Tom had the same character traits throughout the play, as the only aspects that changed were his locations. Tom always behaved the same way, but he lived with his mother in St. Louis because he wanted to help her and his sister Laura by working in the warehouse. Everything changed when Tom joined the Merchant Mariners' Union. Tom, after arguing with Amanda, tells her he is leaving, revealing: “Okay, I will! The more you shout at me about my selfishness, the faster I will go and not go to the cinema!” (Williams 1210). Tom had initially told Amanda that he was going to the movies, as he always did whenever he wanted to realize his illusion of adventure. However, by stating that he wasn't actually going to go to the movies, Williams reveals Tom's intentions to leave the house indefinitely. The only person who has always kept Tom from leaving home has been his sister Laura. If it weren't for her, Tom would have left. There is a sense of responsibility that he knows he must take care of, yet he has no desire 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 grips Tom, as he knows he must take care of his sister (Single 158). Ultimately, Tom, through his final monologue, asks Laura to let go of her hold on him. Tom mentions, “Blow out the candles, Laura – and then good-bye…” (Williams 1211). Tennessee uses this metaphor of Laura blowing out the candles to represent her hold on Tom and how she wanted to be