Amanda's Illusions

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

One character who deserves much analysis because of her very complex attitude is the mother, Amanda. First off, one interesting find is how peculiar it is that a story involving a family's relationships, would not refer to the mother as mother but rather as Amanda. Now although this is in the play directions and would not be referred as such during an actual play, it is still as though Williams is trying to portray that Amanda, in many ways, is still more like a child rather than a responsible parent. This is further explained by her very nostalgic personality. She is constantly referring to and dreaming of her glory days as a young single woman entertaining gentlemen callers. Its as if that is all she ever cares about through the entire play. Her whole never leaving the past is probably the main cause for her obliviousness to the present, mainly with how she acts with Laura. She must have some major delusions when she habitually expects for Laura, who does not converse with a single being outside the house, to have many gentlemen callers coming to woo her on a given night. She cluelessly says, "Not one gentleman caller? It can't be true! There must be a flood, there must have been a tornado!" (Williams 1239).  She does not realize that the way she anticipates the imaginary callers, is even more discouraging to Laura. Not only her false expectations but her boastful, has-been speeches about her great past do as well. Whenever bewildered by Laura's lack of success, she conveniently begins bragging of how greatly she was desired in the past with her many courters. This does only to frustrate Laura even more.