The world in which Amanda Wingfield lived fluctuated between reality and illusion, her past life with money and her new life with none. Amanda reminisced about the days of her youth, especially the seventeen callers in one afternoon. She told this story told many times to her children, Tom and Laura. Even though she had no money, she tried to portray herself as though she did. Amanda wore her best clothes from her past and wanted to keep her home immaculate when visitors came in order to make the best impression.
Amanda wanted her past life, which included a better social status, money, and happiness. Because of her past, Amanda also found it difficult to respect the differences between her daughter and herself. Amanda did not understand why Laura was not outgoing and charming the young gentlemen in town. Amanda was unwilling to accept the effects of Laura’s past physical ailments, which lead her to lead a quiet and reserved adult life. Amanda constantly nagged Tom to find his sister a gentleman caller.
Tom was the only source of income for their family, which was also a reason Amanda felt an urgency to find Laura a man. Amanda found an acceptance letter from the Merchant Marines addressed to Tom. With little regard for Tom feelings, Amanda advised Tom he can join the Merchant Marine, but he will need to find a gentleman that can take care of herself and Laura. When Amanda’s husband left her, she found herself living an empty and meaningless life.
Amanda wanted her old life back very much because of the financial security and societal prominence. Even after time passed, she refused to accept her new social status and refused to become independent from her children. She lived her life through her children and failed to recognize that her children had different personalities from her own. Her insistance to live in the past, and not accept her current reality, ultimately drove Tom to leave home and Laura back into her world of glass.
The Essay on The Glass Menagerie Amanda Play Tom
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a play that consists of 4 distinguished characters: Amanda, Laura, Tom and Jim. The pivotal character in this play is definitely Amanda. She affects every aspect of this play unlike the characters that surround her on a day-to-day basis. Amanda is the character with the strongest connection to Laura and Tom's father. She is the one that drew him to her ...
