Tom’s closing speech in The Glass Menagerie Essay example

Tom’s closing speech in The Glass Menagerie Tom’s closing speech in The Glass Menagerie is very emotional and ironic. However, this monologue is somewhat ambiguous and doesn’t implicitly state whether Tom found the adventure he sought. It seems as though he never returned to St. Louis, and spent the remainder of his life wandering from place to place. This is inferred when he says,† I didn’t go to the moon, I went much further-for time is the longest distance between two places†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Throughout the play, the fire escape has been a symbol of Tom’s entrance and exit into both his reality and his dream world. He tells us that his departure marked the last time he â€Å"descended the steps of this fire-escape†, thus permanently embarking†¦show more content†¦The main reason for his disillusionment is because of the regret and remorse he feels for leaving his family, but especially for abandoning Laura. He says, â€Å"..I was pursued by something.† This statement is definitely ironic as he initially embarked on this journey in an effort to pursue his own dreams. Now, however, he cannot do so with the peace of mind and clear conscience he had hoped for, and must instead live daily with memories of his beloved sister and feelings of regret for leaving her. This torment overshadows any measure of freedom he could have gained as a result of leaving his home. Tom also mentions two elements that are associated with his sister throughout the play. In his speech, he tries to identify things that would remind him of Laura: â€Å"Perhaps it was a familiar bit of music, Perhaps it was only a transparent piece of glass..† Laura would always play old records on her victrola, and she lovingly cherished her collection of glass figurines. Wherever he goes, Tom associates glass and music with his sister, and this serves to only bring back haunting memories of the sister he left behind. One must conclude that the escape he so fervently sought now seems to have become his prison. The reader can discern that Tom’s torment is at its worst when he is not surrounded by friends or engaging in some activity, both of which distract his thoughts from Laura. 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