"The Glass Menagerie"

Essay by sweetindiangirl7High School, 11th grade October 2006

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1994 AP Question: In some works of literature, a character that appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence.

Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.

A character in this play that put more meaning to the story even after having such a small part is obviously, Jim. The title of the play, "The Glass Menagerie" pertains to Laura and her collection of glass. Jim is the character who actually helps us understand the title's meaning signifying Laura.

Jim is mainly a character for Laura. He's there to give the story a better turning point where Laura's life is not as empty in the future as it is now.

Being the smallest character in this play, Jim is probably the most important character also. He gives confidence to a very important character in play. Basically, the whole story revolves around Laura, which gives more of a meaning to the significance of Jim's character.

In the scene alone with Laura and Jim, he makes her realize her beauty from within her, not just outside. He gives her, her first date, her first kiss, and her first heartbreak in a matter of few minutes. He makes her experience everything in just a few moments, everything she thought would never happen to her. It's an ambiguity if he did all this deliberately or unknowingly, but what he did actually gave her a boost of reality.

Laura always lived in illusions and fantasies, but Jim's character made her break out of it. The unicorn symbolizes Laura, who thinks she's different from...