The usage of Tennessee Williams’ “plastic drama” allows for the imagery to evoke emotion in the audience. One of the most powerful images created by Williams is the scene in which Tom asks Laura, even though the question was rhetorical, a way to escape the life he has been given and not chosen. “You know it don’t take too much intelligence to get yourself into a nailed-up coffin, Laura. But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail? [As if in answer, the father’s grinning photograph lights up. The scene dims out.]” (Pg.485-486) Williams’ uses to coffin to symbolize the box that Tom feels his is living in. And the picture of his father serves as a reminder of the one man who was able to escape the coffin without removing a single nail. When Tom finally decides to leave he states, “I descended the steps of this fire escape for a last time and followed, from then on, in my father’s footsteps, attempting to find in motion what was lost in space” (Pg. 506), as if to say he has chosen to be the next man to leave the coffin in such mysterious fashion. Williams’ uses “plastic drama” through the image of father that torments both Tom and Amanda. Tom is tortured by the picture because he lives the life that he wants for himself and for Amanda it serves a cruel reminder of her youth and how much she loved the man that left her.
I like how you have explained the quote which you stated in your blog. Truthfully when I first read this quote in the drama itself it did not make sense to me, but now that you have written it and explained it it makes perfect sense. Tom was unhappy with his life and that was most due to the fact that he had a suffocating mother and wanted to leave his life in order to follow an adventure like his father, his only concern was leaving Laura behind. Perhaps you could have included a photograph of a coffin of some sort in order to strengthen you arguments. Great job however!
ReplyDeleteYou had very good textual support for your ideas. I never picked up on the coffin metaphor, while reading the play, but found it really interesting. I agree with you about Jim feeling that he is trapped and needs to escape to a better place. Laura is trapped. She will not and can not escape from the “coffin”.
ReplyDeleteI like your interpretation of Williams’ answer to Tom’s question. I like it because, as I was reading this, I was thinking that the lighted picture alluded to how his father escaped because he removed a nail from the coffin. But you said it was because his father escaped without removing a nail. It was an unexpected insight.
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