blog 9

The glass menagerie is about a family who lives in St Louis, Missouri during 1920s. During the play, family members are having conflictions due to their poor background, different opinions, desires, personalities, and past stories.

Tom is Amanda’s son who works in warehouse but wants to be a writer. He is expected to take a place of father and take care of Laura. He hates his life, job, and life since he should give up his dream and always should work in order to earn money and save his family from the poverty. In Act 1 scene 3, there is a quote showing his mind that “ I think how lucky dead people are! But I get up. I go! For sixty-five dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever! And you say that is all I think of. Oh, God! Why, mother, if self is all I ever thought of, I’d be where be is -Gone!” Through the quote, it shows his resentment and anger toward his harsh life and his mother that he should have to give up all his dream and desire, which are writing and adventuring, since he owns all responsibility to earn money and to support his family members.

Laura is Amanda’s daughter who usually stays in home without any job. She is quite different with normal girls that she is insanely shy and she has crippled leg. While the conversation between Laura and her mother, there is a quote in act 1 scene2 showing her shyness which is “It was the lesser of two evils, Mother. I couldn’t go back. I threw up on the floor.” The quote represents Laura as a terribly shy girl who does never go to school after few days’ attendance because she threw up on the floor and she feels really shy about it. The quote definitely reveals her personality and makes audience to assume what kind of girl Laura is.

Amada is Tom and Laura’s mother who has no hope without their children and who lives in the fantasy and past in order to protect herself from the harsh reality. She always have conflicts with Tom because of different opinions and worries about Laura that she has no boyfriend or a person to marry with. While the conversation between Tom and Amanda, there is a quote in act 1 scene 5 showing Amanda’s mind: “I mean that as soon as Laura has got somebody to take care of her, married, a home of her own, independent-why, then you’ll be free to go wherever you please, on land, on sea, whichever way the wind blows you! But until that time you’ve got to look out for your sister. I don’t say me because I’m old and don’t matter! I say for your sister because she’s young and dependent.” It strongly shows how she importantly thinks about her family, especially Laura. She worries lot about Laura since she is quite special, and she needs a man who can protect her. The quote shows her worries about Laura, and also hopes about Tom that she desires Tom to work and take care of Laura until she get married.