The Glass Menagerie

Drama | Tennessee Williams

Comment on Tom's nightly disappearance in “The Glass Menagerie”.

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Comment on Tom's nightly disappearance In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Tom s nightly disappearance is not just a habit It shows his wish to escape from his dull life and his family s control His going out every night to the movies is a symbol of freedom and frustration Tom s Desire to Escape Tom feels trapped in his small apartment his low-paid job and his mother s endless talk His mother Amanda thinks he wastes time and money But Tom uses the movies as an excuse He goes out to forget his troubles and to plan his escape He says in Scene I m tired of the movies and I am about to move This line shows that he wants a real life not an imagined one He is a restless person He dreams of travel adventure and poetry Thus his nightly disappearance becomes a secret rebellion

against the dull world around him The Symbolic Meaning of Nightly Absence The night represents freedom for Tom The movies he talks about are not only films They are symbols of dreams and adventure He says in Scene People go to the movies instead of moving This line means that people live through others actions not their own But Tom wants to live his own story His nightly disappearance shows his inner conflict between duty and desire Tom s Final Departure In Scene he finally leaves home forever He says I descended the steps of this fire escape for the last time This line shows that his nightly disappearance becomes permanent He leaves to track freedom but carries guilt in his heart In short Tom s nightly disappearance reflects his longing for a better life It is not just an escape but a protest against emotional confinement His body leaves home but his memory never escapes His going out each night becomes the slow journey toward his final goodbye

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