After you have completed the first three scenes, respond to the following prompt:
Discuss the atmosphere of the play. Reflect on the relationships (mother/son, mother/daughter, brother/sister) in the household. How does each character act/react differently to situations? Last, discuss which character you enjoy the most at this point in the play. Do you think your opinions will change as we read?
You must respond to the prompt in 3 paragraphs by Friday, November 27th at Midnight. You must then respond to at least two of your classmates by Sunday, November 29th at midnight.
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The Glass Menagerie reflects upon Tom’s life and different situations he faces. Like the introduction stated Tom’s sister Laura, has some problems that make a lot of other things difficult to handle. Being mentally handy capered Laura can’t do much and her attitude towards life, boys, and he self esteem is extremely plummeted. From the begging of the scene towards the scene 3 Tom’s tone changes and more of his emotions are brought out showing his audiences the true troubles he is facing and how he deals with his problems.
ReplyDeleteRelationships towards each character in the play are semi disgusting. In saying that it’s disgusting I’m meaning that the reaction of Amanda towards her children seems to be very ashamed/ disgusted. When talking about Amanda’s child hood to Laura, Amanda starts to rant on about how many “gentlemen callers” (35) she has ad and also tells Laura that she should not use her disability as her own defect but rather don’t think about it. “ Why you’re not crippled you just have a little defect-hardly noticeable, even!”(45). The tone towards Laura and her mother seems to very gentle, respectful, and encouraging, but Tom on the other hands gets a word or two from Amanda.
The tone played through out Amanda’s voice in scene three is disgusted and ashamed. Amanda finds out the truth about Tom and she is very ashamed but doesn’t tell him she’s ashamed. “I think you’ve been doing things that you’re ashamed of. That’s why you act like this.” (51). Tom hides his emotions through glossy eyes and a night on the town. Broken down and blind-sided from reality. Tom’s problems catch up with him as his mother finds out the truth and his only excuse was that he went to a movie every night. When in all actuality “ Nobody goes to the movies might after might”(51). Secretly hidden from home and life and truth Tom’s character struggles to outshine.
Tom play’s out a bigger role to me than the other characters. Compared to Amanda and Laura, Tom seems to get lost and hide, much like my self. I don’t usually come out of my shell and talk to everyone about different problems I have at home, I hold it in. Tom holds his fears and aggression/ sadness behind alcohol; I hold mine through my pillowcase. I imagine that Tom’s writing will reflect, deeply, his life and emotions. I too write out my feelings. The only reasons this believes upon him would change is if his writings were horribly written or if he just down poured on those who surround him. Everyone gets lost at some point in time and hides behind one thing or another. Sometimes one just feels safer behind closed doors rather then a Broadway curtain opening at the start of a play.
In response to Destiny
ReplyDeleteLaura is neither "handy capered" nor is she handicapped, which is what I am sure you meant. She was born with a disease that left one leg shorter than the other and so she walks with a limp and wears a brace.
The atmosphere of the play is tense all the way around. Tom is not happy at home, Amanda struggles facing the future and worries about Laura finding a husband, and Laura is ashamed if her physical disability and immerses herself in a world of glass. Tom resents being the man of the house but has a relativly good relationship with his sister. Laura, though sometimes frustrated, is resigned to her mother's habit of trying to live through her. However, she is convinced that she will never recieve a gentleman caller.
ReplyDeleteTom us definetly the character I enjoy most, partially because I know what it's like to be unhappy at home, but also because I am interested to see how he will continue to handle his problems and if he will eventually be able to escape his prison of a home. I wonder if he will ever write professionally.
I also am intrigued by Laura's character. She has no self confindence whatsoever and because her mother is convinced she will always be alone, she is begining to believe it as well.
Amanda's character is just irritating. She is disappointed with her personal choices and so she tries to give herself a second chance by living through her daughter. She convinces herself and maybe even Laura that she is doing it for Laura and that she is helping, which makes it harder for Laura to speak up and ask her to stop.
The first few scenes of "The Glass Menagerie" are full of emotion and feeling. We recieve an insight of each character and we are able to depict the personality traits of them as well. It seems as if there is a lot of aurguing going on, and everyone seems a bit tense. Each character is focused on who one another are and what they are doing with their life. They all seem stressed and worrisome. The overall atmosphere of the family and home doesn't seem to be very functional and it is easy to see that right away.
ReplyDeleteAmanda is a mother who is so worried about her kids and can't even give them a little room to live on their own. I strongly dislike mothers like this. I think it is so unnecessary for a mother to want to live through her kids, because maybe her own childhood wasn't the greatest. Amanda is annoying and way too overwhelming. I think she does more harm than good, and is swarming her children way to much. Her relationship with Laura really bothers me. Maybe if she would let her daughter make her own decisions if she wants a man or not, things would work out better for the two of them. She pushes too many things on Laura, and doesn't let Laura have a mind of her own.
Tom as a character is the one I like the best. I feel bad for him though, he seems to be lost in this world that he is in, and doesn't know how to get out of it. Amanda doesn't have the best mother/son relationship with him it seems like. The fact that he has to lie to her just to leave the house, is sad. Tom is frustrated with his position in the household, I don't think he wants to be the man of the house, and have to support his mother and sister. I am looking forward to reading on, and seeing the decisions he will make.
I hope that Amanda will realize that what she is doing with Tom and Laura isn't working. Just because she is around and is present in their lives, doesn't always mean that is necessarily a good thing. She needs to rebuild the relationships with them, and hopefully Tom and Laura will be able to stand up to their mother and not have to lie to her anymore. There was a lot said in these first few scenes, and we are able to portray many things from each character.
In response to Liz F: I totally agree with you on your comments about Amanda. I too think she is very irritating, and is living through her daughter, Laura. I liked how you said she is trying to give herself a second chance by living through her daughter. She might not have been happy with the decisions she made growing up so now she is making Laura do what she wants her to do. She is ruining Laura's self worth, because she is too afraid to stand up to her own mother.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Destiny: I don't really understand your comments about the family and relationships being disgusting... I wrote that I thought they were living a bit dysfunctional, but not disgusting and shameful. You said that Amanda was the character whose tone was the most ashamed and disgusted toward her children. I didn't really get that vibe. She seems to just care but doesn't know how to demonstrate that in a healthy, motherly way. I'm glad that you have a different opinion than me and I can reflect on what you said, but maybe disgusting isn't the best choice of word there.
ReplyDeleteThe tone is very rich in the first few scenes. It is full of emotion and feeling. It shows the beginning personalities of each character. There is a lot of tension and arguing between the characters. Everyone seems to be very stressed out and worried about what the future holds. Each is worried about what they want to happen and relationships become very dysfunctional.
ReplyDeleteThe relationships are interesting. Amanda is pushing for Laura to find a suitor and is always saying how great a past she had and how life was better then. She pushes her life too much on her children. She pushes Laura to go to school and does not care much about what her wishes are. Laura wants desperately to do her own thing. She is sick of Amanda pushing school and a husband. She ditches school and goes for walks and explores different places. Laura is not confident in herself because of her mother’s insisting and she is ashamed of her disability. Tom really wants no conflict and tenseness. He gets lost in the struggle and is only there to bring home the bacon. He spends a little time as he can to do what he wants and stay away from the conflict.
Right now I like Laura the most. She impresses on Amanda that she is doing what she wants her to do, but really she does what she wants. She goes for walks and goes to museums. I’m interested to see how she will deal with her mother in the future and the intensity of having a husband increases. I find Tom’s reaction to the intensity funny. He just tries to stay out of the way and spends a little time as possible.
"The Glass Menagerie" opening sences express emotion and give an overwhelming sense of the struggles each character expierences not only in their life time, but also on a daily basis. The atmosphere seems to be filled with tension and frustration with life, and between the three characters; Tom, Amanda, and Laura. The family hasn't been completly honest about their whereabouts or feelings towards eachother and the situation which they are in, and more of their emotions are expressed in scenes one through three.
ReplyDeleteTom and his mother, Amanda don't always see eye to eye and the frustration with this relationship is easily seen. One night at dinner Amanda scolds him for his rude manners, and his response is, "I haven't enjoyed one bite of this dinner because of your constant directions on how to eat it(31)." Also, Tom tells Amanda that he is going to the movies almost every night and suspicion grows. "I think you've been doing things that you're ashamed of. That's why you act like this. I don't believe that you go every night to the movies. Nobody goes to the movies night after night(51)." After his mother questions him, the audience then gets a better understanding of how Tom honestly feels about his life and the difficult possition he is in. "I'd rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains-then go back mornings! For sixy-five dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever! Why listen if self is what I thought of Mother, I'd be where he is-GONE(52)." Tom has to support his family, and continues to do so, dispite his resentment. Laura and Amanda seem to have a better relationshio then Tom and Amanda do, however in scene two Amanda learns some disheartening news. Amanda said, "Laura, where have you been going when you've gone out pretending that you were going to business college?" Laura: I've just been going out walking(41)." Laura has not been honest with her mom about going to school because she is disable and unable to perform simple tasks. Amanda doesn't seem to be too upset, but gives her daughter love and encouragement. "Why, you're not crippled, you just have a little defect-hardly noticeable, even! When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it-develop charm-and vivascity-and-charm(45)."
Tom and Laura don't seem to intereact much with eachother, however readers are able to see the toll that Laura's disability takes on both him and the family. There will probably be more to come between the bother and sister.
The character that I am personally drawn to the most is probably Laura. Although she lied to her mother about going to the business school, I feel sympathy. She seems to handle herself pretty well, and my hopes are that she would find a companion or persue school more. I am not sure if my opinion will change or not, but I am already interested in what is to come for Amanda, Tom, and Laura.
The tone of the first few sense of "The Glass Menagerie" is very tense. None of the main characters are very happy with the way things are going and their circumstances. Tom is unhappy with his homelife and what he has to come home to every night, Laura is emersing herself into the glass menagerie because she is ashamed of her disability, and Amanda is worried about wether or not Laura will ever have any gentlemen callers. Overall everyone in the family is worried or stressed about something, and this makes the setting very tense and it gives the reader feeling of wonder as to what will happen in the future.
ReplyDeleteAt this poin in the play i enjoy the character Tom the best of all. I think that he is by far the one that i can realate to the best of all. He is a hard worker, but often not always happy with what he has to come home to. He also has to take care of his disabled sister. I work at a camp for mentally and Physically disabled which makes it easy for me to somewhat relate to what he has to go through therefore, he is my favorite character thus far.
I think that my perception of Tom and the other characters could possibly change. This is something that is a possibility simply because we are not very far into the story. I may find more about the characters as a whole and therefore my opinion may very as to who my favorite character is. For noe though my favorite character is Tom.
The atmosphere of the play is very tense and full of strong emotions and feelings. Williams shows this by the arguments that flair in the home of Tom. He is constantly being picked at by his mother and is doing the best he can and knows how to in order to support his family. Tom is unhappy with the life he is living and wants to beable to get out and enjoy life but is always drawn back to his home to take care of his mother and sister. He is not honest with them about his wareabouts and this causes further arguments to come up. It seems to be a vicious cycle for the family and also a daily and "normal" occurrance.
ReplyDeleteThe realtionships in the home seem to be strong but waivering. Tom is the only one who brings in income and his family depends upon him to survive. However, Tom is not happy with this life and gets out of the house as much as possible. Although much love and care is there, the family, specifically Tom and his mother, fight and pick at each other. Tom wants to ba able to provide for his sister but is also drawn by his desires to live a life of his own. Tom cares for his sister but does not know how much longer he can keep up with the daily rutine of living in his house. Tom and his mother fight over the circumstances of the play but Laura is able to assess them from a distance and be more clear minded.
At this point, I like Tom the best. He is a genuine character who acts the way I would most expect someone to act. He wants to care for his family but also wants to live a life of his own. He doesn's want his mother to know how he is really spending his time so he is very skittish around her a avoids that specific conversation. It's as if he wants her to be proud of him so he covers all that she does not need to know, this is just as I might do in the situation. He also does not show just how much he really wants to get away. He cares enough for his family to not upset them by sharing these feelings.
In response to Destiny:
I don't thinks that Tom and Laura's relationship with their mother is disgusting at all. It seems like it is how it should be. She only wants what is best for her children, or at least what she thinks is best. She wants her daughter to find a man who will love and care for her, someone who can provide for her needs. And she wants Tom to be happy but is aware that he is obligated to help his family as he is the only one who can really provide. This upsets both children just as it would now. We think we know what is best for us so we are hesitant to listen to our parents and cater to their wishes for us, even though they are right alot of the time. We just don't like to admit it or see it.
The plays atmosphere through the first scenes seems to be a stressed one. The characters in the story appear to be under pressure and worry as to what their futures will bring. Tom wonders when he will be able to leave his current life behind and yearns for a new situation. Amanda seems to live in the glories of her past and worries for her daughter. The overall atmosphere is tense and the characters seem to be slightly on edge.
ReplyDeleteThe relationships between the family are not in the best shape as much underlined frustration is shared. Tom has love for his sister and obviously cares for her, yet he is irritated with his mother and the way she bosses him around. Laura is stressed that she will never find a gentleman caller for herself. Amanda loves her daughter, but is annoyed at Tom and his lack of care for the issues she finds important.
My favorite character so far is Tom as I find his yearning for freedom and hope for a better life intriguing. He cares for his family yet would not think twice about leaving if he was offered and opportunity. Tom seems to have a plan and almost a goal in his life. He has shown the largest comprehension of life and how the world is working at this time. Tom has the brightest future and I enjoy his sense of rebellion.
The play reflects the era it was penned in, a time of familial turmoil and national upheaval. Being a single mother was almost unheard of, and Amanda struggles to make emotional ends meet. Tom, meanwhile, is relied upon to be the breadwinner, but he avoids spending excessive amounts of time in the house, and especially contact with his mother, adding to her stress. Tom maintains a decent relationship with his sister Laura, but is not at home enough to have a really close bond. Amanda is also worried that Laura may never find a suitor. This either doesn’t concern Laura, or frightens her; either way, she is drawn more and more into her reclusive shell.
ReplyDeleteEven when the rare “gentleman caller” comes, it is to no avail, due to Laura’s cripplingly poor self-esteem. She is probably brought even lower by the fact that Amanda is so emotionally aflutter as to Laura’s single status. Amanda just can’t seem to comprehend why gentleman callers don’t come more often or stay to court Laura; these events are cyclical. Tom, meanwhile, is out and about, drowning his stresses in parties with his friends. He seems to have a short temper and a shorter tolerance for his mother’s antics.
Right now I like both Tom and Laura. I like Tom, because he seems like a practical if not typical teenager, and his lines are amusing. I like Laura because of her attitude toward life. She too is practical, probably a product of their mother’s fantastic dreams, and she does what pleases her. She isn’t worried about pleasing anyone else, and takes the hand she is dealt without complaint, and does what she can with it.
In responce to Tina:
ReplyDeleteI am also wondering how Laura will react to Amanda in the future. I am also wondering what Amanda will do when she finds out what Laura has been doing instead of going to school and trying to find a gentlemen caller. All around I think the play will get more interesting as the plot of the story develops and i am looking forward to what happens next in the story.
In response to David:
ReplyDeleteAdding to what you said about Tom loving his family but still wanting to leave. I think his rebellion reflects that of many people i know and sometimes even myself. I want to be able to leave and explore the world on my own and at the same time i still love my family but i wouldn't think twice if i was given the opportunity to go out on my own.
The atmosphere of the play is riddled with discontent and sorrow, uneasiness and loneliness. The tension in the air is so thick that it is as if you could cut it with a knife. Emotions are high and all over the place as the Wingfield family members interact with each other. It certainly seems that out of the three family members, Amanda Wingfield is the most emotional and brings about the most stress within the household at this point. Although, to be fair, she is very loving towards her children and acts the way she does to try and help them with their life decisions. Unfortunately, when she tries to prevent Laura from making the same mistakes that she did, Amanda seems to instead re-live her life through Laura.
ReplyDeleteAmanda as we have all mentioned by now, lives in the past and seems to focus only on what has already happened. She persistently tries to emphasize how important it is for Laura to find a suitor and simply will not leave her alone about it. Apparently, in her day, Amanda had many more gentlemen callers than Laura does now, and she brings this up as well. Amanda dropped out of college within the first few days, but hides it from her family until her mother found out; who then goes off a tangent about how she is Laura is messing up her life. Tom does not seem to be doing much better than the women in his household are. He works in the shoe factory all day to bring money for his family, but he hates working there and you can tell that he wishes his family and job were not tying him down. He is a dreamer and a writer (which, quite often, go hand-in-hand). His mother confronts him about his late nights, just as she earlier confronted Laura about dropping out of college, and the ending result is no better.
At this point in the play, I am most intrigued by Tom. He has his whole life ahead of him, yet he can only dream of a better life, because his duty to take care of his family anchors him to his current position in life. I wonder if he will ever become a writer and get his works published. This story reminds me of A Raisin in the Sun because the family has a tough time getting along, and needs both money and a positive turning point in their lives.
The Glass Menagerie is written with many complex characters with personalities that come up quite quickly within the story. Within the first few scenes of the play, the characters are presented with ailments, disturbances, and uncomfortable circumstances within their own lives. There is a lot of emotion displayed along with how each character deals with the stress of their dysfunctional family.
ReplyDeleteTom is very unhappy being home. He does not want to be the man of the household. He is out every night so that he does not have to deal with his mother or sister. He is often found with glossy eyes by being at the bar or he is just out on the town. He then gets caught in a tangled web of his lies. He simply just said that he went to the movies every night. “Nobody goes to the movies night after night” (51). He does not know how to respond to his mother or his sister. He tries to hide from his emotions and run away from the stress of his family.
Amanda is the mother. Many people would describe her as the mother who won’t leave her children alone and who tries to live vicariously through her children. She seems unhappy with the way her life has gone and struggles with not knowing the future and finding Laura, her daughter who has an ailment, a gentleman caller. She refuses to believe the technicality of Laura’s disease and that she has it at all. “Why you’re not crippled you just have a little defect – hardly noticeable, even!” (45). She tries to deny what she sees right in front of her face.
Laura is the sister, or daughter who has a disease. One of her legs is shorter than the other so she has a brace. She is self-conscious and is found hiding her emotions of thinking she will never have a gentleman caller behind glass figurines. She is often pressured by her mother, and I find that she is somewhat annoyed with her mother and wants to be her own person and do what she wants.
Right now, my favorite character is Laura. I think she is a strong person, but that she just needs a push with positive encouragement. I like her willingness to do what she wants with the life and how she often ditches school because of her mother pushing and nagging. I want to find out what she will do with her mother and with any gentleman callers she may have. Since she does what she wants, I’m interested to see how she deals with those things.
In response to Tyler and David:
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way with my family at times. I love them so much, but I can't wait for college to come so that I can be out on my own exploring new things and doing what I want. Good observation David! I didn't really realize or analyze it that much. Great insight and comparison.
In response to Nathan:
I like how you introduced the problem with Amanda, but also tried to "back" her up and be fair towards her. We all get caught up in wanting to hate her because of the way she acts towards her kids, but who is to say that most of us won't be that way when we have children. She just wants the best for her kids and she does it in the only manner she may have ever been taught or what she knows best. She just doesn't do the things she does in the right way for her kids and doesn't get the response she is looking for because of her nagging and wanting to live through her children.
In Response to Nathan:
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your description of the tone of the first few scenes and I heartily agree. I like how you mentioned that Amanda means well and that he excessive levels of stress are unintentional. I also like how you compared the play to A Raisin in the Sun because it bears a striking resemblance.
The relationship between mother/daughter is very disappointing. Laura is very shy and wears a brace for her leg. Her self esteem is very poor and when the gentlemen callers come over her shyness is exposed. Her mother as a child being very outgoing is disappointed seeing her daughter not following her footsteps. Her mother is afraid that Laura will not marry a man and will live a very lonely life. The family also wants to see Laura to succeed by going to a business college hoping that she would make her family wealthy. Her mother is quiet displeased to hear that she has ditched class to wonder the streets.
ReplyDeleteTom is very unhappy of how his life is and wants a change. The relationship between mother/son is a love/hate relationship. They always seem to get in an argument and always bicker with one another. Tom loves his sister dearly. He wants to provide Laura but that also takes his dreams away from his own life.
At this point in the play I like Tom the best out of anyone. It seems that if I could compare myself with the characters that I would be most like Tom. He is an honest guy who is not afraid to tell his opinion on matters. He wants the best for his family and is supporting them with his job. He knows that life isn’t going to get any better and he approaches it as a man who will do whatever it takes to make the life for him and others better.
In response to Jill:
ReplyDeleteI liked your relationship between Tom and his mother. Tom is trying to do the best he can for his family. His mother doesn’t see the hard work and love that he has for them, and how she disrespects him. I liked your point about Tom wanting to get out of the house as much as possible, I would too if I had that kind of mom. Sometimes it’s good getting out and escaping reality for a little while.
In response to Heather:
I agree with what you said of Laura. She is very self-conscious of her leg and with the pressure of her mother wanting her to find a gentlemen caller. That pressure might ruin that relationship and push her away from her mother. All she wants is to live her own life and not her mom’s.
The atmosphere of the story is filled with tension and displeasure. One can tell that this family is not doing very well, and they clearly don't get along very well either. It seems as if Amanda is never pleased with her children, and she's got a very negative attitude towards things. Amanda's attitude affects her children negatively too. The atmosphere is definitely not one that people like to be in, and I can share in that feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt appears as if the brother-sister relationship between Tom and Laura is the most cooperative of the dysfunctional family. Tom seems to care for Laura a bunch, hence why he is sacrificing his own dreams and such. It's all for his sister, who is struggling with mental issues. On the other hand, any relationship with Amanda seems very difficult to handle. She doesn't act like she really wants to cooperate with her children. She's disappointed in them and she fights with them. She is more sensitive with Laura, but it still does not seem right. I think every family can be dysfunctional in some way. Each family has their issues, and The Glass Menagerie is just an example of normal household problems, to some extent.
So far my favorite character is Tom. He may not want to be in the position he is, but he's doing it for his family. It reminds me of my dad, in some ways. I couldn't say if my opinion for him will change, but it may. He just seems the most relaxed and right-minded character thus far. Yes, he did explode with his mother, but everyone has their moments.
In response to Jill...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's very difficult to be in Tom's shoes at this point. He does want to go out and do what he wants to fulfill his desires, but his first obligation is to the home, to his sister, for that is where one's primary obligation should be. I feel bad for him, but at the same time, I feel like I've got an understanding for what he's going through. As I said in my response, Tom reminds me of my dad. He's trying so hard to make ends meet, and he doesn't feel very appreciated for it. It's very difficult to have one person bringing in the income when it's not enough to cover all the needs in the first place.
In response to Tina...
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about how Amanda is trying to push her life onto her children, especially Laura. I definitely agree with that, and I think a lot of parents do that to some extent. Laura is not confident enough in herself to pursue all that her mother did. She hides behind her disability, and I'm sure I would to, if that were the case. Laura doesn't feel like she can live out her mother's dreams, and it's upsetting that her mother is still pushing something on her that she doesn't want to do. I hate it when parents do that. Laura wants to do her own thing, and that's understandable.
In response to Jill:
ReplyDeleteYou said, “He is not honest with them about his whereabouts and this causes further arguments to come up.” I wonder what would happen if he was honest with them. I think it’s hard for him to be in the situation and he lies to protect them. He doesn’t want them to know that he really hates the environment of the family, so he lies. If he were truthful it would hurt them even more. It hurts him more to lie, but he’s obviously willing to make the sacrifice for his family.
In response to Tyler:
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard for Tom because he wants to leave and have his own life, but he feels trapped because he feels it is his duty to take care of his family. It is his responsibility because his father won’t take it on. It’s unfortunate for Tom with the situation that he is in. It will be similar for all the seniors what happens next year. We want to go have our own lives and do what we want, but we’ll still miss our family.
In response to Destiny:
ReplyDeleteI actually don't find anything wrong with your opinion.
In response to Jill:
I totally agree with you when you said that Tom was most interesting because he "is a genuine character who acts the way I would most expect someone to act." I'm findind that this is an indicator of a good writer--whether his or her characters actually react to situations like people normally would.
In response to Nathan:
Eloquently worded...nicely done. I agree where you said Amanda is trying to re-live through Laura. Rather than Amanda pushing her current life onto Laura, she is nostalgically trying to re-experience her past life through Laura, and Laura is refusing to cooperate.
In response to Audrey:
ReplyDeleteI really liked your first paragraph and I agreed with it. Well stated. I agree also with your evaluation of Amanda, although I can't see her having too much care for her children, especially Tom. Saying that she is trying to live through Laura is good insight and I deffiantely agree.
In response to Nathan:
I liked how you said that Amanda brings the most stress about in the household, as I noticed that was prevelent in the first scenes. Also you commented on Amanda trying to live her life through her daughter which I can see also. I was a little confused in your second pargraph of what you were saying about Amanda and Laura, yet I liked your analysis on Tom and I think it was well put.
In response to Abi:
ReplyDeleteI agree with your suggestion that The Glass Menagerie is a picture of a normal household. I also liked how you connected Tom with your dad, I'm glad you could relate to the story. Also, Laura is physically handicapped, not mentally. Finally, I disagree with your response to Destiny.
In response to everyone:
ReplyDeleteI do believe what I said, in the relationships being disgusting, because that's my own opinion and that's where I'm taking the story so far. Thanks Alie... and also ... and my bad for one typo...
Anyways...
In response to Abi:
I agree with you when you mentioned that "Tom and Laura is the most cooperative of the dysfunctional family." I think that as we continue to read life is going to go down hill from there relationships unless one of them make a change in behaviors. Tom is a slob and even though i don't understand how he could be either of our favorite character, but i think that he will aspire and grow through writing and his circumstances.! GROSS! =]
In response to Liz:
I don't think that Laura is having a hard time gripping her future. Laura is rather mis-scene and confused about life. She doesn't really understand how to get married with her "disadvantage" and can't bring boys over to house because she feels unattractive. Laura is insecure about her body. She can't struggle her future if she doesn't think there is going to be one.
In response to Heather,
ReplyDeleteYeah I decided to defend Amanda because it didn’t really seem like anyone else was at the time. I think that we all automatically took the children’s side in the story instead of their mother’s because of the age difference. As readers, we put ourselves in the shoes of the character and try to sympathize with them and understand their stance and decisions. We automatically take Tom and/or Laura’s side because we are children and it is more fitting for us to do so. After all, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that none of us are parents, and so then Amanda would naturally be the last person we would sympathize with because of our similarities. I’m sure most of us are curious about the future, specifically our children, and just as you commented tha you are. It’s really weird but interesting to think about that and query about how we will parent and if it will be similar to people like Amanda, or even our parents themselves.
In Response to David,
I’m glad we agree on most of the topics covered. As far as what I said about Amanda and Laura in my second paragraph, I’m not sure which part you’re mixed up on, so I’ll just kind of sum it up for you. Amanda won’t leave Laura about finding a suitor and continues to compare her daughter to herself, not realizing how different of lives they live. The mother is angry at Laura when she discovers that she dropped out of college and lied about it for a long time. By this time, Amanda is convinced that her daughter is throwing her future away. Hope that helps.
AHH I just realized that I only responded to Destiny...
ReplyDeleteIn response to Abi:
I like your reasons for picking Tom as your favorite character. He is bound to his family in many ways, not just as the only one who brings in income. You are right, everyone has their moments and will get upset with their parents. Trust me, my mom and I go at it alot. I can also relate to his character. Being the only one who is able to help support his family must be very stressful. Especially when asked for even more after that. It is like my mom, when Ron lost his job things got very tight and she would get very upset if asked for anything extra. It is hard for them and I know how it must be for Tom.
The atmosphere of the story is defiantly a tense one, one where no one in the Wingfield family seems to be happy with the lives they live. They each seem to be very disappointed and upset with the life they live, the people they are around, and they house they live in. The way it is describe in the book, I tend to get a dark picture in my head, and I can feel the intensity of each of the character’s feelings. Although they may not tend to show an extreme amount of feelings or thoughts, they all seem unhappy with the lives they live. This family tends to fight quite a bit, which makes it seem that they have a broken family, and although that may partly be true, they do seem to have fairly good relationships with each other at times. Amanda’s relationship with Laura is one sort of annoying though, because she continually is bugging Laura about getting a gentleman caller, telling her that she is getting older and needs a man in her life, when Laura herself is not worrying about that. Laura often feels that her mother needs to stay out of her business and not try to force a gentleman caller on her. As for Amanda, she often feels disappointed in her children, mostly Laura because she has not had a gentleman caller. She frequently thinks back to her past, telling Laura that when she was her age, she had many gentleman callers, and how she should too. Amanda is also often disappointed and even ashamed of Tom because she says that he is going to be like is father, and alcoholic, if he continues drinking so much. As for Tom and Laura, they seem to have a pretty good relationship, they are able to talk to and confide in each other.
ReplyDeleteTom generally keeps to himself and does not like others to get involved with his life, and what he does. He keeps quite with what he does, so that no one will have anything to say about it. Tom does not like being the man of the house, because he does not want that responsibility, he just wants to be himself. Tom often hides his feelings from the world, and tries to act like nothing was wrong when to him everything is. Laura also hides herself, she hides herself within her glass figurines, because to her that is her “safe hideaway”, she does not like talking to her mother, and I can see her annoyed with her mother for talking so much and trying to get her a gentleman caller. As for Amanda, she is very bossy, demanding a lot from her children. She was unhappy with how she lived her life, and is trying to live a life she didn’t have through them.
The character I enjoyed most in the play is Laura, although she may not be that main character, that is the reason I like her. She is in the background yet contributes so much, and although she is handicapped with her leg, she is strong and stands up for herself from her mother. I think she will grow throughout the book, and become even stronger and independent. Also I really dislike Amanda, she is very annoying and is always bugging her children to do something they don’t want, and I know I would hate that. She was unhappy with her life, and not she is trying to relive her life through her children, something no one should do.
In response to Liz and Audrey: I agree with both of you when you say that she is trying to live her life through her daughter, and that really is irritating. Even if she does think she is doing the right thing, it is not what Laura wants and she needs to give up on that idea because Laura is her own self, and Amanda has no right to try to live Laura’s life for her.
In response to Tina: I like how you said that Laura is doing what she wants even thought she makes it seem she is doing what Amanda wants when she really is not, and I think that makes her a stronger character despite her disabilities.