Glass Horse

Glass Horse

I folded this from an acetate overhead sheet. My inspiration in making this is from a play by Tenesse Williams called “The Glass Menagerie,” about a girl named Laura who was born with one leg longer than the other; hence she had to wear a clamp. Due to her fragile state, she would stay at home looking after her collection of glass animals; her glass menagerie. Her favorite among her collection was the unicorn; a unique creature which did not fit among the rest of her collection; much like how Laura herself felt she did not fit among other people. It was not until her fateful encounter with a former high school mate Jim, where she began to let loose of her inferiority complex and accept who she was.

JIM: Now how about you? Isn’t there something you, take more interest in than anything else?
LAURA: Well, I do – as I said – have my – glass collection
JIM: I’m not right sure I know what you’re talking about What kind of glass is it?
LAURA: Little articles of it, they’re ornaments mostly. Most of them are little animals made out of glass, the tiniest little animals in the world. Mother calls them A glass menagerie! Here’s an example of one, if you’d like to see it. This one is one of the oldest. It’s nearly thirteen. Oh, be careful – if you breathe, it breaks !
JIM: I’d better not take it. I’m pretty clumsy with things.
LAURA: Go on, I trust you with him ! There now you’re holding him gently! Hold him over the light, he loves the light I You see how the light shines through him?
JIM: It sure does shine!
LAURA: I shouldn’t be partial, but he is my favourite one.
...
JIM: Unicorns, aren’t they extinct in the modern world?
LAURA: I know !
JIM: Poor little fellow, he must feel sort of lonesome.
LAURA: Well, if he does he doesn’t complain about it. He stays on a shelf with some horses that don’t have horns and all of them seem to get along nicely together.
JIM: How do you know?
LAURA:I haven’t heard any arguments among them!
JIM: No arguments, huh? Well, that’s a pretty good sign ! Where shall I set him?
LAURA: Put him on the table. They all like a change of scenery once in a while !
...
JIM: I think it’s stopped raining. Where does the music come from?
LAURA: From the Paradise Dance Hall across the alley.
JIM: How about cutting the rug a little, Miss Wingfield?
LAURA: Oh
JIM: Or is your programme filled up? Let me have a look at it. Why, every dance is taken! I’ll just have to scratch some out. Ahhh, a waltz !
LAURA: I – can’t dance !
JIM: There you go, that inferiority stuff ! Come on, try !
LAURA: Oh, but I’d step on you !
JIM: I’m not made out of glass.
LAURA: How – how – how do we start?
J IM: just leave it to me. You hold your arms out a little.
LAURA: Like this?
JIM: A little bit higher. Right. Now don’t tighten up, that’s the main thing about it – relax.
LAURA: It’s hard not to. I’m afraid you can’t budge me.
JIM: What do you bet I can’t?
LAURA: Goodness, yes, you can!
JIM: Let yourself go, now, Laura, just let yourself go.
...
JIM: Loosen th’ backbone! There now, that’s a lot better.
LAURA: Am I?
JIM: Lots, lots better !
LAURA: Oh, my !
JIM: Ha-ha !
LAURA: Oh, my goodness !
JIM: Ha-ha-ha ! (They suddenly bump into the table. JIM stops) What did we hit on?
LAURA: Table.
JIM: Did something fall off it? I think-
LAURA: Yes.
JIM: I hope that it wasn’t the little glass horse with the horn !
LAURA: Yes.
JIM: Aw aw aw- Is it broken?
LAURA: Now it is just like all the other horses.
JIM: It’s lost its -
LAURA: Horn! It doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.
JIM: You’ll never forgive me. I bet that that was your favourite piece of glass.
LAURA: I don’t have favourites much. It’s no tragedy, Freckles. Glass breaks so easily. No matter how careful you are. The traffic jars the shelves and things fall off them.
JIM: Still I’m awfully sorry that I was the cause.
LA U R A: I’ll just imagine he had an operation. The horn was removed to make him feel less – freakish! Now he will feel more at home with the other horses, the ones that don’t have horns. .
JIM: Ha-ha, that’s very funny!

(Williams, The Glass Menagerie)

Glass Horse belongs to the following groups:

All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Animal Kingdom, Cutest of the Cute and Japanfluence Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints and Framed Prints