Chalmers 1

Bailey Chalmers

Ms. Yap

A Level English Literature

19 December 2016

Paper Title

In The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, the ideas of storytelling and memory

are presented through characterization, dialogue, action, and staging in the play. The narrator,

Tom-who is also a character in the play- contributes to these ideas of storytelling and memory

throughout the play.

In the beginning of the play, the audience is introduced to the narrator and also a

character in the play (Scene 1, page 5), Tom. Tom expresses the idea of memory within the play

saying, Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic. In memory

everything seems to happen to music. (Scene 1, page 5) The idea of memory is explicitly

presented here as it says the lights are dimmed and the atmosphere is sentimental, which are

elements of a memory play. The idea of storytelling is also presented here as Tom is the

storyteller of the play and is telling a story/memory. Tom describes people involved in the play,

and says, there is a fifth character in the play who doesnt appear except in this larger-than-life-

size photograph over the mantel. This is our father who left us a long time ago (Scene 1, page

5) This further presents the idea of memory as this picture of the father of Tom, and his sister,

Laura, is sentimental and has a great impact on Toms family. The characterization of Tom not

only provides a storyteller aspect, but also presents the idea of memory within a play.

Throughout the play, the dialogue of characters contributes to the idea of storytelling and

memory within the play. In scene six of the play, Amanda-Toms mother- is explaining to Jim-
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Toms work friend- how her and Laura differ domestically. She says, I married a man who

worked for the telephone company! That gallantly smiling gentleman over there! [She points to

the picture] (Scene 6, page 64). Amanda refers to this picture/memory of her husband multiple

times throughout the play and uses it to create sympathy and significance within the audience.

This picture serves a huge purpose in the play as the characters use it as a form of hope that the

man in this picture will come back and things in their lives will finally change. The idea of

memory and storytelling is presented in this dialogue from Amanda as she is referring to a

memory that tells a bigger story. Another instance where dialogue presents the ideas of memory

and storytelling is provided when

Another way in which the ideas of memory and storytelling are presented throughout the play is
through action and staging. There is many instances of action and staging that evoke
reminiscence and nostalgia in the play, which correlates with the ideas of memory and
storytelling. In
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