is definitely not shy of hiding it if she is prepared to tell this story over again and again.
Her manner of speech also indicates that she believes men are an important thing in life because she continuously encourages Laura to be acquainted with men, and is shocked when she isn’t. she asks Laura if she will be receiving any gentleman callers and when Laura replies that she won’t, Amanda is astounded.
“What? No one – not one? You must be joking!... Not one gentleman caller? It can’t be true!”
It seems that Amanda finds it an important thing to be acquainted with men, so it is apparent that her sexual energy is very blatant.
The contrast between Amanda is also heightened throughout the play.
Amanda is shocked when she finds out that Laura does not meet many men and also that she is not career-minded. Her determination to get Laura married off so that she can be in a secure household becomes much stronger.
Amanda asks Laura, “haven’t you ever liked some boy?” which again shows her determination to get Laura married.
When Laura answers, “yes. I liked one once,” it can be seen that Laura has in fact been in contact with the opposite sex and that in fact her sexual energy is undeniably delicate after all. Laura’s lack of confidence is the only evident thing that pulls her back, which is the distinction between her and Amanda.
Amanda organises for Tom to bring home a gentleman caller so that Laura can meet more men. Her expectations for the evening are very high. Amanda vicariously relives her youth, and her longing for that youth is made clear when she dresses in the old dress she wore as a young girl. Here, it is evident that Amanda’s sexual energy is very blatant. She has organised a date for her daughter but ends up dressing up herself, and when the gentleman caller arrives she forgets her daughter and flirts with him herself. However, the audience can sympathise with Amanda as well as be annoyed with her. Amanda's triumphantly raging flow of courteous babble is funny, but also one of the rare moments in the play to invite sympathy for the woman, pathetically lost in a world of past romance she strives to summon as much for herself as for Laura. Her longing for her past and youth could possibly be interpreted as her longing for her husband and the fact that she is always repeating the story of her younger years could emphasise this.
It should also be noted that even though this date is for Laura, she has not been interested in the least to dress up and make a strong effort, which lays emphasis on the contrast between her and her mother.
Jim, the gentleman caller that Tom brings home, is the same boy that Laura once liked in high school We know from Tom's description of Jim that he enjoys praise. He likes the company of people who admire him, and his interaction with Laura in scene seven will show how this love of admiration compromises his consideration of others. He can be seen as a catalyst in the play, where he can be criticised of changing Laura’s type of sexual energy from delicate to blatant, and breaking off Amanda’s expectations and beliefs in the importance of men.
On his arrival, he has a delicate touch of sexual energy when he is talking to Amanda.
As he enjoys attention, he shrugs off the idea that Amanda is older than him and goes along with it.
Amanda’s “gay laughter” shows her blatant sexual energy and it can be linked back to scene six where Amanda lets out a “peal of girlish laughter”.
When the lights go out, there is a blatant trace of sexual energy.
Amanda tries hard to flirt with Jim by telling a joke, “Where was Moses when the lights went out?”, and this possibly links back to when she used to receive gentleman callers and the fact that she is trying to relive her youth.
Jim continues his role in this little sexual role, and later says “candlelight is my favourite kind of light”. Candlelight can be associated with romance and it is evident that both delicate and blatant sexual energy is exposed here in this scene.
When Amanda goes to clear the table, Jim asks to “give a hand” which could be seen as him giving a hand like in marriage. However, Amanda refuses and sends him off to Laura. Could this be Amanda snapping back into reality and realising that her sexual energy has been too blatant, so she thrusts the attention onto Laura.
In scene seven, Jim next moves onto Laura, and their relationship is heightened. This scene for Laura, even after the incident, is still “the climax of her secret life.”
When Jim finally comes to see Laura he invites her to come closer in many ways that are indirect.
“Give me a pillow?” could literally show that he is asking her to come to bed, as a pillow is normally associated with this.
When Jim invites her to sit on the floor, she is hesitant, but eventually moves closer to him. “Laura moves pillow closer” shows that Laura is as always delicate and reserved, but as mentioned before, Jim brings out something else in her, so she gives in. it also heightens the idea of a romantic event happening, and can show that Laura’s sexual energy is slowly moving from delicate to blatant.
Jim and Laura reminisce about their years at high school, and the subject of ‘Blue Roses’ arises. They both laugh at the issue, and when Jim asks if she minded him calling her that, she delicately says “Oh no – I liked it” which blatantly shows that Laura is struggling with the need to tell Jim that she really likes him.
Here the sexual energy is tense and delicate. However, in the next part of the scene, it is heightened and turns very quickly from delicate to blatant.
“Laura’s shyness is dissolving in his warmth” is a blatant way of showing that Laura has moved from this quiet and reserved girl to someone bold and available girl. She has slowly changed and her confidence has boosted.
When “Jim lights a cigarette” it can almost be seen as the typical cliché style of when a couple has just finished having sexual relations.
“his voice becomes low and husky. Laura turns away, nearly faint with the novelty of emotions” is blatant sexual energy and also emphasises on the sexual tension in the atmosphere as well. Jim tells Laura that she is pretty. He makes her feel unique and special. He knows that he is getting engaged to someone else and still gives Laura the kiss that raises her hopes before he tells her the truth.
Jim shamelessly leads her on, not cruelly but also without any careful consideration.
“I wish you were my sister…” shows how Jim is not attracted to Laura and how he has raised her hopes over nothing. The audience are very annoyed at Jim when he continues to heighten her hopes by saying she is pretty.
The glass unicorn becomes a symbol for Laura. She, like the unicorn, is odd and unique. Both Laura and the unicorn are fragile: Jim "breaks" both of them. Laura's gift of the broken unicorn shows the extent of her affection for him. For Jim, the evening has been insignificant. But Laura has held a girlish crush on him for many years and the gift of the unicorn, an item that is a symbol of her, shows how much she still likes him. It is the gift of an odd and painfully shy girl, for whom kissing Jim, probably her first kiss, was a climactic experience.
