The Glass Menagerie - Realism vs. Nonrealism

"The play is memory. Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic. In memory everything seems to happen to music. That explains the fiddle in the wings. I am the narrator of the play, and also a character in it." (pg. 12360

This play is full of both nonrealism and realism. One of the most important examples of nonrealism is that Tom can address the audience. He talks to the audience and explains things to them. He can direct the play, as shown on page 1238 when he motions to get more light on Amanda. Another example of nonrealism is that for most of the play, there are only three characters, and then at the end there are only four. Examples of realism include how the family interacts with each other. They fight and disagree, but in the end they love each other. They also talk realistically. They don't always speak in complete sentences.