Tennessee William's character, Laura Wingfield, from Glass Menagerie is also a complex and dynamic character. She is excruciatingly shy to the point where she gets physically ill when nervous. We see this when she drops out of business school after throwing up one of the first few days. From the reading, she enjoys exploring the city while just keeping to herself. Since she dropped out of school, Laura had been filling her days with extensive walks and trips to local museums. Also, we can conclude that Laura doesn't want to disappoint her mother. She felt like she couldn't tell her mother she couldn't physically accomplish graduating from school. William's portrays Laura as such a delicate character. "she is like a piece of translucent glass touched by light, given a momentary radiance, not actual, not lasting" (Williams, 1263). This stage direction portrays Laura best. Laura's obsession with her glass figures has become a symbol to her own personality. She takes care of the glass because it is fragile and delicate. Laura needs care in the same way.
Laura does show some progression as the story draws an end. She seems to get over a few of her shy tendencies. Even when Jim breaks her favorite glass piece, she doesn't completely freak out. The presence of someone who talks to Laura as an equal is enough to bring her out of her shell. Even after Jim explains he is engaged, she gives him the broken piece as a souveneir of their date. I think symbolically, Laura is giving away her hope of that "new Laura."
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