Glass Menagerie - Laura's escape

The Glass Menagerie is set in a tenement St. Louis apartment occupied by Amanda Wingfield and her two adult children: shy, fragile Laura, and Tom, a restless, poet working a stifling factory job. Tom Wingfield narrates this self-described "memory play", revisiting a time when his family longs to escape their meager existence by creating idealized fantasy worlds. Amanda tries to rise above the family's depressed circumstances and puts all of her hopes into the prospect of Laura marrying and carrying them out of poverty. But Laura is terribly shy and can't cope with the pressures of the outside world. Williams uses many symbols in the play represent the various escapes of the characters. Laura demonstrates Williams' theme of escape.
Laura escapes from various aspects of the 'real' world. Young girls of Laura's age go out drinking, have friends, and some are with boyfriends. For Laura, something as simple as going to the grocery store is a challenge. Laura secludes herself at home ...