The ending of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is extremely sad and Williams uses quite a bit of Pathos. The gentleman caller, Jim, and Laura seem to hit it off great- they even share a small kiss. However, we soon find out Jim is not the sweet, caring man he pretends to be. He is really a cheater- he is engaged and cheating on his fiance, Betty. The way Jim breaks the news to Laura that he will never be calling her is absolutely heart-wrenching. Laura, the shy, innocent girl she is, is absolutely shocked and heart-broken. Jim, a player and a cheater, seems to feel not guilt. Even though he acts sorry, it is evident he doesn't care about Laura's feelings at all. He even tells Amanda he is engaged in a manner that shows he sees nothing wrong with what he has done. Amanda is obviously appalled at his behavior. Williams does a spectacular job in his writing by making the reader feel so much sympathy for Laura.
While the ending of the play clearly angered me, I did really like Tom's soliloquy at the very end. His speech seems like the perfect way to end the play, rapping up many loose ends about his future. Tom finishes the play by saying "For nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura- and so goodbye" (1289). This last sentence is beautifully written, however I am not exactly sure of its meaning. I am not sure if it symbolizes that Laura never found love, or that maybe she even died alone. Whatever it means, it leaves the reader wondering. I really enjoy Williams' writing style in this regard.
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