Symbolism

Symbolism is used in scene seven of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. At the end of the scene when Jim and Laura kiss there are many uses of symbolism. The first use of symbolism is when he knocks over her glass menagerie. "its lost its- horn it doesn't matter" (Williams 1282) The horn on the unicorn getting knocked off and it looking like a horse symbolizes Laura breaking away from her unusual ways and becoming more "normal". The unicorn is a very odd and mystical creature which symbolizes her unusual ways and lifestyles. The horse is a more normal character that society recognizes as acceptable. The unicorn changing into the horse symbolizes her becoming more acceptable to society. Another use of symbolism at that scene has to do with the fact that she isn't even upset about the fact that he broke her glass menagerie. The fact that she isn't upset symbolizes that she is okay with embracing this new lifestyle of being open to society. She is also accepting the fact that change is not always a bad thing in today's society.