The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie was the only play that we read this semester.  It is about a mother and her son and daughter living together.  Tom, the son is an aspiring poet who works in a shoe warehouse to support his sister and mother.  Amanda, the mother came from a very popular southern family. She always talks about her younger years and all of the guys that liked her.  She is disappointed in her daughter, Laura who wheres a brace on her leg and is very shy.  She does not attract any gentlemen callers.  Amanda enrolls Laura into a business college in hopes of her making lots of money. However Laura drops out of every class and spends her days walking around the city.  The family is very dysfunctional and hides a lot from each other.  Tom uses liquor, movies, and literature to deal with the fact that he wants to follow his dreams.  Amanda makes advertisements for Laura in hopes of her being in a marriage to support the family.  In the end, Tom ends up leaving his family. None of them can accept the reality of their situation and make the best of it.