Thursday, November 19, 2015
Scene 1 in "The Glass Menagerie"
In Scene 1, viewers are introduced to Tom, an outgoing man who is following his dreams as a playwright, but is conflicted with personal problems of helping his family, particularly his sister Laura who is an unstable condition dealing with her childhood issues. Amanda, Laura's and Toms mother, is lost in an reality due to her children and is continually trying to have Laura get married and Tom who is now the family caregiver to provide the family with emotional and economic freedom. Why is Tom so important to his sister and mothers well-being? Was the lack of a father the reason or was there are internal conflict that caused the family to slowly but steadily depart from the father? Thoughts?
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I think it was the lack of a father that led the family to depend on Tom so heavily. Around that time it was known that women were to rely on a husband for support. With a single daughter, mother, and no father for support, Tom is left to fill the hole. He is what they look up to and count on to provide for them. However, Tom doesn't feel like that is his responsibility; that's why he wants to leave the house so desperately.
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ReplyDeleteI feel like Tom does feel responsible for providing for his family, it's just not something he wants to do all his life. He's trying to feel better about himself by taking out his anger on his mother. He doesn't want to take that responsibility because he wants to chase after his dream. If I was Tom, I don't think I would have the courage to leave my family like that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sayanne, the main reason they depend heavily on Tom is because he has become a replacement for the father. He needed to become more of a fatherly figure instead of a guy of his age, which would explain Amanda's constant insistence of Tom becoming more mature and the man she expects him to be.
ReplyDeleteHe's the man of the house. He HAS to work to provide, Amanda could not do it alone because of the wages they gave women and Laura not being able to work.
ReplyDeleteSelfishness seems to be the main reason for the family dynamic. Laura didn't take school seriously because she didn't like it. Amanda is forcing her issues on her children because she wants her old easy life. And Tom is ignoring his families turmoil and focusing only on his own goals, so much so, that he is blind to his sister's deteriorating mental stability, and Mother's stress induced self implosion. All in all, none of them seem willing to make sacrifices for each other, and you could even go as far as to say they loath it. So I believe Tom "provides" because he is forced to. I also believe that Laura and Amanda could provide for themselves if they weren't so unwilling to sacrifice. (Also I know many believe Amanda has given a lot for her children, but it seems only out of necessity, not want).
ReplyDeleteDuring the time period males where the usual source of income, so in a way Tom, being the only male in the house, has bring money. Although Tom's mom work she doesn't gain nearly as much as Tom.
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