Tom had the same characteristic traits throughout the play, as the only aspects that changed were his locations. Tom always behaved the same way, but lived with his mother in St. Louis because he wanted to help her and her sister Laura by working in the warehouse. All that changed when Tom joined the Merchant Seamen's Union. Tom, after arguing with Amanda, tells her he is leaving revealing, "Fine, I will!" The more you yell at me about my selfishness, the sooner I will and will not go to the cinema! (Williams 1210). Tom had initially mentioned to Amanda that he was going to the movies, as he always did whenever he wanted to fulfill his illusion of adventure. However, by stating that he was not going to the movies, Williams reveals Tom's intentions to leave the house indefinitely. The only person who stopped Tom from leaving the house was always his sister, Laura. Without her, Tom would have left. There is a sense of responsibility that he knows needs to be taken care of, and yet he does not wish to become a parental figure. In "Flying the Jolly Roger: Images of Escape and Selfhood in Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie", it is described that a feeling of guilt overcomes Tom, as he knows he must take care of his sister (Single 158). Finally, Tom, through his final monologue, asks Laura to let go of him. Tom mentions, “Blow out your candles, Laura – and then goodbye…” (Williams 1211). Tennessee uses this metaphor of Laura blowing out her candles to represent her hold on Tom and how he desired to be.