The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams
The father of the story had left his family for travel and adventure before the play even begins. Upon hearing this, I thought the father was a coward and an unloving man who simply didn't want to spend time with his family. The other members even reference his picture multiple times, warning each other to not end up like him or to never go near a man like him. But the constant attention towards the photo, though it may be bad attention, makes me think the family actually highly respects him. Even though he deserted the family for meager reasons, they still hang up his photo and refer to him as a role model. Tom recognizes that his father was a bad man, but he still wants to follow his example to escape his current life. He gazes up at the photo saying "See how he grins? And he's been absent going on sixteen years!" (Williams 1269). Though everyone disagrees with hoe he abandoned them, they all fondly remember some part of him, which ends up influencing their actions. Through personification, the picture of the father manipulates the minds of the main characters simply by hanging on the wall. If the picture wasn't on display, I think the family would be reminded of him much less and he wouldn't serve such a significant role. Even in leaving his family so that he can see the world, the father is viewed as one of the most important characters in the entire play.
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