Saturday, May 5, 2012
The Glass Menagerie - It is all about the light
The task for this blog is to discuss at least two events from The Glass Menagerie that use "light" in some way as a symbol to further explain the mood of the play or to explore the emotions of a character. You should cite short phrases and quotes to help support your discussion. Your discussion should be thorough and your response to other students should also do more than just affirm their statements - the responses should also expand what your peers have claimed.
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Lighting seems to play a prominant part in the play. The first real lighting that stood out to me was on page 82 of the play when the shy Laura is sitting across from the highschool boy she liked Jim O'Conner. They are sitting on the floor and candlelight is used. Candle light automatically makes me think of a sort of romantic air to it. How couples have a dinner with candles lit and such. This sort of sets the so called " mood" to a more personal level. Jim tells Laura to " take a pillow! I can't hardly see you sitting way over there." As Laura moves closer into the light it shows that Laura is pretty and he might be seeing her for the first time.
ReplyDeleteThe play is also ending with a scene of Laura blowing out the candles. I think that this is very important because often the end and beggining of the play are very significant. The end sums up everything and because lighting is used here means that it is important. Jim tells Laura " for nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura- and so good-bye." I think that this is really significant because to me I feel like all hope is really lost. Often a light can symobolize hope and when the light is gone, so is the hope. A candle burning can also signify life. This takes place in a time when the economey is bad because of the Great Depression. Laura and her mother, Amanda, cannot survive without Tom. Tom left them. This candle burning out is Tom's goodbye and his hope but the hope for Amanda and Laura is no more.
Lighting is important from the beggining right until the very end. For the music part I had a little bit of difficulty with it because I could not hear it or imagine the type of music to set the mood but for the lighting it was easy to imagine!!
Laira,
DeleteI really like the line in your blog when you say something about when Laura moves into the lights it shows that she really is pretty. Throughout the whole play we get the sense that Laura is in a shadow, that everyone in society looks over her because she I s crippled. The only ones who really pay much attention to her is her mother and her brother, but even they seem to have trouble sometimes seeing her true beauty. In a sense it reminds me of when you look at something in like a dim light and it looks nice, but then when you bring it into the bright light it really shines and you see the true beauty of it. However I do not just think that it is all Amanda and Toms fault for keeping Laura in a “shadow.” I think she does this to herself as well because she seems to have no confidence. But finally when the light is shown on her we the readers, along with Jim and Laura all see that Laura does have an unseen and unspoken beauty when she finally steps into the light and is not hiding in the shadows. I think that this is a very common occurrence in today society so many people are focused on what the stars in the limelight are like and if they are not exactly like them that they are not good enough and have to hide in a shadow. But that is not true at all everyone deserves to be their best in their own spot light.
Laira: I think that the candles are probably the most important lighting feature in the play. Not only is the biggest scene the one in which Jim and Laura speak by the candle light, it is also the final plot in which Laura blows out the candles. The candles do give of a romantic feeling to the scene which really allows the reader/audience of the play to imagine some of the thoughts of the characters. As the candle is finally blown out, the end of the story is finished with tom leaving.
DeleteLaira,
DeleteWhen I saw that there was one comment on the blog I assumed that it was Sophie’s, but I was wrong! You must have been really bored to do your blog so early : ) I am just kidding. Anyway, the second quote that you chose was very interesting as you have noted. The quote that Jim says to Laura really shows his attitude and personality. Lightning only occurs once in a while. What is Jim saying? Is he saying that the world only shines once in a while? Is the world a bad place in Jim’s mind? Or is Jim saying that there are only a few people in the world that can make a difference, be successful, or happy in the world? I think Jim saying just that in this quote. Jim seemed to be arrogant to me. He is telling Laura that she has the chance to light the world, but it is not going to be easy since only lightning lights the world and that does not occur every day. I think that he may be challenging Laura to make a life for herself instead of sitting at home with her glass menagerie. Jim could also just be mocking Laura. This quote is very ambiguous, but regardless it is very thought provoking and adds to the plot of the play. GOOD QUOTE!
The play relies on the theme of lighting in many cases. If the reader can understand the significance of the lighting in the play then they will have a better understanding of the play. One of the most important segments of the play is caused by the lighting or lack there of. On page seventy-five “the lights in both rooms flicker and go out”. The electricity goes out at the Wingfield apartment. At first Amanda thinks that the fuse blew, but when Jim checks they realize that the fuse did not blow. The problem was that Tom never paid the bill. This foreshadows Tom’s abandonment of the family. Tom knew that he had to pay the electric bill, but he did not. This part of the story makes the ending, where Tom leaves Amanda and Laura, more believable for the reader. It shows that Tom is not all talk and that he may actually leave his family so that he can have a better life. The darkness that overcomes the house can also foreshadow how the evening with the gentleman caller, Jim, ends. Darkness can symbolize bad events, and Jim and Laura’s evening together certainly does not end the way that it was supposed to. Jim leads Laura to think that he likes her and that they may have a future, he even kisses her. He does all of this knowing that he is engaged, which means that the evening was all for nothing since Amanda wanted Laura to meet a gentleman and marry. The lack of light foreshadows later events of the play, but it also causes different lighting to occur.
ReplyDeleteSince the electricity is shut off the family uses candles to light the apartment. Jim brings one into the living room when he goes to talk to Laura on page eighty. Jim sits on the floor and invites Laura to join him. At first Laura is far away from Jim, but Laura comes into the light of the candles and Jim says “Now I can see you!” (82). The candles reveal Laura’s true personality. Laura comes out from hiding. She steps out of her shyness and reveals to Jim her true self. This is very symbolic because Laura is just like her glass menagerie in this instance. Once Laura enters the light of the candles her true colors shine, and only when glass is put into the light color appears. Laura and her glass menagerie are almost like the same people. The light has the same affect on both Laura and her glass menagerie. Laura seems to be happy being herself yet her hopes are crushed. She feels like she actually has a chance with Jim because she is being herself and they are still having a good time, but just as the lack of electricity foreshadowed, the evening does not end as planned. Jim cannot be with Laura since he is already engaged, and Tom leaves not long after. Williams incorporates a great amount information within his use of lighting in the play.
Morgan: I believe the lights going out is the climax of the play. It is when we realize that Tom is serious about wanting to leave. It also brings about the romantic candlelight conversation between Jim and Laura. It does foreshadow how Tom leaves his family to live on their own and possibly how Laura and Jim could not be together. This could also give a good idea about how Amanda and Laura may not be able to do so well without tom. When Jim asks her to come into the light she finally sees her true self, she started to gain a little more confidence but when the candle is blown out I think she loses her belief in herself because Jim was not who she thought he could be.
DeleteMorgan,
DeleteI really like how you realized that the lack of light is just as important as the light. I truly think that the lack of light is so much more important. The lack of light makes everything dark and really adds to the mood of the play. The play has a overall mood to it. Tom always goes away at night in the dark. If you think about it the play and some of the scenes would not be very effective if it was really light and bright out because it would be so much harder to believe, such as when Jim and Laura sit on the floor in the candle light. If they were outside on a bright sunny day and had a candle it would be lost in the brightness of the sun. But with the lights being out we can really see the importance of the candle and how much it really does affect the mood of the overall play. The lack of light is also important because just as Morgan had mentioned because of the glass. Glass does not shine in the dark just like Laura does not either. Yes the glass does shine at points, but for the most part it is not in the light just as Laura only shines for a little , and just like no one finds the glass that significant. When Laura shines only one person, Jim really realizes how brightly she can shine, but he leaves and again Laura is in the dark.
Lighting plays a major role in this play. Lighting allows the writer to really symbolize emotions and moods within the play. I think the most unique use of the lighting is on page 21 at the top, it says the area is “lit with a turgid smoky red glow” and right below it, it says “shadows are cast on the ceiling by the fiery glow.” When one sees lights, they are usually not red unless it is a police or ambulance light also the sky turns a smoky red color when there is a tornado. This unusual lighting scheme shows tom’s anger at his mother, and is starting the play with a feeling of wanting to “get out” that Tom is experiencing. Tom has so much built up anger and does not know how to express it; he spends most of his time at movies and roaming around the town getting drunk. His anger does build up until the end where he finally leaves. Red is often a symbol of danger, anger and lust; in this case the red easily fills the role of anger symbol.
ReplyDeleteOn page 54 at the bottom, a variety of soft light colors are used to introduce Laura. “A delicate lemony light is in the Wingfield apartment,” “new floor lamp with its rose-silk shade is in place,” and “translucent glass touched by light.” These quotations all deal with Laura’s appearance when she is all ready for her ‘caller’ to arrive. She looks fragile (like glass) and is beautifully dressed in a dress that gives off a soft feeling. Her hair is also noted “softer and more becoming.” The image before us is one of a delicate, innocent girl and the lighting helps with its soft light, giving off an overall effect.
Elizabeth,
DeleteI love that you brought up the red glow. I think that red can symbolize danger, recklessness, and passion. Do you think that maybe the red could symbolize Tom's internal desire to leave the situation of his family? I think that that is what it could mean. Like you said, one does not usually think of light being red. In this instance I believe red is very appropriate and helps set the mood of the internal fires burning within Tom.
I think that the translucent statement could also symbolize the transparency of her glass figurines. You can see right through them, kind of like you can see through Laura. Just like you said, she looks fragile like glass.
Nice blog!
Elizabeth,
DeleteThe last quote you used in your blog is a perfect example of a symbolic use of light. Laura is obviously not emotionally all together, and she lives inside the world of her "Glass Menagerie. With the slip of the hand and the toss of a figurine Laura's entire world crashes to the ground and shatters with the glass piece. Laura is completely harmless and just a really soft girl. The soft light is a symbol of the way Laura's personality is. The light cast upon her makes her hair look soft, and her dress is very soft looking. This whole light effect just makes Laura seem more angelic than she has been in the previous pages as she awaits her gentleman caller. The light description makes Laura seem soft to us and in this case more attractive to her gentleman caller when he arrives.
Elizabeth,
DeleteYou chose some original quotes! I was wondering how boring the blogs were going to be for Dr. Pam if we all chose the same quotes since there did not seem to be enough for all of us to do two different ones, but when I read your blog I realized that there were other uses of lighting in the play that I forgot about. I do not know how I forgot about the first quote that you used since it so unique. The red could symbolize Tom’s anger, which is very evident throughout the entire play. The red could also symbolize the danger that the family is in. The Wingfield’s are left without a dad/husband causing Tom to grow up before he was ready to, probably. They rely on one income, which is not very reliable. Amanda is so pushy with Tom and Amanda it is surprising that the family has made as far as they have. Then there is Laura who seems to be helpless. She does not appear to be of any help to the family, yet as the play goes on the reader finds out that without Laura the family probably would have been broken up long ago. The red at the beginning of the story really can symbolize the danger that the family is in as well as Tom’s anger and frustration. It reminds of when gauges on cars or other appliances reach the red area. As a result alarms go off sometimes. I think that the alarm was sounding in the Wingfield apartment, but with all of the yelling between Tom and Amanda no one heard the alarm, and before they knew it; it was too late. Thanks for reminding me about the other lighting usages in the play.
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DeleteElizabeth, I love how you compared Tom’s and Amanda’s anger to a tornado. Tornadoes leave destruction everywhere they go; just as Tom insults his mother. He calls her a witch, and leaves her holding a grudge against him, refusing to talk to him, and harboring cruel feelings toward him. Also when he returns from his movie “adventure” after arguing with Amanda he does not stop talking about the magician who escaped the coffin. On page 26 Tom says “You know it don’t take much intelligence to get yourself into a nailed-up coffin, Laura. But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail?” After this statement their father’s picture is illuminated. This shows Tom’s strong desires to escape, and offers further foreshadowing to his future as he follows his father’s footsteps.
DeleteJust as in real life when light distinguishes day from night in Tennessee William uses light in his play The Glass Menagerie to show the difference between moods. At point everything seems to be going well and the lights are shining, but then soon after everything seems to change and becomes dark along with the sad and desperation. We see the significance of light form the very beginng of the play on page 3tiome says in one of his asides “Being a memory play it is dimly lighted.” This can mean so many things it is dimly lighted because Tom does not like to think about it, does he not remember everything or does it mean the this is a sad time in his life. Tennessee William then uses light throughout the rest of the play and lets us decide why the light is so important. As I was reading I thought that he uses light to show that his was a hard time in Tom’s life along with Amanda and Laura’s. The economy was once a bright shining light that shown on opportunities, but suddenly with the stock market crash just as a light bulb suddenly burns out leaving everyone scared and trying to find light.
ReplyDeleteThis is what is happening with Amanda she is trying to find some light to shed on her family and Tennessee Williams shows this by actually using light in his play. The one light that Amanda things will shine the brightest and help her family the most is a gentle man caller for Laura. Soon there is a gentle man caller for Laura and this really does light up the mood. Amanda talks about getting a new shade for the lamp so that the light can shine brightest. Finally when the gentle man caller comes, Jim who went to high school with Laura it seems to shed light on everything then suddenly the light in the new lamp goes out. This could mean so many things. Tom is the one who forgot to pay the bills. But soon after the light going out is forgotten because Jim and Laura are together in candle light with Jim. As they talk he remembers that they had glass together. They are close and Jim can really see Laura even without bright lights on page 87 he even tells her “You shouldn’t have been self conscience.” This is symbolic because until Laura is in the candle light with Jim she has always been self conscience but now that they are alone in a romantic light all things have changed. But just like candle cannot burn forever neither does the feeling of Laura and Jim being together Jim then announces he is engaged and must go. This is then the end of the play as Tom leave the family to Laura blows out the candle as if all hope is lost once again.
Just as Jim say on page 69 “You will regret it when they turn off the lights everyone does. Amanda and Laura both seem to loose hope after blowing out the candle and Tom leaves his family for good , and he was the one who cause the lights to turn off in the first place
Taylor,
DeleteI like what you said about how when everything seems to be going well the lights are shining bright. I think in a way we can relate this back to The Great Gatsby. In The Great Gatsby, the summers were hot and bright when all was well, but as things took a turn for the dark side, the storms started approaching and the summer was ending. I think we can relate that then to how everything becomes dark with desperation, like when the lights go out after Tom doesn't pay the bill.
I think you made a really good point, Taylor, about how Amanda is trying to shed light on her family. I never thought of it that way. I think that Amanda is trying to much to live her dreams through her children. Even though she may not always do that in the best way, the intention is there.
Nice blog Taylor!
Dearest Taylor,
DeleteGentleman is one word hahaha, No worries, I can’t spell either! Anyways I really like your first quote about how it is a memory play and dimly lighted. I am taking a psychology class with mister D and we are talking about memory right now and what affects it and such. We can’t remember every little detail of our lives for example, what did you eat for dinner on March 3, 2009? I have a hard time even remembering what I had for breakfast yesterday! This shows that a memory is not factual. How Tom is feeling at the time and how he perceives gives a different feel than if it Amanda would be narrating the play. Perhaps then we would get a different opinion of her and Tom for that matter.
Taylor, great blog, you really accented many good points of lighting in it. I find the candlelight a very interesting part of the play. People always refer to candlelight as one of the most romantic forms of lighting. Why is this? I think the romantic atmosphere we experience from candle light is a result of the darkness surrounding it. People always enjoy a little mystery, and we are curious by nature, always wanting to solve the puzzles pertaining to life. The darkness creates a mysterious, romantic environment to surrounding the candlelight. This fills Laura and Jim with a momentary escape from their lives into a romantic glimpse into their past. However, their lives do not change after their encounter. Jim returns to his fiancé and Laura to her world of glass.
DeleteLighting is essential in a play. It sets the mood and ambiance for the entire scene. One very important instance of light is actually in the very beginning on page one. When Tom says in his introduction, "for all of these buildings are always burning with the slow and implacable fires of human desperation," (1) the "fires" is referring to the light of the fire. "Fires of desperation" is a metaphor for the burning internal desires of the characters. Laura has an internal desire, rather obsession, for her glass menagerie. Amanda has a desire to give everything she possibly can to her children, by living out her dreams in them. Then Tom, perhaps the greatest desire, has a light burning within him to leave his home life so he can go on to new adventures. Also, this fire can relate back to the fact that the only way to enter the household is by the fire-escape. Tom has a great internal "fire" desire to "escape" his life. The light of the fire is an important role in the lighting aspects of the play.
ReplyDeleteAnother big instance of lighting is when Tom just decides not to pay the light bill. Tom is supposed to be the provider of the family, considering Laura and Amanda can't or won't. On page 25 Jim even makes a reference saying, "Hey, there, Mr. Light Bulb!" comically referring to the lights going out during the middle of dinner. The lights going out could possibly be a foreshadow for the ending when Laura blows out the candles making the "lights go out." Tom didn't pay the bill because he was using the money to further his own plans of leaving the family and going on to a new life. The lights just going out symbolizes not only the very end of the play, but also the clear evidence that Tom wants and needs to get out of the house as soon as possible.
Lighting, overall, is used constantly in the play. It points out key elements in the storyline, plus -if scene on an actual stage- it would enhance the performance by miles. I wish I could actually see the stage play just to see how it would affect the story line.
Dearest Sophie,\
DeleteI totally agree with wanting to be able to see the play because with the lighting and the music I have a hard time picturing but if I actually saw the play I feel like I could feel emotions than just reading it. I like how you brought up the metaphor one about human desperation and fire. Metaphors can be taking so many different ways that’s why I really like them. It is not like a math problem where there is only one correct answer; it can be looked about from so many different angles. It doesn’t have just one meaning. It depends on past experiences on how you take and see it. In this time period because of the Great Depression many people were desperate even some took their lives at this time. It was a mass hysteria. Tom was desperate to get out of there and go on his so called “ adventures, “Amanda was desperate to find a husband for her daughter and Laura was just content as she was.
little poet Sophie,
DeleteIsn't it interesting how the lights in the play are always "burning?" In the play the lights are used with very dramatic words exactly like the first quote you used in your blog. If the lights were to shine or shimmer the play would inevitably take on a different feel, just by the way the light is introduced. The lights are always dramatically burning as are the feelings that are deep inside of Tom and maybe even the other two characters.
I think I may disagree with the slight comment you made that Laura isn't obsessed with her collection, but she rather has a desire for it. I'm not sure if she is a deep enough character to have a internal desire for her collection, I think an obsession may be exactly what it is. She is simply entranced by the beautiful pieces of glass, I don't think the feelings go any deeper than that.
Soph,
DeleteWhen you point out one of the very first lines in the play, "for all of these buildings are always burning with the slow and implacable fires of human desperation," I do not necessarily agree with you that fires Williams is referring to can be traced back to the symbol of light in the play. While fire is a light, I see his use of "fires of human desperation" to be more towards the passions of the characters and their state of desperation. For example, Tom's internal fire that is causing his need to escape from his family or Amanda's internal fire that is so passionate about Laura finding a husband. Also, I do not think that Laura feels this intense fire at all, and not to her collection, just as Mitchell has said. Just my take on it. While I agree that it is very important, I do not think that it is the clearest symbol of lighting in particular. The fact that Tom did not play the lighting bill is very important, like you said. Williams specifically chose the light bill to enhance this symbol in the play. Say, if he chose Tom not to pay the telephone bill or the electric bill, it would not be as effective.
Soph,
DeleteWhen you point out one of the very first lines in the play, "for all of these buildings are always burning with the slow and implacable fires of human desperation," I do not necessarily agree with you that fires Williams is referring to can be traced back to the symbol of light in the play. While fire is a light, I see his use of "fires of human desperation" to be more towards the passions of the characters and their state of desperation. For example, Tom's internal fire that is causing his need to escape from his family or Amanda's internal fire that is so passionate about Laura finding a husband. Also, I do not think that Laura feels this intense fire at all, and not to her collection, just as Mitchell has said. Just my take on it. While I agree that it is very important, I do not think that it is the clearest symbol of lighting in particular. The fact that Tom did not play the lighting bill is very important, like you said. Williams specifically chose the light bill to enhance this symbol in the play. Say, if he chose Tom not to pay the telephone bill or the electric bill, it would not be as effective.
As humans we may rely on our sight more than any other sense, we put so much of a value on appearances and how things look to use. Tennessee Williams took advantage of this, and used light to influence his play and his characters. The light in this play influences the mood and affects how we see or in this case as we are reading, envision, the characters which is so crucial to us. This is apparent at the part of the play when Jim tells Laura to move closer because, “I can’t hardly see you sitting way over there.” This exactly the sort of visual explanation that I am talking about that influences the reader so much. With this command Laura slides herself closer to him and therefore into the glow of the light. With the light now more directly on Laura we can see that she is beautiful in the light. What does the light do for Laura, and therefore for us a readers? Tennessee uses the words “softer and more becoming” to describe how the soft light makes Laura more pleasing to her guest that came to visit her.
ReplyDeleteThe light also, probably more than any other feeling, shows deep passion especially in Tom’s case. Tom is simply trapped within his responsibility ridden life and is on the verge of snapping throughout the whole play. He is constantly walking on glass. The lights in the play are always burning with the feeling of something or another. Such as the quote “burning with the slow and implacable fires of human desperation.” This is from the very first page of the play and immediately gives the play a dark feeling. Which is very appropriate because the play is cast in a “dim light” because the play is told completely from “memory.” The light obviously affects moods, appearances, and the affect of the play.
Vallone,
DeleteI agree with you when you say that Williams used light to set the mood of the play. He uses soft lighting for a delicate scene, and he uses red lighting for the argument between Tom and Amanda. As readers, being described the light so diligently enhances our abilities to feel the mood and put ourselves in the current scene. I like that you used the scene with Jim and Laura, that too was a moment for me when light played a very important role in the play because it reflected Laura's personality and Jim's sweet and soft intentions. Your blog was very to the point and it covered very great examples of lighting!
Mitchell,
DeleteYou said how we must envision the light patterns as we are reading the play. You also said how humans rely on their sense of sight as their most useful sense. These statements of yours are all very true. Now think what if we were watching this play either as a movie or state production. There we would have to observe the light as it was happening. We could see that Laura was beautiful once she came out of the darkness. We could see the production ending as Laura snuffs out the candle. I think reading the play does not do the work justice. Though are imaginations are vast, I think actually seeing the play would show us the full meaning of the light.
Mitchell,
DeleteI thought about Laura's moving closer to the candle to be with Jim as well. I think the candle not only symbolizes a warmth between the two, but also an invitation for Laura to let down her guard a little bit and enjoy her company without shying away. Sometimes with candles, you can see the more intricate features of another when sitting close together. It is romantic, but at the same time, it brings calmness upon both Jim and Laura.
I agree with saying that the play has a dark setting right from the start. It just seems depressing, full of hopeless dreaming, and the only light shed upon the play is memory.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, captures and idolizes the symbolism of light just as glass holds in and reflects different spectrum of light. There are various uses of lighting seen throughout the play to accent the emotions and characteristics of Tom, Amanda, Laura, and Jim. Lighting is one of the key elements to Williams’s play which is why he has specific directions for what type of light to use when.
ReplyDeleteLighting is used to enhance the emotions of characters in The Glass Menagerie. An example of lighting augmenting the characters’ feelings is when Tom and Amanda have their first argument. Tom becomes so enraged that he tries to leave her presence. Amanda follows him and the room they enter “is lit with a turgid smoky red glow.” (pg. 21). Red symbolizes anger, passion, and love. Tom and Amanda are angry at each other. Tom wants to escape Amanda and pursue his yearnings for adventure. Amanda, as a mother, wants to be certain that her son is being safe and not engaging in dangerous behavior.
Williams also uses lighting to accent the characters’ personalities. Amanda turns on a new rose-colored floor lamp while talking to Laura prior to Tom and Jim arrival (pg. 58). Pink is symbolic of innocence and femininity. Amanda wants to go back to her past, before she met Mr. Wingfield, and be her old youthful self. As we know Amanda tries to live her past again through her daughter, Laura. Laura is terrified to see Jim again and does not want her mother to force her into a romantic relationship. Almost in a silent protest to her mother’s desires Laura turns off the lamp on page 61. The pink light is seen again in the scene where the lights go out. Before they go out the light is said to give off “a soft, becoming light to her [Laura’s] face, bringing out the fragile, unearthly prettiness which usually escapes attention.” (pg. 75). The light here shows Amanda’s attempt to make Laura a beauty for all men to behold in the unique way that only Laura is capable of. Laura is as frail and delicate as glass, and the lighting of the pink floor lamp accents that characteristic in Laura.
Maura,
DeleteI found it interesting to hear your opinions on the play that we are studying. I didn't pick up on the meaning of the color red until I read your blog. In literature, in general, the color red symbolizes anger, passion, and love. Well, what does it mean in this context? Tom surely cannot be expressing all of these feelings at once. One cannot be angry and in love at the same time.
Do you believe that Tom is expressing love towards Amanda? He may care for her so much that he cannot stop loving. Or maybe, he truly dislikes his sister and his contempt is shown through the red light. On a larger scale, is it fury or love that drives him away at the end? Whatever the case may be, Tom's personality is symbolized by the color red.
Maura,
DeleteI like how you mentioned the color of the setting as a use of lighting to show the mood and how the red enhanced the anger between Tom and Amanda and how red is symbolic of anger. You also mentioned how it represents love. Tom and Amanda do love each other (they are family of course) and they are arguing, so I feel that the color red in this scene has the meaning of two loved ones in an argument. Love and anger are two opposite things, yet the share the color red as a symbol which I find to be ironic. I also would like to mention how other colored lighting can add to a scene to enhance it. I think of the ECC play and how in some scenes they added blue lighting to enhance calmness, or flashed the lights to induce fear. Without either of these, the scene may not have been portrayed as intensely as it was meant to be. I am sure in a real broadcast of the play, the red would really enhance the scene.
Aspects in a piece of literature, such as lighting, always seem to create a deeper meaning in the work. A meaning that is unique because they are subtle to the reader. The significance of lighting is not always apparent, which makes it neat. In "The Glass Menagerie", it symbolizes the moods and feelings of the characters. The characters seem more alive when accompanied by light.
ReplyDeleteNow, lets take a step back from the obvious meanings of light. The colored, flickering, and absence of light are all made evident to the reader. Now, try to imagine an alleyway. You will probably think of one that you have seen in the movies. They are usually dark, damp, and lack vitality. The family enters their house through a fire escape. One page 1, in the opening notes, it is said that "all of these huge buildings are always burning with the slow and implacable fires of human desperation." It seems that they are trapped in the buildings, yearning for a way out. Once out in the alleyway, life does not seem much brighter. If Tom carries on, though, he'll experience the light and happiness on the other side of the alley. This shows his journey that occurs throughout the play.
From the beginning of the play, I'm going to move directly to the end of the play. The scene dissolves, just as the light of the candle does when Laura blows it out. Sometimes, when I think of light, the idea that pops into my head is the life giving quality fire (in this case) posses. In a survival situation (along with the television show Survivor), fire represents life. As long as one has fire and keeps it, they are continuing to strive for life. I compared this thought with Laura's action of blowing out the flame from the candle. Her life and aspirations are represented by the flame and she is figuratively giving up when she blows it out. Laura realizes that her dreams of finding a gentleman caller are doomed when Tom leaves. Laura remains in the darkness while Tom ventures off into the bright world, looking for a renewal of spirit.
Ryan,
DeleteI agree with what you said about the darkness within the apartments, along with the alleyways. It is almost as if there is nothing that can provide any hope or aspiration to those that live in the apartments.
I really like that you have taken a different angle concerning the candle at the end. When I think of a candle, I automatically think of the Baptismal candle. It represents the beginning of a new life in the Church and symbolizes purity. In Laura's case, the candle only came into the picture when Jim showed up in her life. That could symbolize her "new life". When the candle burns out, or blown out in Laura's situation, it symbolizes the end of life. I like how you stated that Laura remains in the dark while Tom leaves for his brighter future.
Ryan,
DeleteI enjoyed your reference to Survivor (ha ha), and I also really liked your idea on fire serving as a symbol of life. Since the beginning of man, fire has played a crucial role in humanities survival. It has given us light, warmth, and just a sense of security for thousands of years. As you said, when Laura blows out the candles in the final scene, it is just like her giving up on her seemingly so hopeless life. I think that Jim really tried to cheer her up and get her to look at herself and her promise in life of success, but she was unable to overcome her own self doubt and misery.
Ryan,
DeleteI'm just going to take the time to agree that the use of lighting was very neat. I think that light represents hope and joy as well as life. I think when Laura blows the candle out it is symbolic of her loss of hope for joy. it is also symbolic of the way the Tom left her in the dark. He is the one that tells her to blow out the candle (which supports the theory that it is indeed his play) because he is the one that has left to seek out his own dreams and hopes and, by doing so, "burned out" hers.
Plays take on a different form of literature than do short stories or novels, to name a few. As readers of a novel, we have the ability to form our own story within the context of the words themselves. We can imagine a character to fit the mold we create in our minds. Nothing is spelled out for us. Books have a tendency to take the reader farther through imagination than any writing can. As for a production, the performing actors portray exactly how the author wants its viewers to receive the play. Seeing a play as part of an audience leaves no room for imaginary thinking. Reading a play, including the stage directions, allows for more imagination.
ReplyDeleteJust as with any piece of literature, symbols are used in plays. In ‘The Glass Menagerie”, lighting is used as the main symbol. As the lights go on and off, fade and dim, and focus on certain characters, a sense of mood is added to the play.
On page 75, the lights in the apartment are shut off because of Tom’s negligence in paying the electric bill. This incident could symbolize the poor situation of the family, but also how fed up Tom has become with living there. He may or may not have purposely forgotten to pay the bill. It could have been his final step before leaving the apartment. The fact that Jim is with the family when the lights go out may symbolize that even with the possibility of a gentleman in Laura’s life, their situation still is not much better. Amanda’s line, “Where was Moses when the lights went off…” shows the relationship between their own depression and that of Moses.
On the very last page, Laura blows the candle out. This is possibly one of the most important instances of light symbolism. By Laura’s blowing out of the candle, it shows that she basically gives up. Tom’s leaving is hard on Laura because he is her only hope. Her condition makes her life miserable in ways and Amanda can be overbearing. Jim obviously wants no further relationship with her, so she feels even more depressed with herself. The blow to the candle symbolizes darkness, which Laura is left in.
Kristy,
DeleteI actually have to disagree with one of the first points you made. You said that in novels “nothing is spelled out for us”, leaving us to come up with our images and thoughts on characters and settings and such. However, I think that often times many things are really spelled out for us, because in a novel an author really has the freedom and length allowance to be able to do that. By that I mean an author of a novel has a lot more room to work so to speak, and is can really delve into exactly what a character looks, down to such finite details as to how they look when they smile or what their facial hair looks like. In a play, I think we the reader may actually have a lot more freedom of imagination to come up with what we think a character looks like, because in a play, anyone could plausibly play a role.
Now, I do really find interesting what you had to say about how the lights going out while Jim is there may be symbolic of just how hopeless the family’s situation is. I had not even considered that before, so it is a really interesting thought. I could definitely see you being correct on that, since how in the play Amanda is seemingly obsessed with finding a gentleman caller for Laura because she thinks it will lift their family out of the dumps. And I really got the feeling that Jim was kind of like the family’s last hope, and as we know that did not pan out, so yes, I agree with your idea.
My Dearest Kristy,
DeleteFirst of all, I have to disagree with you about the point that novels give you a better imagination. Reading the play, I had one idea in my head, that I got to form. Then seeing that little clip in class, that is not how I imagined it. This is the same thing as when books are made into movies. Lets take the Hunger Games for example since they are so big right now. I read the books before I saw the movie and I had my own little movie made in my head. Now don't get me wrong, the movie was good, but I pictured some things differently, like the Cornucopia, in my head it was so much bigger and longer. So I think if you read something, no matter a play or a novel, you get just as much creativity.
I also agree with both of your points. However, I think Laura blowing out the candles does not necessarily mean she is giving up hope. I think it could mean that, but at the same time, I think it could also mean that that chapter of her life is done and everyone is moving on. The play doesn't give us a definite end, so we can imagine and make up our own ending for the three characters, but I definitely don't think Laura gave up completely.
Kristy,
DeleteThe point you made about how Tom refused to pay the lighting bill has a lot of significance to the story. I feel that it is Tom’s final negligence that he performed for his family. I feel that he could have somehow saved up to buy his own ticket to leave, rather than leave his family in the dark because he simply refused to pay the bill. I have to disagree with how you said he may or may not have refused to pay the bill. The story does say that he purposely used the money to get out of his house. He didn’t forget. It was a meditated action on his part.
Throughout the play, The Glass Menagerie, lighting plays a very important role. It really sets the tone of several major scenes, and gives the audience different perspectives of some of the characters during a few of the scenes. To me, the most obvious example of when the lighting sets the tone or mood of a scene is when the power goes out due to Tom not paying the bill, and the family has to resort to using candles for light. When I think of a candlelit room or anything of the sort, I immediately think of a more romantic feel or mood. That is exactly what the candles do in the following scene when Jim and Laura have their really intimate, up-close and personal conversation. The candles in this scene also give the audience a very different view on Laura and who she really is. When Jim tells Laura to move closer and “take a pillow”, and then when he says, “now I can see you”, to me is almost like a mini-awakening for Laura spurred on by Jim. By moving more into the romantic light cast by the candles, Jim sees Laura clearly for most likely the first time and he remarks at how pretty she is. This really refers to how when someone wants to get a really good luck at a piece of glass, such as a glass cup, they hold it up to the light to get the best picture. This is when Jim gets that best picturesque view of Laura, and he sees her for all of her beauty, both inner and outer. Unfortunately for Laura, Jim is already set to be married. I believe that maybe, just maybe, if he was not then he may become Laura’s very own gentleman caller.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of how lighting, or really the lack thereof, plays a key role in the play is when the power goes. This is as I already mentioned above, due to Tom not paying the bill. Tom not paying the bill, but instead purchasing his seamen’s magazine, to me is a huge indicator and foreshadowing moment of his very soon departure from the family. This is the first big link or responsibility to his family that he breaks free from. It shows us just how serious his thoughts of leaving have become, and as we know he does end up acting upon those thoughts.
Dear Scott,
DeleteI like how you used the candlelight and the romantic feel. For most of the play, Tom talked about moving on and not taking care of his family any longer, so when the lights shut off, that might be when he is finally done. I also agree with how you said Laura had sort of an awakening. Her moving into the candlelight was like her moving into the light and being the center of Jim's attention. She also opens up more as soon as that happens and she isn't afraid to talk to him.
I think however your points are too similar, because that is just one example of lighting, however you did do a good job of turning it to two different instances.
Lighting is very important in The Glass Menagerie. Throughout the play, we see many different occurrences when light is used. The first one that I think is important is on page 21, right before Amanda and Tom fight about if he goes to the movies or not. This appears when “The upstage are is lit with a turgid smoky red glow.” Red makes us think that something bad is about to happened and it completely changes the mood. Right after the red lighting appears, the fight starts and I think that is really important. The red symbolizes rage and danger. Also, when people see the color red, they may also feel anger. I think that could lead to people picking sides on who is right and wrong in that fight because they feel the rage right along with the characters.
ReplyDeleteAnother meaning of red is courage. The red could symbolize that Tom finally has the courage to stand up to Amanda. He tells her what he really thinks and he shows his unhappiness with his life. He tells her that he is not happy with his job and then he calls her a witch a few lines later. That is when all of Tom’s courage really shows through, whether he is right or wrong.
The next symbol that I think is important is the rose-colored lamp that they buy right before Jim appears. On page 58, Amanda switches on the lamp to get ready for Jim to come. Rose-colored things are supposed to be optimistic and Amanda was very optimistic about the outcome of the night. When Laura and Amanda start to talk however and Laura finds out that the gentleman caller is Jim O’Connor, the boy she had a crush on in high school things change. On page 61 Laura turns off the lamp, which signifies how she gave up on the situation. She is no longer optimistic, because she now knows who her gentleman caller is and she knows she is going to be nervous. She is so nervous that she can’t even bring herself to answer the door without being forced too.
Lighting is essential to the mood of the play, especially when certain colors come into play. Everywhere lighting was changed, something happened in the story and it is really important to pay attention to that.
Stephanie,
DeleteI didn't realize how much red is used in the play. Red being my favorite color can often symbolize many things from anger to love. I disagree that red necessarily means that something bad is going to happen but more that something with a lot of effect is going to happen. Red to me means extreme emotion in one way or another. I really like your point about the rose-colored lamp. At first i was really confused with the meaning of the lamp. I thought of the saying rose tinted glasses and how they refer to optimism. When Laura turns off the lamp, she gives up on being happy. She gives up on Jim and in the end of making something of herself.
Countless great works of literature use symbols to enrich the meanings of their writings. We have seen great use of symbolism in many novels we have read such as Fitzgerald in “The Great Gatsby” and Chopin in “The Awakening.” Upon reading “The Glass Menagerie” we have found that Williams has also used many symbols in his play to reveal emotions, desires, and personalities. One of the most predominate symbols encountered in “The Glass Menagerie” is the use of lighting. Being a play: lighting, music, and scene direction must be clearly spelled out to the reader.
ReplyDeleteSeveral parts of this play show lighting such as the scene of Amanda and Tom’s argument because “the upstage area is lit with a turgid smoky red glow” and he furthers the use of light by adding that “their gesticulating shadows are cast on the ceiling by the fiery glow” [21]. Williams gives the reader the feeling of anger and passion of the scene by using red to light up the figures with a fiery glow. While reading this, an image of an intense argument filled with raised voices and impatient hand gestures fills your mind, which is exactly what Williams wants you to feel, and is the exact reason symbolism is used in literature. We fully understand Tom’s impatience with Amanda and we also recognize Amanda’s anger with her son. We get a sense of Tom’s desperation to leave his mother and we also feel the pressure that Amanda puts on him to continue the role of the “breadwinner.” Which we later find turns out to be too much for Tom.
The most dramatic and influential use of lighting occurs at the very end of the play when Tom proclaims to Laura, “blow out your candles, Laura – and so good-bye.” [118] This blowing out of candles symbolizes the hopelessness for Laura, and possibly for Tom. It is hopelessness for Laura because she is being left behind, and she knows that she is helpless. Her shyness and disabilities restrain her from making a living or finding a husband. Tom was her only source of income and stability, and with his absence she is now left alone with little hope. This ending could possibly symbolize dissolving hope for Tom as he believes that “nowadays the world is lit by lightning!” [118] This means that Tom also feels like the world is a dark place and that the only source of light is lightning, which can often be a frightening birthplace of light.
Kristin, wow! I don't think that there is a single thing I can add to your blog. The use of shadows, firstly, is an element of lighting epthat we often forget but is just as important for I'm glad you brought that up. Also, I love how you compare the blowing out of the candle to complete hopelessness. I think that a line the would fit that sentiment would be Shakespeare's "Out brief candle" quotation. For Laura, that moment of her life had been one brief spark of happiness and the people in it just actors in a momentary scene. Soon the curtains closed and she was once again unhappy. She was trapped and alone,
DeleteThe Glass Menagerie is full of symbolism with the glass figurines, music, and especially light. Light is used throughout the entire play to explain the setting’s mood, how a character feels, and can express a point. Personally, I would consider lightning to be one of the most prominent and well supported symbols in the story, other than the glass menagerie itself (it did win the title of the play, so it must be extremely important). Other than the examples described above there are also light symbolism used when Tom did not pay the electric bill, when Laura is trying to talk to Jim in the dark and she keeps moving closer to him, and the fire escape being the only exit of the house. In all, light symbolism helps structure the play and is extremely important.
ReplyDeleteThe first point where light can express a great importance to the novel is when on page 116 Laura blows out the candle. There is a great amount of expansion that can be looked into in this simple action. The extinguishment of the candle can symbolize Laura’s giving up after Tom’s official departure. Tom was the only real hope that the family had. He paid the bills, played the part of “man of the house” and even attempted to find Laura a caller. Without Tom, Laura does not have a chance of finding a better life for herself. Laura finding anyone on her own with her disability is a shot in the dark, which is where Tom symbolically left her when he refused to pay the lighting bill.
Lightning in this story can also be symbolic. Using a parallel in the Great Gatsby, the weather is symbolic in a conversation between Gatsby and Daisy. When the rain begins to let up and it starts to become sunny out is when Gatsby and Daisy’s conversation becomes less awkward and friendlier. They also start to fall in love here. A similar situation also occurs in the Glass Menagerie during a conversation between Jim and Laura on pages 61-100. The storm starts up and the conversation along with the generalized situation is awkward between Jim and Laura. The storm goes on and eventually as the two start to bond and make connections the lighting lets up. However, unlike the connection between Gatsby and Daisy, Jim and Laura end up not getting together. The lighting can still used to represent the awkwardness of the conversation.
Abby, I love your interpretAtion of the candle being blown out being a symbol of Laura's giving up. She tried so hard up to that point but she was always relying on Tom. When he finally left, she was abandoned. All the men who had ever been in her life abandoned her; Tom, Jim, and her father. The despair she must have been feeling was unimaginable. I agree that at that point she had no chance at a better life. She had scared herself into an unsocial state and without Tom, she was nothing.
DeleteAbby,
DeleteLightning plays a huge role in this story as you point out. I personally love storms, well in literature it is often foreshadowing of bad events that are to come. It is just this way in the Glass Menagerie. I think that when the lightning comes into the story it shows the struggle between Jim and Laura, just as it did in the Great Gatsby. Jim and Laura never make it past their storm and do not end up together in the end.
Abby,
DeleteLike I said in class, I still think that Laura could have changed her situation if she wanted to. It has been drilled into me that if you want something to change, then you must be the one to do it, and no one will do it for you. A recent quote on WeeJ's board was this - "In difficulty, a change of self is needed more than a change of scene." (Sorry for any misquotation on my part). This quote meant a lot to me, and i think that it speaks great truth. But Laura was not one to "change the world", she was fine with just playing with her glass collection. She was a little immature, and relied on others too much.
As we discussed in class, lighting is one of the elements of The Glass Menagerie that sets it apart from the typical novel. Along with asides to the audience, narration, and unrealistic character behavior, lighting adds a whole new dimension to the play and makes it a performance rather than just reading words. Lighting, as I have begun to notice more and more recently, makes something what it is and helps to set a tone for what will occur in the scene it accompanies.
ReplyDeleteIt was mentioned before by many other people but my favorite quote was one on page 21. The stage cues so helpfully state that "The upstage area is lit with a turgid smoky red glow." In light of the heated, angry debate that soon follows, this can be seen as a clear example of foreshadowing. It was such a powerful statement to read that not only did it complete the goal of setting the scene, it also left a lasting impression of the moment as it should.
On page 75, the apartment goes pitch black. The dark terrifies us but it also cotributes to the later intimacy. In this case it is also a symbol of Tom leaving. The blackout makes the apparent climax of the play as all characters have entered and adds dramatic effect. Here the lack of lighting means more than one could imagine.
Finally, at the very finale of the play, Laura blows out the candles leaving the concluding thought. It is a very deep, methodical action that can lead to many interpretations. It can mean that for Laurs, this was her last chance and it is now over for her. It could also symbolize how alone she felt. That is the beauty of lighting. It opens up the stage to an entirely new meaning or point of view.
Alex,
DeleteI like how you put it about "The dark terrifies us..." When the lights go out, it is a contradiction, because Laura becomes more sociable with Jim when it is dark. She is not terrified anymore. This fact confused me when I read the play, as the light had so much other meaning in the rest of the play.
Lighting is a very important aspect to the Glass Menagerie. In all the novels we have read we are always reminded of how the setting plays a play in the plot. Well I find that this play would be nothing without the setting. The lighting gives us the chance to imagine the set considering it is rather difficult to imagine the music and how it is intended be.
ReplyDeleteThe instance I find to stick out most in my head is on page 26 when Tom is speaking. “You know it don’t take much intelligence to get yourself into a nailed-up coffin, Laura. But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail?”” Tom says this after the picture of their father lights up. To me I think that Laura is slightly obsessed with the magician who got out of the coffin because it is similar to her father. Her father left the family much like the magician. This also reminds us of Tom’s wanting to leave. The fact that the father’s picture frame just lights up is slightly weird to me though, especially considering he left them. I would think they would show more anger towards him for leaving and not keep the picture.
I find that an even more substantial aspect of lighting in the play is the candle that Laura blows out in the very end. This connects the lighting from the start of the play. I think that by Laura blowing out the candle we get a sense of despair and hopelessness from her. Tom, while in another city, now has the chance to go out and make great things of himself. Fire or heat is essential to life and Laura extinguished it. However it is Tom that tells Laura to do so, in the end Tom controls the final act of the play possible support that the play is in fact his.
The most familiar motif of the Glass Menagerie is that of light. This is used very well in the play, accenting the words of Tennessee Williams. The scene of light that stood out to me the most was when Laura and Jim were talking in the living room by candle light. Most think of romantic feelings when they read this scene, but I think that it means something a little darker. The flicking light of the candles cast strange shadows on the people and the room, and it does not illuminate everything in the room. I think this could be a symbol that Jim will basically betray Laura, while certainly betraying his fiancé, as when he kisses Laura. Jim should have told Laura that he was engaged to be married instead of leading her on like he did, and he didn’t show his true colors until the end. The flickering light of a candle can be very misleading, casting shadows in other places. Jim was like this candle, not revealing what he should have until it was too late.
ReplyDeleteAlso when at the end of the play Tom tells Laura to “Blow out your candles, Laura- and so good-bye” this shows that Laura does not really have a mind of her own. She just follows what everyone else tells her to do, and does not make decisions for herself. If it were up to her, she would be content to just sit around and play with her glass collection, and waste her days away.
Linnea,
DeleteI love your point about the flickering candle. I also think that when the power was shut off everything was consumed in darkness and confusion. When the candle was lit in the living room it lit up only what the needed or wanted to see, while leaving the corners and edges of the room in darkness and shadows. This is exactly like the way that Laura sees Jim. She sees what she wants to see until after the spontaneous kiss when the secrets of the dark corners, so to speak, were revealed.
Lighting is so much more important in plays than in novels. It serves as visual aid to enhance the mood or tone, just as music does. Lighting reflects the mood in the glass menagerie throughout the play as well as cause the audience to think. It has a deeper meaning than to simply allow the audience to see what is happening. The most obvious use of light in the play is during the fight between Amanda and tom when there is a “turgid smoky red glow.” The color red is associated with anger and the dull smoky glow is very distinct from a bright light. This distinction is important because it is not a happy, joyful, or bright mood. The mood is full of tension and anger. You can tell that this light is almost ominous compared to a brighter more cheerful light. My favorite use of light in the whole play was right on the first page. Williams compares an actual burning flame with the “implacable fires of human desperation.” The fact that the Wingfields live in an apartment in which the only entrance in through the fire escape enhances this symbolism. The lives of the Wingfields were slowly burning away in desperation. Tom longs for escape, Laura slowly loses hope, and Amanda mourns over the loss of her husband while searching for a better life for her daughter. This symbolism at the beginning is threaded through the whole play. It ties the whole thing together because at the end of the play Laura blows out her candle because the fire of human desperation has finally consumed her, and burned away all hope.
ReplyDelete