Critical Analysis of the Glass Managerie
Critical Analysis of the Glass Managerie
Amanda forces things on her children that neither want. Amanda does this with Tom, the obligation she places on her son, Tom, is inexcusable. A mother is supposed to support her children and not the other way around. Amanda tells Tom while arguing about where he is going, “What right have you got to jeopardize you r job? Jeopardize the security of us all? How do you think we’d manage…(P.23)” Notice the words “we” and “us”, it interesting cause she uses these while speaking of Tom’s life. He is an adult; his life should be his own. Tom shouldn’t be tied down by his mother and sister, blood is thicker that water, however blood only goes so far. She is trying to live vicariously through her children. Amanda feels as if she didn’t do so well in life. So by making her children do certain things she can experience what she missed “second-hand” through her kid’s experiences. The worst of it is she doesn’t even seem appreciative of Tom’s generosity, and sense of obligation. Telling him, “Overcome selfishness! Self, self, self is all that you ever think of! (p. 35)” Selfish, a word that would describe some, but never Tom. He has put his hopes and dreams on hold for his family, he’s trapped in his own personal prison, and Amanda has the nerve to call him selfish. To be unable to give someone just due, is not a saintly quality, but that of an unholy creature.
Amanda is a loving mother, however this love is over shadowed by the selfishness of her words and actions. For example when Laura gets a gentleman caller, “Amanda produces two powder puffs which she wraps in handkerchiefs and stuffs in Laura’s bosom. (p. 52)” When Laura objects strongly telling her mother, “I wont wear them !(p. 52)” Her mother firmly tells her, “You will!” She goes on to see to say, “to be perfectly honest, your chest is flat. (p. 52)” It doesn’t take a genius to know that calling your daughter “flat” is not a saintly thing to do. In another conversation with her daughter she asks her, “So what are we going to do the rest of our lives? (p15)” Amanda is selfish she is forcing her daughter to do something that she obviously...