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Similes
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
As a memory play, The Glass Menagerie features frequent narration from Tom, who addresses the audience directly. This interferes with the "illusion" of theater as reality, but it also allows for a more direct style of diction. Rather than clouding his themes in ambiguity, Williams explicitly addresses the concerns of the play—such as illusion as a means of escape, the struggles of American families following the Great Depression, how to reckon with unforgettable memories—which perhaps motivates the audience to more closely examine the scenes.
Williams also adds instruction for music cues and screen projections throughout the play, which creates a more immersive experience for the audience. He is concerned not only with what the characters say to one another but also their setting and environment, making full use of the theater as a form of art.
Williams's comprehensive design of The Glass Menagerie renders the play one of great complexity. While condemning what he perceives as the American tradition of allowing illusion to cloud one's judgment, Williams creates his own illusion to better communicate this message to the audience. Illusion, then, is not always detrimental to furthering one's understanding of reality; rather, illusion as an artistic tool can prove to be effective. Williams use of direct narration and incorporation of music and visual elements in his play contribute to the overall the style of the play.
