The Glass Menagerie

We are currently watching The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams in class this week however we are still responsible for reading the material as well. In my reading, I felt that the play was well written and easy to follow along with. This play tells of a family trapped in destructive patterns. After being abandoned by her husband, Amanda Wingfield, a woman of the great depression, has become trapped between worlds of illusion and reality. Amanda wanting what's best for her children seems incapable of providing it for them. Tom, tired of only watching adventure at the movies,working at the warehouse is determined to break away from his authoritarian mother. Laura may not be the glamorous doll her mothers wants, but she a sweet girl and when confronted with Jim, a visitor whom Laura had a high school crush on, there is the chance that she will finally claim her life as her own however, not before long Jim reveals that he is engage to be married and can no longer be Laura gentleman caller.This play demonstrates the importance of love and it represents a memory of not only family but also of loss.

Hills Like Elephants

In the short story Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway there is a young girl named Jigs and an American Man. Among a few drinks they are having a discussion. A discussion I felt that didn't reveal to much. Jig is portrayed as a young girl in the story however, the American "Man" is not therefore signaling to the reader he may be much older than Jig. After discussing this short story in class it was later revealed that the Jig was to have an abortion.The story doesn't say weather the actually procedure took place or not. While they are sitting waiting for the train Jig looks into the sky and notices clouds that look like white elephants.I think the white elephants are a significant for a child to be born.The American man tries to persuades Jig that life can still be happy after an abortion which basically states that he does want the child however, he tries to have some compassion reassuring Jig if she doesn't want to then she doesn't have to.

I think Hemmingway captured the essense of the dilema in making a hard decision that would effect the remainder of your life. Although I did not appreciate this mans selfish attempt to explain a horrendus procedure as they "letting a little air in" the story was compelling lest the open end.