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The Glass Menagerie - Characters - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Laura has an inability to coexist with the modern, business-oriented world, which contributes to the catharsis of the play
        
        this is a similarity between Laura and Amanda, albeit for different reasons
        
        Illusion that she can live in her 'fantasy world' of Victrola's and glass menageries whilst co-existing with the modern world.
        
        Laura failed to go to business college - it caused her bowel problems
        
        demonstrates not only a mental rejection but also a physical one to education.
        
        "swarm of typewriters" screen legend when Amanda confronts Laura about leaving college
        
        typewriters symbolise the business, and economic focussed society. A "swarm" implies Laura's fear of them as swarms are generally associated with large groups of something unpleasant
        
        instead of going to business college, Laura went to the "art museum and bird houses" as well as the "Jewel box, that big glass house where they raise the tropical flowers."
        
        Laura wants to constantly surround herself with emblems of beauty - her way of escapism - as she cannot handle things that are unpleasant and difficult such as a laborious job.
        
        contrasts/incompatibility to Jim
        
        Jim is a perfect embodiment of the modern world. Like Jim, the modern world is loud and business-oriented. It is driven by a constant desire for self-improvement - mostly by becoming more and more wealthy.
        
        Laura is careless when it comes to materialistic issues. She is quiet and stagnant as she does not desire any improvement, especially economic ones.
    - - the unicorn is a figurine in her glass menagerie which most represents Laura. Like her nickname as blue roses, the unicorn portrays Laura as something out of fantasy
        
        in her interaction with Jim, Jim knocks over the figurine causing it to break its horn. Laura responds saying it makes it "less freakish" and therefore might be "a blessing in disguise", reflecting how the unicorn might be able to fit in more, like other horses
        
        suggests Laura's self-awareness of her uniqueness that divides her from the standards of the modern world
        
        if she no longer has her horn, maybe she can then be accepted in society
        
        however, in order to do so she needs to break herself; lose the part of her that is most special. By trying to live in the modern world like everyone else, she would have to sacrifice her identity