"The scene is memory and is therefore nonrealistic. Memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart."
-page 1235
This quote comes from stage directions/explanation of the opening scene. No dialogue has been given yet, and Tennessee Williams is giving the audience background on the story. The play is narrated by Tom, and is a recount of his memory of specific examples leading up to when he leaves his family. The author tells us that because this story is based on memory, than it is nonrealistic. The play would be realistic if it was happening in the present and would be told from an objective narrator that is impersonal to each character. The actual truth of the accounts are probably less favorable towards Tom. Since the story comes from his memory, the truth is somewhat swayed to favor him and the audience sees it from his point of view. Another quote explaining the motif of memory is, "The play is memory. Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic. In memory everything seems to happen to music." This quote comes from Tom, explaining that his point of view is not necessarily exactly what happened.
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