To what extent does Williams create characters as mere symbolic representations used to teach the audience about human nature? And what other techniques does he use in the Glass Menagerie? Tennessee Williams uses symbolism to reveal, in depth, the attributes of the characters and what they represent. the play is constructed so that each character has a defining symbol that resembles their personality. Brechtian techniques also contribute to the motifs and themes of the piece. A symbol is immediately presented to us in the first scene which is the emergency exit. This symbolizes a "bridge" between the Wingfields' illusory world and the world of reality outside their apartment. Tom-"I'm going to have a cigarette!"Laura-"I'm fine. I slipped, but I'm fine. The "bridge" initially appears to be a one-way passage, but the direction varies for each character The fire escape, for Tom, is an escape from Amanda and Laura's world and an entrance into the world of. However, for Laura, the fire escape is a door into her world and a. escaping from reality Examples of both characters are clearly visible: whenever Tom smokes, he walks towards the fire escape, thus showing that he does not like being inside and being a part. of the illusory world Yet, on the other hand, Laura sees the fire escape as an entrance and not an exit. An example of this can be seen when Amanda tells Laura to go to the store. the fire escape This idea suggests that Laura's emotions and fears greatly affect her physical condition, much more than those of normal people. The most predominant and frequently referred to symbol is Laura's glass menagerie. Her glass collection represents her own private world which she frequently uses to escape reality. Her place where she can hide and be safe. The events that occur with Laura's glass greatly affect her emotional state. When Tom breaks the glass menagerie, Laura is hugely affected and this can be deciphered from her reaction. "(yelling) My drink! - menagerie". averted."The broken glass represents Laura's understanding of Tom's responsibilities towards her. Also, the reaction to the breaking of the unicorn "(screaming) My glass! - menagerie", which is important, represents Laura directly because her fragility is represented; it is as if she had broken.