How is one to distinguish between a good and a bad mother? What characteristics sets apart a good mother from a bad one? Amanda's actions in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams were made clear from the beginning.
First, she was an extremely domineering person. Especially when it came to her children, constantly putting them down and making them feel as if they were inferior and couldn't do anything right. Secondly, she would make her childrens' decisions for them, allowing them to decide little regarding their own future. Finally, by placing a large part of her responsibilities on Tom demonstrates to the reader that Amanda is irresponsible. Despite any views people may have on it being difficult to differentiate the actions of a bad mother from those of a good mother, it was made obvious that Amanda was a selfish mother, putting her needs ahead of her children's. Amanda ultimately cared for herself more than her children
Domineering is one of Amanda's strongest characteristics. She notices her children's weaknesses rather than their strong points, demonstrating this quality. She would constantly downplay her children about what they had become. "Sounds to me like a fairly responsible job you would be in if you just had more get-up." (Act 1, Scene V, pg. 54.) Amanda could never show any recognition for what her children had achieved. After Laura had dropped out of business school, Amanda was very pessimistic about her future, and was sure she would become an "old maid." Amanda did not even think of the possibility that Laura could be successful on her own, she failed to recognize that maybe both Laura and Tom would be happy and successful if they were only given the change to chose what they wanted to do for themselves, rather than their mother always making their decisions for them.
It would definitely be difficult, and likely hopeless if someone was not doing something by choice, but was always coerced into doing it. Amanda would be constantly upset by how her children would not stick to something and be happy and successful with it. It was unfortunate that she did not realize that if she would just let her children make their own choices, they would most likely attain happiness. After making Laura go to business college, which she didn't want to do, she of course made it seem as if it was all
Laura's fault. "Fifty dollars' tuition, all of our plans-my hopes
Our protagonist, Eleanor, is nurturing, attentive, and full of love. She states she is drawn to weaknesses in her husband, and frequently shows that she enjoys simply loving and looking out for others. Protective and strong, she the perfect example of a good mother.
Both Tess of the D’Urbervilles and The Hound of the Baskervilles take a critical approach to humanity’s use of modern technology in manners that impose on or damage the natural world. The theme is explored in several instances in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, with the first clear example being a modernized mail-cart killing the Durbyville horse, Prince. The new form of transportation sped along the road “like an arrow” and drove into the Durbeyville’s “slow and unlighted equipage. The pointed shaft of the cart had entered the breast of the unhappy Prince like a sword, and from the wound his life's blood was spouting in a stream. [...] Tess became splashed from face to skirt with the crimson...
Amanda was a woman who lives in a world of fantasy and reality. In the past memory and the future of the fantasy made Amanda very strong, but in the face of reality she was fragile. Just like Tom used to explain “I give you truth in the
First, she was an bossy person. Especially when it came to her children, constantly putting them down and making them feel as if they weren’t good enough and couldn't do anything right. Secondly, she would make decisions for her children, allowing them to have little say in their own futures. Finally, she placed a large part of her responsibilities on Tom. Despite any views people may have on determining if a mother is good or bad, it was made clear that Amanda was a little more on the selfish side of things, putting her needs ahead of her children's. Amanda seemed like she cared more for herself than her own children.
out to be a mean and shallow woman who favored her own two children over
On April 12th, 2014, Syracuse Stage presented the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. The play was directed by Timothy Bond, and turned out to be an interesting production. The Glass Menagerie is a memory play that is set in St. Louis in 1937. Its action is taken from the memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. Tom who has a dream of being a poet works in a shoe warehouse to support his mother, Amanda, and sister, Laura. Their father, Mr. Wingfield ran off years ago. They had not heard from him except for in one postcard, they said he fell in love with long distance. Their mother Amanda, who genuinely wants the best for her children, pressures them with her uncontrollable desires for them. She is disappointed that Laura, who is crippled and is painfully shy, does not attract any gentlemen callers. She is even more disappointed to see that her son is following in his father’s footsteps.
how society forced them to change and Laura to lose her status in order to fit
Generally when some one writes a play they try to elude some deeper meaning or insight in it. Meaning about one's self or about life as a whole. Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" is no exception the insight Williams portrays is about himself. Being that this play establishes itself as a memory play Williams is giving the audience a look at his own life, but being that the play is memory some things are exaggerated and these exaggerations describe the extremity of how Williams felt during these moments (Kirszner and Mandell 1807). The play centers itself on three characters. These three characters are: Amanda Wingfield, the mother and a women of a great confusing nature; Laura Wingfield, one who is slightly crippled and lets that make her extremely self conscious; and Tom Wingfield, one who feels trapped and is looking for a way out (Kirszner and Mandell 1805-06). Williams' characters are all lost in a dreamy state of illusion or escape wishing for something that they don't have. As the play goes from start to finish, as the events take place and the play progresses each of the characters undergoes a process, a change, or better yet a transition. At the beginning of each characters role they are all in a state of mind which causes them to slightly confuse what is real with what is not, by failing to realize or refusing to see what is illusioned truth and what is whole truth. By the end of the play each character moves out of this state of dreamy not quite factual reality, and is better able to see and face facts as to the way things are, however not all the characters have completely emerged from illusion, but all have moved from the world of dreams to truth by a whole or lesser degree.
The US Army campaign issues in todays world are growing more relevant by the day. As a result it is increasingly important for the US Army to launched the Army White Paper the Profession of Arms. Have you ever hear about this campaign before and are you part of it? This white paper should meet a common understanding beyond the US Army soldiers, however the Army as a profession of arms it self. its has some meaning to fully understanding. In this essay, we are going to prove that the army as a profession of arms.
The event that stood out most to Theresa was the birth of her youngest daughter Becca. This was because she was ready to go back into the work force of teaching since her three other daughters were old enough to take care of themselves and each other. Her routine change because of Becca’s birth required her to be a full time mother again and she was preparing to be a working asset for the family.
I believe that there is another message in ‘The Signalman’ as during the story Dickens appears to criticize the railway. He makes the train sound threatening “Just then there came a vague vibration in the earth and air, quickly changing into a violent pulsation, and an oncoming rush that caused me to start back…” Also he seems to describe the signalman’s post and the whole railway cutting as dark, gloomy and uninviting. “His post was in as solitary and dismal a place as ever I saw. On either side, a dripping-wet wall of jagged stone, excluding all view but a strip of sky…”
The Victorian Age was a virtuous era, full of chaste women and hard-working men. As with any seemingly utopian society, there are the misfits: those who always seem to go against the grain. Hidden in the shadows of towns were bastardized babies and public outcasts. The flourishing literature of the era attacks the societal stereotypes and standards that make for such failures and devastating tragedies. In Tess of the d'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy, Tess Durbeyfield's initial loss of innocence brings her down to an insurmountable low, and the victorian society, of which she is a part, dooms her to a horrible fate with its "normal" shunning of her innocent misbehaviors. Tess' rapid downward spiral to her death is caused by the chauvinistic actions of the men in the story, solidified by society's loss of acceptance of Tess based on the actions taken against her, and brought to home by Tess' imminent doom to the rigid ways of the Victorian society.
In her essay "'Oh She's A Nice Lady!'": A Rereading of "A Mother" Jane E. Miller addresses the issue of judgment in the story.
Williams sees abandonment, if preformed without reason, as an egregious thing. Tom, being tired of the pressure from his family, decided to leave them and go on his own. On the contrary, his father left because, as an itinerant man, he “fell in love with long distances.” This is his reason for abandoning his wife and two children; he left them alone with nothing. This shows his weak character. Also, Amanda, the mother, always brings up the fathers dirty ways and dark past. “And you – when I see you taking after his ways! Staying out late – and – well, you had been drinking…”(Scene IV). Additionally, Amanda is constantly pushing Tom to fill in his father’s shoes and take care of her and Laura like his father never did.: “But until that time you've got to look out for your sister. I don't say me because I'm old and don't matter. I say for your sister because she's young and dependent.” (Scene IV). Additionally, she urges Tom to maintain and try to keep his job even though he does not like it: “What right have you got to jeopardize your job? Jeopardize the security of us all?” (Scene III). Amanda knows he is not happy but she also knows that his job is what puts food on the table and a roof over their heads, so she encourages him to try and
Amanda Wingfield (mother) is the most unrealistic of all the characters. She clings desperately to the past as she repeatedly relives the memories of receivin...