Blog 5-The Glass Menagerie

In the final scene of The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, Laura blows out candles to close out the play. This occurs after Tom walks through cities on his journey away from home. I feel that his motives for leaving become useless, and that his running away from his family catches up to him. Tom pays the price for believing that just by walking out the door, he could forget and rid his every thought of his family. Tom's sister, Laura, still haunts him, "Oh, Laura,Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be,"(Williams,1289)! Tom didn't expect to have any connection whatsoever with his sister after his departure, but now she seems to follow him everywhere he goes. Maybe Tom's guilt is the cause of his anxious thoughts, but I believe that there will always be some reminder of Laura and Amanda or some piece of home that lies within him. However, I believe the candles symbolize a closing out on Laura's concern over her brother. She blows them out, which shows she is done and ready to move on in her life, past her brother's leaving. I was thinking, maybe the father who left the family too is still plagued by memories and thoughts of his children and wife he left behind, just as Tom.