Sloth Character

The sloth is a spiritual animal that serves as a reminder to look to seek higher knowledge both mentally and emotionally.They represent diplomacy, shyness and tend to have a peaceful, easy-going nature. Laura, from Tennessee Williams's “The Glass Menagerie,” is a troubled character that exhibits many sloth like traits. Not only is she physically slow, she is also secluded from society in an illness induced haze. This disillusionment from reality has left her socially and mentally impaired. “Sloth is the most destructive and least human of all the deadly sins,” after all, and Laura has been shown to be almost non functioning. Laura is troubled. Her sensitivity and shyness control her life, and these traits are magnified in contrast to her callous mother, Amanda. When Laura’s gentleman caller, Jim, is invited to dinner, Amanda is trying to persuade her into a situation that she thoroughly despises. She chooses to bite her tongue until Amanda makes an obnoxious request, causing her to openly express her distaste. Amanda then exclaims “You couldn’t be satisfied with just sitting home, and yet whenever I try to arrange something for you, you seem to resist it.” (Williams) This harsh
Her menagerie represents herself, specifically the glass unicorn, which is fragile, and unlike all of the other figurines. When it is broken by her gentleman caller, it becomes just another horse. Every time she was presented with a social challenge, i.e business school, she would make busy with her menagerie, ignoring whatever problems came towards her. When the unicorn is shattered, it destroys that sense of safety and comfort that she so desperately wanted. And going along with this, her limp is a physical manifestation of her