The End

So what's up with the end of  The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams?  I understood everything that happened up until the point that Tom started to narrate again.  Laura had finally made progress against her shyness thanks to Jim, but she still had little hope of a future husband.  Amanda frustrated and blames Tom and Laura for their failure.  Tom is still hopeful for escape from his current life.  All is good (or I guess not really).  Then Tom says "Oh Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette... -anything that can blow your candles out!  ...Blow out your candles, Laura - and so goodbye... (p 1289).  Then the stage notes say that Laura blows out the candles on stage and the play ends.  I'm lost.  At first I thought that Laura had died.  Now I think that the passage simply means that Tom is constantly reminded of Laura and regrets leaving her being  extinguishing almost any chance of her future marriage and success.  What really confused me was Laura blowing out the candles.  I don't think it symbolizes the end of her struggles nor do I think it symbolizes her death, but maybe it does.  It could symbolize the fact that she is no longer dependent on Tom.  I don't know.  The only thing I know for sure is that Tom never truly escaped his "coffin" in St. Louis.  His pursuit of of happiness through freedom did not truly get him what he wanted.