Mike Hunt Glass Menagerie One of the main elements that Tennessee Williams uses all throughout The Glass Menagerie is symbolism in order to relate to the thoughts and feelings of his characters. Obviously, to the reader or playgoer, the Wingfield family borders on dysfunctional to say the least. In order to escape this dysfunctional world that they all live in, Tennessee Williams introduces the use of symbolism. Specifically, in the case of Laura, Williams shows that she is the one character trying to escape the most, through the use of glass figurines. She believes in these figurines because they are both delicate and full of a perfect fantasy. Next, Tom, who is the second character that tries to escape his dysfunctional life, uses a different method of escape.
Though he is able to hold a social life, rather than Laura’s recluse-like life, Tom runs from his problems through the use of both movie-going as well as heavy drinking. Finally, there is Amanda. Amanda is not so much out of touch with reality as her children, but rather heavily distorts the reality that she already lives in. She is completely stuck on the ideology of having perfect children, not to mention being filthy rich. Throughout the entire play she is one hundred percent focused solely on two things. First, she wants both of her children to be socially accepted.
Not only does she think her son is too enthralled with his books and movies, but she is even more concerned with finding a mate for her daughter, Laura. Amanda will not give up, and even involves Tom to bring home a suitable mate for Laura. It is this utter distortion of reality that brings Amanda into her own personal escape from this dysfunctional family.
The Essay on Amanda Laura Family Wingfield
A Dysfunctional Family Families are supposed to be there for each other and what have you. The families of today are more or less normal, but in the book The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams the Wingfield family is very dysfunctional. What makes this family dysfunctional are the members of it, such as Amanda, Tom, and Laura. Amanda was a very talkative mother. Amanda Wingfield was how the ...
