Provide a character analysis of Jim in The Glass Menagerie. What are his qualities? How do they impact other characters? What is his overall purpose in the play?

In The Glass Menagerie, Jim O’Connor is Tom Wingfield’s friend from work. To satisfy his mother’s nagging, Tom has invited Jim to dinner at their home. Jim is the antithesis of the entire Wingfield family. He is firmly grounded in reality, has realistic expectations and ambitions, and is not a dreamer. In Amanda’s mind, Jim is the equivalent of the young men who clustered around her in her youth: a “gentleman caller.” Laura remembered him from high school, where he was popular and successful, while she was ill and often absent. Jim is at ease in most situations and, as he can tell that Laura is a nervous person, tries to put her at ease as well. He treats her kindly and warmly, but he also provides the instrument for making her face reality when he accidentally breaks the unicorn. Jim lets her know the truth, that he is engaged. Her gift of the broken unicorn can be interpreted as Tennessee Williams’ way of highlighting the young man’s ordinariness; like the horn-less animal, he is just like everyone else.