The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a play that consists of 4 distinguished characters: Amanda, Laura, Tom and Jim. The pivotal character in this play is definitely Amanda. She affects every aspect of this play unlike the characters that surround her on a day-to-day basis.

Amanda is the character with the strongest connection to Laura and Tom's father. She is the one that drew him to her and also the one that pushed him away. Without Amanda, the mother figure, the play could have never taken place. Tom might not result to the Marines had it not been for his father's abandonment of the family, more likely than not because of Amanda.

Is the Amanda is the biggest reason for Tom's departure, leaving his family as easy prey for the big scary world that surrounds them. Amanda drives Tom to a point of insanity, even finding fault in his attending the movies. To add to this Amanda forces her daughter into various courses which make her physically ill. Amanda finds fault in everything about Laura; this includes her playing of the old Victrola and her shy nature that rears her away from the opposite sex.

Amanda is the true reason behind Jim's presence in the play. Without Amanda, Jim would have never been invited to dinner as a suitor. Jim, the only secondary character in the play, is asked to the Wingfield apartment by Tom but only at the request of his mother. Even Laura, for whom the gentleman caller was intended, has less interest in him than Amanda. Amanda forces Laura into the entire situation and sets up everything down to the starting of conversations for her.

Amanda definitely has the key role in The Glass Menagerie. She articulates every scene forcing herself into every situation possible. Without Amanda's presence this play would have lacked the constant rival type atmosphere that it possesses. Amanda brings zest, anger and interest to every act, this would indefinitely make her the main character in the play.

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