In the works of literature, such as Of Mice and Men and The Glass Menagerie, numerous symbols are present. Many of these symbols possess similar meanings, resulting in comparable themes in both stories. Both tales revolve around The American Dream and its challenging nature to attain. Moreover, there are characters in both narratives who exhibit resembling personalities and assume analogous roles. Despite divergent plotlines, these two stories share numerous parallels in symbolism. They both incorporate symbols that signify a means of escaping reality, display an extraordinary love and dedication towards others, highlight the unattainability of the American Dream, and differentiate certain characters from the rest of society.
In The Glass Menagerie, Tom, who is Laura’s brother and Amanda’s son, faces the challenges of supporting his mother and sister while working an undesirable job. The absence of his father mirrors Tom’s future actions when he can no longer find solace in watching movies or drinking. As a means of escaping his disliked life before eventually leaving Laura and his mother behind, Tom frequently uses the fire escape. He either uses it to go to the movies or spends time there smoking and drinking.
The ability of Tom to sit out on the fire escape foreshadows his ability to easily escape from his life. Conversely, Laura slips on the fire escape, symbolizing her inability to leave her life and live independently. In “Of Mice and Men,” George and Lennie’s farm represents their eventual escape. Whenever Lennie becomes scared, George narrates stories about the wonderful farm where they will eventually reside. George assures Lennie that he will be responsible for taking care of the rabbits, despite Lennie’s tendency to handle them roughly. Their vision of this ideal life keeps them motivated despite the constant challenges arising from Lennie’s cognitive impairment. Due to his lack of understanding of his own strength, Lennie unintentionally kills two animals, a woman, and is accused of rape.
When Lennie and George settle on their farm, they can finally live without fearing any trouble caused by Lennie. However, in the novel, Lennie dies before he can experience life on the farm. This event makes it evident to the reader that their dream will not come true, and they will never be able to escape to the farm. Interestingly, Laura shares similarities with Lennie since both characters won’t achieve their American Dream. Laura’s shyness, indecisiveness, and dependence prevent her from independently seeking a husband and escaping her mother’s constant nagging. Additionally, Laura’s leg is crippled as a result of slipping and falling once while on the fire escape.
This is a representation of her inability to escape and achieve her dream, just like her brother. Lennie’s disability also prevents him from realizing his own aspirations. When Curly’s wife allows him to touch her hair, he grips it too tightly, which frightens her and makes her scream. This startles Lennie, causing him to unintentionally kill her while trying to quieten her down. As a result, George feels compelled to end Lennie’s life because he knows that Curly would have done so otherwise. Once the reader finds out about Curly’s wife’s death, it becomes clear that the dream of Lennie and George eventually having their own farm cannot be achieved.
Despite having disabilities and relying on others for their care, both Lennie and Laura have someone who watches over them. Laura’s mother is always worried about her daughter’s welfare and desires her to find a spouse and be more sociable. In contrast, George takes care of Lennie in a distinct manner. Even though both George and Amanda want what is best for Lennie and Laura, they have differing approaches. George comprehends that Lennie can never attain self-sufficiency or have ambitions, so he attends to him in a maternal way, similar to caring for an infant.
George closely monitors every action of Lennie, striving to keep him away from any mischief. Although George may not always enjoy the responsibility of looking after Lennie, he still manages to apologize and assure Lennie that he doesn’t mind taking care of him. This demonstrates George’s genuine concern for Lennie’s well-being. George further conveys his care for Lennie by sharing stories about their future farm, assuring him that everything will be alright someday and that George will always be there for him.
Both Laura and Lennie share a common trait: a passionate interest in something that distinguishes them from the other characters in their respective books. Laura’s fixation lies in her collection of glass, while Lennie has an intense fondness for soft objects, particularly animals. Symbolizing Laura’s uniqueness, the glass unicorn she possesses stands apart from the regular horses due to its horn. Just as unicorns are rare and exceptional in certain circumstances, Laura also possesses a distinctive quality that shines through when viewed from the appropriate perspective.
When Jim breaks the unicorn, she gives it to him because it’s like all the other horses. The unicorn is no longer special. Giving the regular horse to Jim symbolizes that he deprived her of the opportunity to be normal. He shows affection to her, and just as she thought her dream of getting married was possible, it was shattered when she discovered he was engaged.
The killing of the puppy and mouse by Lennie serves as a representation of his well-meaning intentions and the triumph of the strong over the weak. Lennie unintentionally takes the lives of these animals due to his unawareness of his own physical strength. Despite his love for the animals and his attempts at showing them affection, he feels remorseful and seeks solace in George when he realizes he has caused harm. Similar to the puppy, Lennie remains oblivious to the impending dangers that surround him. Despite being the most physically formidable worker on the ranch, he is far from being the most dangerous. His limited intellect compensates for his physical stature, which foreshadows his inevitable destiny.
In both books, various symbols converge with parallelism. The common theme shared by both books is the unattainability of the American Dream. Both characters encounter insurmountable obstacles that hinder their ultimate success. They both have caring individuals in their lives who are unable to assist them in realizing their dreams. The symbols depicted in both books highlight Laura and Lennie’s inability to accomplish their respective aspirations.
