Friday, May 4, 2007

Activity for The Glass Menagerie (Due Tuesday, May 8)

Amanda does not want to believe that Laura has no chance of having a "gentleman caller."

In your opinion, does Amanda want the callers for Laura or does she want them to remind her of her own youth? Use examples from the play in your answer.

Write about 100 to 150 words.

11 comments:

Tatyana said...

Amanda, having a huge resource of energy, is acting as a single singing in the family. Staying focused, having fun and remembering her youth, she is a unique source of stress. Does Amanda want the caller for Laura? Yes, but partially. What we have: shock and confusion for Laura, and topic position of dinner conversation for Amanda. I realized that she did not really care of Laura (Laura was out of sense, but Amanda kept going her conversation with “the gentleman caller”). Why did she choose that dress? It reminds her about good old days, when she used to be in love and how the life was going. Now things took a turn for the worse, but it was nice to meet new people and have a fun as many years ago.

Michelle said...

In my opinion, Amanda wants the callers just to remind her of her own youth.
Amanda is a person who is indulged in her beautiful memory. She does not want to face the reality. She knows her daughter is terribly shy, but she still asks Tom to bring a gentleman caller for Laura without asking Laura’s permission. When she knows Jim is coming, she is so excited that she dresses up and dances while holding daisies. It seems that the time goes back to her youth. When Jim is in her house, Amanda keeps talking to him without thinking about Laura’s feeling. When Laura feels sick and faints, she just asks Tom to put Laura on the sofa, she still stay with Jim. When Tom goes back to his seat, she seems to forget Laura at all. She just talks to Jim and enjoys their talking. For these reasons, I think Amanda wants the callers just for herself.

Jie said...

In "The Glass Menagerie", I believe that Amanda wants the caller for Laura. there is obvious evidence for this point of view. After Laure fails her course in the business college,Amanda starts worrying about Laura's future. She advises Laura, "Girls that aren't cut out for business careers usually wing up married to some nice man". In addition, it is to Tom Amanda reveals her attempt to "took [Laura]over to the Young people League at the church". "[Laura]spoke to nobody, nobody spoke to her".Meanwhile, Amanda pours out to Tom,"You've got to look out your sister. I don't say me because I'm old and don't matter!" Finally,she implores Tom, "Find out one that's clean living-doesn't drink and ask him for sister!" All of this evidence tells that Amanda gives all her attention to Laura. Even though Amanda "was so gay as a girl" to serve the caller, her purpose of charming him is just for Laura.
( 160 words )

Valentina said...

In my opinion, Amanda wants the callers for Laura not for herself. She doesn’t want anything for herself, and when she asks Tom to bring a “gentleman caller” she says, “I’m old and don’t matter! I say for your sister because she is young and dependant.” However, sometimes Amanda is confused about past and present time because of her hopelessness, emptiness and uncertainty. “Styles haven’t changed so terribly much,” she believes and having “a gentleman caller” is the only way to find a husband for Laura. Jim’s coming transfers Amanda to the days of her “gentleman callers”, but only for an instant. Then everything goes back to its places. “Things have a way of turning out so badly,” she mentions, and in the last scene of the play “her silliness” is gone and she has dignity and tragic beauty” when she tries to comfort her daughter.

Phoebe said...

I believe that Amanda wants the callers for Laura, not for herself. In scene four, she says to Tom, “It frightens me terribly how she [Laura] just drifts along.” Obviously, Amanda really worries about her daughter’s future, so a mother’s care is the origin of the arrangements about gentleman callers. Though she enjoys the idea of a young man’s visiting, she doesn’t forget that Laura’s priority. She buys Laura new clothes and helps her to dress up first, and then she puts on her frock, which is “resurrected from that old trunk” and out-of-date. Moreover, after Laura stumbling in front of Jim, the caller, Amanda makes another chance for them to talk. She conducts Tom to clean dishes with her and leaves a private spot for Jim and Laura. She does know her daughter well. In the dim room, Laura overcomes her shyness and has a good conversation with Jim. If Jim were not engaged, Amanda’s plan might work. 159 words

Lien said...

In "The Glass Menagerie", I believe that Amanda welcomes the callers for Laura. She usually implors Tom to find a gentleman caller for Laura to rely on, and says his responsibility for Laura will be over. She dresses like a young Southern girl in Blue Mountain, and entertains a caller, Jim during dinner is just because she wants to support Laura to succeed like her old time. Right after finishing dinner, she creates an opportunity for Laura and Jim to close to each other in a dim space by themselves. When Jim leaves, she stuns to hear Jim has a finacee. She is disappointed, and starts to blame on Tom frantically "Don't think about an unmarried and crippled sister, and has no job". And then, she looks puzzled in a sagging face. Obviously, these things proof that Amanda invites the callers for Laura because of Laura's future.

Ruth said...

I believe Amanda wants the calls for Laura. It is manifest after she met Laura's instructor at Rubicam's Business College. As a single mother, she overprotects her crippled daughter. Her struggle makes her dominant and imaginary for escaping from the stress. That's way she seems to be energetic and tireless. She is tired. She wants to find a permanent protector for Laura. She says to Tom:" Find out one that's clean-living - doesn't drink and ask him out for sister!" Amanda assumes something will happen, which is about that the young caller will fall in love at first sight with Laura. Therefore, when Laura hesitates to answer the door,
she desperately commands:" Laura Wingfield, you march right to that door!" Unfortunately, Amanda's dream is crushed for Jim's engagement, but she still an admirable mother. I believe she still doesn't want to believe that Laura has no chance of having a
"gentleman caller."

Jenny said...

Amanda is a confused and insecure single mother. She eagerly wants to introduce a “gentleman caller” to her extremely shy daughter, Laura, and hopes Laura will get married to the “gentleman caller”, therefore, Laura would have a husband to look after her. Amanda would then have less burden on her shoulders. Insead of facing reality, Amanda will not accept Laura describing herself as a cripple, and urges Laura to be more charming. To show her how charming she had been, Amanda put on an old fancy dress when the “gentleman caller”, Jim, visits them. She tries to use her southern charm, talking nonstop, to impress Jim. Amanda is hopeful this will influence Jim’s interest in Laura. Ironically, Jim recognizes Amanda’s foolishness and Laura’s shyness. He takes advantage of the opportunity to have a little fun with Laura, then departed immedately. Amanda and Laura find themselves in a awkward predicament.
149 words.

Young In said...

I think Amanda hopes her daughter meets a gentleman caller. For a long time, she tries to raise Laura as an independent person. So she registeres a business college to teach some skills. However, Laura doesn’t accommodate easily to the new conditions. Finally, she tries to find her daughter’s husband for Laura’s future. To meet Gentleman caller, she makes a little bit fuss; wears an old dress and hold a bundle of flowers as if she is Laura. However, many moms make a fuss when they meet their son’s or daughter’s lover or friend first. Although Amanda oversteps the bounds because of her past beautiful memory, her purpose is definitely for her daughter.

tien said...

I believe that Amanda loves Laura and genuinely wants a caller for her. But her drop-out of schools and never has a job let Amanda feels that Laura cannot "just drifts along doing nothing.", and she doesn't feel secure about her future either.In addition, Amanda understands perfectly that Laura needs much moral and financial support, she therefore acts quickly by pushing Tom to invite a "gentleman caller", for she believes that only a husband can play a major part in bringing hope and joy to Laura. And if "Laura has got somebody to take care of", all abstacle can be overcome. Unfortunately, For a long time Amanda could not accept that Laura has some limitations and has no opportunity of having a "gentleman caller". However, I believe, in fact, that the greatest happiness of Laura is to feel useful and valued. Thus, it will be better for her if she could have a job and friends to talk to.

RyanK said...

Amanda would want Laura to find a gentleman caller because it helps to give Laura a chance to experience life and take some responsibility off Amanda. The line where Amanda says how Laura "drifts along." shows how she notices the lack of activity and purpose in Laura's life and would like to change that while she still has time because without her family, Laura would not likely be able to do it by herself. Amanda also bought things for Laura and let her spend the most time with Jim when he came over, which show that Amanda wanted a gentleman caller for her daughter so that Laura might find a husband.