Amanda In The Glass Menagerie
Ernest Hemingway, a novelist and Nobel Prize winner, wrote in his book, A Farewell to Arms, “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” In Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie, Laura, who is sensitive and shy but compassionate, remains strong after being broken. She lives with Tom, her brother, and her overbearing mother, Amanda. Their father abandoned them, leaving Amanda stuck in her past and Tom to support the family. Amanda bothers Laura about finding a man while Tom wants to escape and leave, like their father. Tom invites Jim, Laura’s high school crush, to dinner, hoping he’ll fall for Laura. Instead, Jim breaks Laura’s heart by announcing he’s engaged after they kissed. The story concludes
…show more content…
Laura describes how she walked into her choir class with her loud leg brace. She demonstrates strength by being brave and walking into class, even though the brace would draw attention and people could tease her for it. Another example of Laura’s courage is when she stands up for herself. In scene two, Amanda speaks to Laura about how she wasted money by dropping out of school. Amanda states, “Fifty dollars’ tuition, all of our plans-my hopes and ambitions for you-just gone up the spout, just gone up the spout like that” (Williams 14). Amanda’s shocked and disappointed in Laura for dropping out of school and giving up her education, which Amanda had desired for her. Although this might be a bad decision, it expresses Laura’s independence because she stood up to her mother by making her own choice. Finally, Laura displays strength by acknowledging her fate. In the last scene, after Jim crushes Laura’s heart he questions why she grants him the ornament. Jim says, “What are you-doing that for? You want me to have him?” (Williams 91). Jim doesn’t understand why Laura is giving him the glass unicorn as a souvenir after letting her down. Laura accepts her fate by letting go of her favorite ornament just as she lets go of
Laura describes how she walked into her choir class with her loud leg brace. She demonstrates strength by being brave and walking into class, even though the brace would draw attention and people could tease her for it. Another example of Laura’s courage is when she stands up for herself. In scene two, Amanda speaks to Laura about how she wasted money by dropping out of school. Amanda states, “Fifty dollars’ tuition, all of our plans-my hopes and ambitions for you-just gone up the spout, just gone up the spout like that” (Williams 14). Amanda’s shocked and disappointed in Laura for dropping out of school and giving up her education, which Amanda had desired for her. Although this might be a bad decision, it expresses Laura’s independence because she stood up to her mother by making her own choice. Finally, Laura displays strength by acknowledging her fate. In the last scene, after Jim crushes Laura’s heart he questions why she grants him the ornament. Jim says, “What are you-doing that for? You want me to have him?” (Williams 91). Jim doesn’t understand why Laura is giving him the glass unicorn as a souvenir after letting her down. Laura accepts her fate by letting go of her favorite ornament just as she lets go of