The Glass Menagerie

Hello, i was wondering if anyone could help me, im doing my retakes on monday for AS English Lit and i could really do with some help on them, can anyone help me with the themes of the play? Also help on important quotations?

Thanx

Munchie

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Munchie321

And also themes and quotations in 'Geoffrey Chaucer - The Miller's Tale' if possible :smile:

Thanx

Reply 2

P1mP

Munchie321

Well..i dont remember much..bt...
Themes...imprisonment...u can argue that Tom feels imprisoned by his family...he has ambitions but cant fulfil them because he has to take care of his family..mention the fire exit...

Reply 3

twinkledust

I am doing the exact same books on monday n have just called in sick to work to revise lol

Themes in the play are

•

Illusion - which is shown by glass n rainbow scarf

•

Impossibility of true escape which is shown by the coffin trick and the promise of true escape is represented by missing father, marine merchant and fire escape

•

Time which is shown by amanda's past, poverty ar curretn n future (dreams n world war 2)

•

Nostalgia for amanda

•

Guilt with tom leaving laura

•

Power of memory which is shown by music, lack of realism, too perfect symbolism (legends etc) and high drama

•

Escape which is shown by tom through the movies and merchant marines, by amanda through loking at past and to the future and by laura through her glassw, victrola and yearbook

•

failure/difficutly in accepting reality and from this they withdraw into a private world of illusion - Laura (glass, victrola and yearbook), Tom (dreams of escape and movies) and Amanda (future and Past)

I havent started revising miller tales yet but i'll post some themes on that later today. Also some key quotes.

Do u have any good infformation on context with the millers tale? cause all of mine is poor and it's the main AO if memory serves me correctly

Also the symbols in the play link in which the themes. You may already have them but writing them out will help me revise anyway.

•

Candle = like laura - Must be treated wih deliacy as the slightest gust could finish off candle forever - represents lauras fraility

•

Fire escape = represetns escape. For tom = between him and the world. For amanda = between her inner world and reality. For Laura = shows her inability toi face outside worrld (i think this is when she falls down)

•

Unicorn = represents Laura's uniqueness

•

Blue Roses = represent Laura's uniqueness as Blue roses don't exist in real world. Emphasises how Laura lives in her own world

•

Father = represented by victrola and records. Represents escape and appears through tom

•

Glass animals = represent Laura as she is fragile and just as breakable. They also represent Laura's world as being colourful yet illusional

•

Jim = symbolises freedom. Laura from amanda, tom for family, Amanda from obssession and worry about laura

Reply 4

Charlottie

I replied to your other thread in the general chat section. :smile:

Reply 5

twinkledust

Important quotes for GM

Some more important quotes are:

"But here there was only hot swing music and jiquor, dance halls, bars, and movies, and sex that hung in the gloom like a chandelier and flooded the world with brief deceptive rainbows."

Shows how illusions are short lived ---> on brink on world war two

"you are the only young man that i know of who ignores the fact that the future becomes the present, the present becomes the past, and the past turns into everlasting regret if you don't plan for it!" P34 (s5)

Not 100% sure why this is important but i know it is.

"You don't know things anywhere! You live in a dream, you manufacture illusions!" p75 (S7)

"Blow out your candles, Laura - and so goodbye...."

Monkeynotes - GM

Study guide - GM

Another Study Guide

Reply 6

Munchie321

I found this website which might help you on you millers tale revision, not sure how appropriate it is but its worth a look

Millers Tale

Reply 7

Specialheffa

Jim also represents the American Dream - use the quote Zzzzp-zzzp knowledge etc. He is what tom should aspire to and the rest of america, however it is what Laura is escaping from. thta's just another interpretation we explored - it gives reasons why Laura escapes, why amanda returns to her past and why Tom wants to escape... societal pressures

Reply 8

twinkledust

How are you revising for the millers tale? Cause i am struggling where to start. I'm really panicin about the exam

Reply 9

Munchie321

the edition of the book i have it has approaches you should look at like..
- approaches through sources and influence
- the millers prologue
- fabliau
- settings and other uses of realism
- animalism
- approaches through characters
- approaches through themes and topics
- destiny and justice
- proverbs
- concealment
- religion and spiritual moments
- approaches through poetic technique
- style
- parody
- association
- imagery
- the narrators voice

if you need help on any one these topics you are welcome to ask :smile:

also when u put the following quote..."But here there was only hot swing music and jiquor, dance halls, bars, and movies, and sex that hung in the gloom like a chandelier and flooded the world with brief deceptive rainbows."...where is this in the book, thanx

It's P30 scene 5.

thanx alot, u had any luck wiv teh millers tale?

Reply 12

twinkledust

It's going ok n it's open book so hopefully i can blag it. I have a C in this paper n am trying to knock up my modern novel tomorrow to raise me to a B overall.

Can you give me any help with the themes in chaucer?

And do u know a website where i can listen to a reading of the millers tale?

Reply 13

Munchie321

what themes are you struggling with?

i dont know any websites to listen to the audiobook but ive asked a friend and he says he will look if he has it

Reply 14

twinkledust

Just the general themes. I'm incredibly unprepared for this poem n i'm not even sure i'm going to sit it anymore. Cause i have a middle C anyway n i'm debating whether there is any point doing it!

Reply 15

Munchie321

this is what i have so far...

- imagery of trap/cage..alison appears to escaped harm at the end but still trapped by unsuitable marriage

- johns trapped, literally and metaphorically

- juxapose - absolon vs nicholas

absolon is squeamish where nicholas is manly

there fighting for love at different ends of the spectrum

also id look up stuff about fabliau, im still doing things on that but when i have ill post it..

if i was you though i wudnt bother doing chaucer, i would concentrate on EL and get that up to a high grade..keep us informed of what u are going to do.. :smile:

Reply 16

twinkledust

I think i could blag gm but Chaucer, i can barely remember the story and most of the stuff in it. I could always resit in june. I only a want a B tho plus i'm gettin a tutor for A2. I really don't know what to do.

Reply 17

Munchie321

ive just remember taht you are going to have 2 do chaucer, this is because chaucer and GM are on teh same paper arent thet

Reply 18

twinkledust

lol. yeah i have such a rubbish teacher that i am really struggling. My biggest problem is writing essays but i have no help with that as she wont mark extra essays