Discuss the mood created by the set and Tom's speech in the first scene of The Glass Menagerie.

I think that a mood of melancholy forlornness presents
itself in the first scene of Williams' work.  His introductory speech in the first scene
helps to establish this sense of "longing" or "waiting" that envelops so much of the
drama.  Tom is able to bring out his own role in this process and one gets the
impression that there is little in way of happiness in Tom's state of being in the
world, especially in the idea of "long delayed" which helps to bring to light the idea
that happiness is deferred to these characters.  The fact that Tom speaks to us and
exists after the action has taken place along with his speaking in melancholic tones
helps to develop the idea that the concept of "being happy" is something where there
exists challenge for this family.  When taking this into account of the "mass
automatism" that envelops the Wingfields and their neighborhood, one can sense that the
notion of happiness is something even more challenging on a social level.  Such an idea
helps to enhance Williams' idea that happiness is something difficult to obtain and
elusive in the modern setting.  The mood becomes decidedly melancholy from this point
onwards in the drama.