English Final Review: Literary Periods and The Glass Menagerie
Transcendentalism: an intellectual movement—not a religion, a philosophy, or a theory.
-1840~1860
-The idea was created during the American Renaissance, which was a rush of optimism that
characterized Americans literature.
-The view that the basic truths of the universe lie beyond the knowledge we obtain from
our senses. Dependent on Intuition, which is “the highest power of the soul”. Intuition
never reasons, it simply perceives.
-Famous authors during this time period: Emerson, Thoreau
-Praised nature. “Woods is perpetual youth.”
-Anyone can experience God firsthand, not only a select few.
Romanticism: emphasized the importance upon the emotions and the individual.
-1800~1830
-Occurred when the nation was expanding. Transitioned from classicism -> romanticism
-Romantic writers emphasized intuition: that inner perception of truth which is
independent of reason.
“The inner world is the content of Romantic art.”
-Key to inner world = imagination.
-Defended the potential of the human being and its claim for individual freedom.
-“Who can set bounds to the possibilities of man?” –Emerson
-Romantic writers chose certain subjects to help express their inner world that could be
shared with others.
-Example = Nature. It is an organic process, full of development and change.
-Suited to American circumstances—always by the wilderness.
-Example of work during this time period: To a Waterfowl by Bryant.
Realism and Naturalism:
Influences
- New inventions of machines such as the steam locomotive
- Need for internal improvement after the civil war
- The publication of the evolution theory by Charles Darwin (Origin of Species and The
Descent of Man)
- Admiring technology rather than nature
Realism: The representation of a subject (in this case in literature) in the most realistic and
non-romanticized way possible.
- Authors Discussed:
Edgar Lee Masters: The Spoon River Anthology
Epitaphs of people from his hometown
Exposed them for who they really were
Naturalism: The representation of a subject as objectively and emotionally unattached way.
- Authors Discussed:
Jack London: “To Build a Fire”
Narrative of a man trying to make fire and being delayed and hurt by nature
Modernism: 1908-1960
City, industrialization, isolation and alienation of the modern world
WWI (The Great War)
The lost generation
“make it new”
The Catcher in the Rye, Glass Menagerie, In Another Country, anyone lived in a
pretty how town, November Cotton Flower, The Red Wheelbarrow, Chicago
The Glass Menagerie
Themes:
Escape:
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The fire escape
The movies
The picture of the father
The Glass Menagerie/Music
Amanda loves vicariously
 Education
 Tom writes poems
 Self-medication
 Amanda’s past
 Amanda’s escape in past, Laura’s in present, Tom’s in future
Fantasy:
 Laura and Amanda try to hold onto Jim like a dream
 The unicorn
 The glass pieces represent how Laura feels and how she wants to be
Narration:
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Show’s Tom’s escape
Changes perception of Tom
The candles symbolize end of play and end of Tom’s memory
Characters
Amanda:
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Laura:
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Lives in her past
o Does not want to face the reality of her situation: a single mother with a
crippled child, and a son who clearly wants to leave
Gentleman Callers
o Proves her inability to live in the present as she fantasizes about them from
her past
Still believes she is young: attractive etc.
Extremely fragile
o Glass pieces represent this
Wants to have conformity
o The unicorn
The blue roses
o Shows her unique beauty
Extreme lack in self confidence
Holds onto Jim like you would hold onto a good dream
Tom:
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Dreams of something more
o Wants to become merchant marine so he can travel around the world
Escapes in movies
o Desires adventure in his life
After escape, he lives in the past
o Feels extremely guilty for leaving
o Candles represent his memory of what happens to them
Plot
Summary:
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The Glass Menagerie is a play based off the memory of Tom. It is set in St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1937. Tom works in a warehouse so that he can support his mother,
Amanda, and his sister, Laura. Laura is extremely shy and fears any social
interaction. Tom chooses Jim, a friend from the warehouse, to have dinner with him
and his family so that he can meet Laura. As it turns out, Jim is already engaged. Tom
later leaves his family behind seeking adventure, but he cannot dismiss the guilty
feelings he has for leaving Laura.