The Glass Menagerie: Scenes 5-7

       In the second half of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Amanda's controlling nature seems less crazy and more justified than ever before. With Tom about to flee and Laura's hopes of marriage dashed, I feel sympathetic for her. 

       The Wingfield family is stretched to its limits, both monetarily and emotionally. They live week to week off of Tom's paycheck, with the lights even being turned off after one missed payment. Further, they can barely stand to be near each other, especially Tom, who escapes to the fire escape to smoke whenever he can. Though previously Amanda's nagging for Tom to focus on his job seemed excessive and controlling, when Tom reveals his plans to Jim to join the "Union of Merchant Seamen," (62) it becomes more understandable. In this scene, my opinion of Tom changed dramatically. I used to see him as a victim, but he has now become an evil deserter, who is leaving his mother and sister helpless with no income and no hope for a better life. And, he does this right after Amanda tells him that all she wishes for "success and happiness for [her] precious children" (40). Amanda's relationship with Laura also seemed to change. Before, it seemed too aggressive and commanding, but when Jim leaves, Amanda takes it well and doesn't scold Laura for being too shy. Instead she is mad at Tom for "mak[ing] such fools of ourselves" (95) by not knowing that Jim was engaged. 

       Once Tom and Amanda wished on the moon together, my perspective of Amanda changed. Though it's possible she could've been lying, I think she truly just wants her children to be happy. She does all she can to help with the bills by selling magazine subscriptions, and she spends all extra money on making Laura pretty. After the second half of The Glass Menagerie, it seems as though her motherly love trumps personal greed.

The Glass Menagerie: Scenes 1-4

       The Glass Menagerie, a semi-autobiographical play written by Tennessee Williams, contrasts the strength and support of family with the pain of disappointment. Amanda Wingfield loves her children, yet she is apprehensive about her unpopular daughter's lack of suitors. She also worries that Tom will someday abandon her and Laura the same way her husband did. Motherhood meets manager in Scenes 1 through 4 of The Glass Menagerie. 
       Amanda is a strong believer in gender roles. She is preoccupied with her daughter's marital status, and is constantly describing the multitude of suitors that were after her when she was single. Amanda sees no future for Laura other than being a wife, and not a conversation between them goes by without some variation of her calling for Laura to "resume your seat, little sister- I want you to stay fresh and pretty- for gentleman callers!" (7). Though Amanda thinks she is stressing this point out of love for her daughter, it comes across as controlling and overbearing to her two children.
       Tom doesn't escape the scrutiny of his mother as well. Since their father "was a telephone man who fell in love with long distances" (5) and abandoned the family, Tom has become the designated breadwinner, which is fully supported by Amanda. Unsatisfied with his work, Tom often escapes at nights to the "movies" and "stage shows," (26-27) which is worrisome for his mother. Amanda is concerned that he, like his father, will find something more worthwhile than his family and desert them. Her worry of abandonment appears to outweigh her concern for his happiness, and in this way Amanda becomes more of a supervisor than a mother.

       The affiliation between familial love and self-preservation is highlighted through the relationships between Amanda and her two children.