http://www.sparknotes.com/ lit/menagerie/ themes.html

Tom opines to Jim that the other viewers at the movies he attends are substituting on-screen adventure for real-life adventure, finding fulfillment in illusion rather than real life. Even Jim, who represents the “world of reality,” is banking his future on public speaking and the television and radio industries—all of which are means for the creation of illusions and the persuasion of others that these illusions are true. The Glass Menagerie identifies the conquest of reality by illusion as a huge and growing aspect of the human condition in its time.

http://www.gradesaver.com/ classicnotes/titles/ menagerie/charlist.html

Jim O’Connor: The long-awaited gentleman caller. He is outgoing, enthusiastic, and believes in self-improvement. He kisses Laura and raises her hopes before revealing to her that he is engaged. Tom describes him as a person more connected to the real world than any of the other characters are, but Jim is also a symbol for the “expected something that we live for.”

RE:
Jim from the play "The Glass Menagerie", what does he symbolize?

Jim O’Connor – An old acquaintance of Tom and Laura. Jim was a popular athlete in high school and is now a shipping clerk at the shoe warehouse in which Tom works. He is unwaveringly devoted to goals of professional achievement and ideals of personal success.

Study Guides

These links will give you a summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions.

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/menagerie/

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/menagerie/

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmGlassMenagerie01.asp

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/barrons/glsmeng.asp

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/id-114.html

http://www.novelguide.com/TheGlassMenagerie/

http://www.jiffynotes.com/GlassMenagerieThe/HistoricalContext.html

http://litsum.com/glass-menagerie/

http://summarycentral.tripod.com/theglassmenagerie.htm