Laura’s Destructive Illusions in Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie

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In Tennessee Williams Glass Menagerie, we learn about the destructiveness of the Wingfield family. Each family members had their own illusions that we’re destructive. Laura’s most destructive illusions resulted in financial and emotional dependence on her family and increased tension and stress between them. Laura was extremely introverted and shy. This problem resulted in her financial dependence. Being so introverted even caused her to drop out of business college. She had embarrassed herself by getting sick during class and refused to go back. Without having any schooling she could not support herself and had to rely on her mother and brother. Tom worked at a meaningless warehouse job and giving up all his dreams of a better life to provide for her. Without her having a job or being married he felt like he had to provide and to take care of her. Laura’s character and her view of herself caused her emotional dependence. She thought that since she was crippled that she couldn’t be a good enough person to do anything. She was too embarrassed to better herself. Laura is also unable to achieve some kind of meaningful communication with another human being because of her shyness. Laura made this the most obvious when her use of illusions in a creation of a world of glass which became more real to her than the “real” world outside the glass menagerie. The world of glass figurines will always be beautiful. She always found comfort in them from the chaos of her everyday life Her emotional and financial dependence caused stress between her and her mother and brother. It caused quite a bit of arguments between them. Her mother was always worried about securing her family’s future, Laura’s in particular. She first tried to secure her future financially by sending her to business college. Laura eventually dropped out without even letting her

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