The action of The Glass Menagerie takes place in the Wingfied's apartment in St. Louis, 1937. This play is framed around the memory of its narrator, Tom Wingfield. Tom's predicament is one of the play's major themes. This theme can be best described as the conflict between responsibility for one's family and the need to live one's own ... life. The outer conflict lies in the clash of Tom's hunger for independence and discovery versus Amanda's archaic, "old south" Christian morality. Tom seethes for freedom and adventure; joining The Union of Merchant Seamen as a scapegoat from a perfunctory,...

• Word Count: 458
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... physically impaired and terminally shy is to some extent a representation of Tennessee's beloved sister Rose, whom the family had lobotomized in an ill-fated attempt to cure her psychological problems. Amanda Wingfield, the energetic and manipulative southern belle, is also a dramatic portrait of Williams' own mother, Edwina. The Glass Menagerie deals mainly with the mental life of the characters rather than ... his confinement within the boundaries of family responsibilities, Tom does idealize the freedom his father represents. Levy believes that the photograph of Mr. Wingfield in an a...

• Word Count: 3081
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... the mid 1930's, during the depression era. There was war in Europe and a struggling economy in America. The Wingfield family, who lived in an apartment building, consisted of Amanda, Laura, and Tom Wingfield. They are all unique individuals sharing the same home but lost in their own imaginary world. As each character ... to escape reality, we will examine the symbols, which gave each character an opportunity for escape. We will first look at Amanda Wingfield. She is the mother of Tom and Laura and is portrayed as a loving but over zealous mother, who at times is controlling and nagging....

• Word Count: 1620
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... different interpretations and one of the plays" main themes is that it is about a family trying to succeed. The Wingfield family, aren't quite living on the streets but they are poor enough. Amanda Wingfield is portrayed as a very pushy mother who always tries to urge on and persuade her two children to do exactly what ... Keeping her Glass Menagerie safe and secure is also an important factor in keeping Laura happy too. Laura is forever stuck in her small world that Amanda has forced her into. The audience begins to have hope for Laura to find her feet in the world when Jim enters her l...

• Word Count: 847
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... 1937. " The Glass Menagerie" is a memory play drawn from the narrator, Tom Wingfield played by Michael A. Newcomer. Tom Wingfield who is also a character in this play is an aspiring poet who works in a shoe warehouse to support his mother Amanda played by Darrie Lawrence, and his sister Laura played by Christi Craig. Jim O' ... Connor played by Derek Phillips is the guy from high school who Laura had a devastating crush on and who now works with Tom at the warehouse. There is also a fifth character Mr. Wingfield, Tom and Laura ... 's father who ran off years ago and felled in love with l...

• Word Count: 746
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... ). Tom's recognition of his father as an important figure despite the man's abandonment portrays Tom's remaining attachment to his dad. Later in the play, Amanda and Tom get into an argument concerning Tom's constant absence from the house. She argues, "Oh I can see the handwriting on the wall ... nearly midnight, and movies don't let out at two A.M.: Come in stumbling. Muttering to yourself like a maniac!" (212). Tom doesn't listen to Amanda, and continues to escape through alcohol throughout the play. Cigarettes, which constantly pull Tom onto the fire escape away from everything, also...

• Word Count: 1672
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... only four main characters or actors; a mother, brother, sister, and the gentleman caller round out the people. The names given by Williams are; Amanda Wingfield to the mother, Laura the daughter, Tom the brother who narrates the play, and Jim the gentleman caller. The story progresses along the lines of ... dark skin folk and very close-minded when recalling these times. The three can't agree on whatever they"re talking about and the scene end's with Amanda feeling as though she is going to be an old maid. In the next scene, Laura catches her mother missing the D.A.R. (Daughters of the A...

• Word Count: 1357
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... she finds them to be completely true. Its almost like she refused to grow up with the times, especially once things perceived to be harder. Although Amanda appears to often be stuck in the past, without any idea of reality, she bounces back and forth. She first says to Laura, "I know so ... reminds Laura that her "defect" can be overshadowed by simple charm. She refuses to let Laura refer to herself as crippled (19). Not only is Amanda refusing to live in the reality, she is denying Laura the opportunity to be realistic about her disability. Laura appears to be the most important charact...

• Word Count: 1744
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Glass Menagerie," and "A Rose Tattoo". In the play "The glass Menagerie", in this play the most autobiographical character is Mr. Wingfield which is Amanda's husband. He is a handsome man who worked as a salesman for a telephone company and abandoned his family years before the action of the play. ... Mr. Wingfield represents Tennessee Williams" real father. "He was a gruff and aggressive traveling shoe salesman, who, on rare home stays, ... subject in many of his plays. "Williams expands American stage dialogue in vocabulary, image rhythm, and range". (Cohn 129). In a way Mr. Wingfiel...

• Word Count: 1469
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School