Glass Menagerie told entirely from the viewpoint of Tom -- who is himself at least somewhat representative of the author, Tennessee Williams -- is largely a way for Tom (and Tennessee) to rationalize away the guilt he feels at being unable to aid his sister. This thesis is important to me because it speaks to the reasons behind the creation of the play. In addition, the issue of narration has always interested me, and the perspective if the play is essential to its interpretation. This makes the research invaluable to all who wish to fully understand the play.

Because Tom really is the narrator of the entire play -- that is, everything is seen as he relates it -- every instance could be used in the development of this paper. Especially important moments, however, include the Blue Roses story and the breaking of the unicorn. Though these vents show Laura with Jim rather than Tom, they are the clearest evidences of Tom's inability to protect his sister and help her lead a normal life. Tom's monologue is also highly important, as it shows him actively justifying his actions and feeling guilty over them, too.

The critical approach used in this paper will be psychoanalysis and biographical criticism. An understanding of Tennessee Williams' relationship with his real-life sister Rose sheds some light on the origins of the play's story. The psychoanalysis of Tom's character will reveal the guilt he feels towards his sister and how it is tied to his relationship with his mother. All of these are also tremendously important in regards to Tom's (and Tennessee's) sexuality.

Nicholas Pagan's book Rethinking Literary Biography: A Postmodern Approach to Tennessee Williams is an interesting look at the author's life and how it intersects with his literary work. There are portions of the book that would help support my thesis, as well as some conclusions that Pagan draws that disagree. Both of these would be useful in clarifying and proving my point.