Tennessee Williams' entire life was about escape and so it is not surprising that he should choose to emphasize this theme in many of his major works. "The Glass Menagerie" is an autobiographical story about his life and the struggles that he faced with his family and himself. The play mirrors many aspects of his young life, and emphasizes the need for escape in order to survive. The three main characters who illustrate this need most clearly are Amanda, Laura and Tom.

Amanda Wingfield vividly depicts the likeness of Williams' real mother, Edwina Dakin Williams. She was an overbearing, manipulative hysterical woman who thrived on the memories of a better time, much like Amanda Wingfield does. Edwina was the puritanical daughter of an Episcopal rector and grew up in a comfortable, luxurious, wealthy southern lifestyle. Her removal from this lifestyle had devastating effects on her and the upbringing of her children. They fell into poverty and as a result of their financial strain and recent move to St Louis, she became constantly ill. After ongoing issues with abuse and neglect from her husband, Edwina turned her back on him and placed her entire focus on h

Rose Williams was Williams' most beloved sister and the character Laura Wingfield is modeled very closely after her. Their relationship growing up was very close and they had an almost psycho-spiritual kinship with each other. Rose had always been a very quiet, perceptive, delicate girl but her transition to St. Louis, where she was removed from security and thrown into a world of alarm and despair, caused her hideous inner turmoil and she was unable to cope with life. Laura Wingfield is unable to cope as well and instead she creates an elaborate world in which she can safely withdraw. Laura uses her victrola and collection of delicate glass ornaments to help maintain her fantasy world. Frightened of interacting with people and the outside world, she looks to her collection of glass animals as a place of secure acceptance. She self-induces sickness in her typing class and even as the gentleman caller awaits her in the living room in order to avoid or postpone reality. !

ust a path towards an even more powerful desperation. The shoe factory job, the poetry writing, the cramped living quarters and the very close relationship with his sister, are all echoes of William's own experiences. These autobiographical touches perhaps explain his own identification with the character's need for escape.

Tennessee William's real name was Thomas Lanier Williams, Tom for short. The character Tom is not meant to merely represent him... It is him. Growing up Williams' was faced with many struggles and hardships. After moving to St. Louis he became ill, and the kids at school taunted him and called him "Sissy" because he was so weak and could not play baseball. At home, his own father would call him "Miss Nancy". After getting poor grades at high school, his father pulled him out and suggested that he work with him, down at International Shoe. Williams called these bleak years, "Living Death". To vent his frustrations with his unfulfilling work, Williams retreated to his room after work each night to write. Similarly,

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Approximate Word count = 1371
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)