When Amanda was young, her life was full of possibilities and also full of excitement. Not
only was she part of a seemingly quite rich family, she was also pursued by many young men,
her “gentlemen callers“. Amanda seems to have been very popular and well-liked everywhere
(Williams 240). Most of her gentlemen callers being “planters and sons of planters“ (Williams
238) she probably regarded herself as destined to keep on living quite an exciting life
brightened up even more by a considerable amount of money.
Things turned out differently, however. Instead of going steady with one of the planters she
fell in love with a telephone man and married him. Apparently not satisfied with his life as a
family father, Mr. Wingfield left Amanda with their two children, little money and the
shattered remnants of her dreams.
Even though Amanda‘s dream “has been smashed by reality“, it “has not been forgotten“
(Tischler 98), however. Amanda still remembers how hopeful her future looked when she was
a young girl, in a time when “die Erfüllung all ihrer Träume offenstand“ (Link, 25). She is, as
C.W.E. Bigsby puts it, “left with no more than the ashes of a once burning fire“ (Williams,
32).
Her advice to Tom in scene five therefore seems to sum up the story of her life: “The future
becomes the present, the present the past, and the past turns into everlasting regret if you
don‘t plan for it“ (Williams 269). Amanda says about herself that she “wasn‘t prepared for
what the future brought“ her (Williams 285). She was caught off guard by the changes to her
once pursued dream in much the same way as she was by the change of seasons she is talking
about: “It‘s come so quick this year. I wasn‘t prepared. All of a sudden- heavens! Already
summer!“ (Williams 284).
To Amanda, the past is the time when everything in her world seemed to be going fine. Now
she is on herself, she is not part of the upper class that she used to belong to any more, denied
of “the social acceptance that is her deep need“ (McBride 145). She is lonely because she
knows how different her life could have been if her choices had been different.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Amanda's Loneliness
- Its Roots
- Her Way of Dealing With It
- Cycle of Loneliness
- Its Effects on Laura
- Victimization of Laura
- Laura's Low Self-Consciousness
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the character of Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams' play "The Glass Menagerie," focusing on her loneliness and its effects on her daughter Laura. The paper analyzes the roots of Amanda's loneliness, her methods of coping, and the impact of her actions on Laura's self-esteem and development.
- The impact of Amanda's past experiences and shattered dreams on her present life
- Amanda's strategies for dealing with loneliness, including escapism and clinging to the past
- The consequences of Amanda's actions on Laura, including victimization and low self-esteem
- The role of family dynamics and societal expectations in shaping individual experiences
- The interplay between memory, illusion, and reality in shaping individual perception
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Amanda's Loneliness: Its Roots: This chapter explores the origins of Amanda's loneliness, tracing its roots to her shattered dreams and the loss of her social status. It examines her past as a young, admired woman and the contrast between her expectations and the reality of her present life. The chapter also highlights the impact of her husband's abandonment on her emotional well-being.
- Amanda's Loneliness: Her Way of Dealing With It: This chapter delves into Amanda's strategies for coping with her loneliness. It analyzes her reliance on memory and illusions, her inability to fully accept her present circumstances, and her tendency to escape into the past. The chapter also examines how these coping mechanisms perpetuate her isolation.
- Amanda's Loneliness: Cycle of Loneliness: This chapter explores the cyclical nature of Amanda's loneliness. It discusses how her attempts to escape reality through memories and illusions ultimately contribute to her further isolation. The chapter also examines the self-destructive nature of her coping mechanisms.
- Its Effects on Laura: Victimization of Laura: This chapter explores the consequences of Amanda's loneliness on her daughter Laura. It examines how Amanda's failure to acknowledge Laura's disability and her attempts to live Laura's life for her contribute to Laura's victimization and feelings of inadequacy.
- Its Effects on Laura: Laura's Low Self-Consciousness: This chapter continues to examine the negative impact of Amanda's actions on Laura. It analyzes how Amanda's constant reminders of her own past success and beauty contribute to Laura's feelings of inferiority and her lack of self-confidence.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts in this analysis include: loneliness, escapism, illusion, reality, memory, family dynamics, societal expectations, disability, victimization, self-esteem, and the impact of past experiences on present life.
- Quote paper
- Marion Klotz (Author), 2003, "Why Can´t You and Your Brother Be More Like Other People?": Amanda´s Way of Dealing with Her Loneliness and Its Effects on Laura, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/27587
