In the novel, Sons and Lovers by D.H Lawrence and the movie, The Glass Menagerie based on the play by Tennessee Williams, conflict featuring in relationships plays a key role in altering one’s pursuit of dream. A range of relationships are explored and this is done through a variety of language techniques such as symbolism and imagery.
The movie, The Glass Menagerie is set in a small apartment in St Louis in America. The context of the film is important to understand as; the people did not have any welfare support. The difference is also exemplified in the idea of how relationships tie to one another; Tom can only leave the house when his ‘sister gets married’ as she is the elder. Tom’s dreams are bound by his commitment to his family and his job in the warehouse; his “ambitions do not lie in this house”. The warehouse represents a sense of lack of adventure and instinct. Similarly the mines in Sons and Lovers represent the same idea.
The novel, Sons and Lovers, is set in England in the beginning of the industrial revolution. Like the Wingfield’s, the Morel’s also represent the lower end of the social chart, the working class. The idea of social pose is central to both texts, as both of these groups have grown up in object poverty, wanting much better for their kids.
The Glass Menagerie has an anecdotal structure, giving it a sense of reflection. The title of the film is very symbolic of the life the characters are living. The animals are an analogy for the family as they are trapped in their little world unable to pursue their goals. The characters don’t have a realistic grasp on life; they are living in the past. This concept of living in the past is represented in the conversations as they are either anecdotal or instructional.
On the contrary, Laura has never been able to deal with her disability as she hides behind the values that her mother puts in front of her,