Abstract
The paper asserts that Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" is not so much the story of a shy, crippled young girl, Laura, as it is the story of the domineering, but well-meaning mother, Amanda. The paper discusses Amanda's smothering over-protective actions that make it impossible for her daughter to become a "real" person. The paper also examines the dreams and fantasy versus reality in the play, as well as the fear the characters have of facing reality and the deceptions they promote. Furthermore, the paper discusses how today, directors make changes to meet the demands of their audiences who don't seem to care as much about "wounded" and fragile people like Laura.

From the Paper
"We still accept the fact that people dream. That is natural. But, when dreams are only involved in trying to rearrange the past in order to make the present more palatable they can be dangerous. By dangerous, I mean they don't deal with reality. Tennessee Williams uses the word "illusion." The play starts off that way: "I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion." (Gassner 139). It would be easy to say: the little glass menagerie, those breakable fragile little animals are the illusion he is talking about. That's not really so. They are real to Laura when she wants to escape from a harsher reality. They don't move or speak or get older. They don't limp. They don't have imagination. They don't push Laura to accept something that won't happen. Or, more precisely, can't happen. Let's face it. Back in those days in the middle of the Twentieth Century, we were not so politically correct about calling cripples just that- cripples. Maybe, these animals are the only "real" thing in the play."

Tags:dreams, reality, fantasy, illusion, fear, deception, Tom, Amanda, Laura

Abstract
In this study, the writer examines the theme of deception in the Wingfield family in 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams. By analyzing the roles of Laura, Tom, and Amanda the writer notes that the crucial elements of self-deception can be realized within Williams' text. The writer points out that by critically analyzing how these characters deceive themselves, we can see that they also have a damaging impact on the very people they are trying to hide from within the play's storyline. In essence, the the writer maintains that the fantasy escapism of Laura, the sexist attitudes of Tom, and the materialism of Amanda are three aspects of deception that occur within 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams.

From the Paper
"In this vital narrative, it is Laura that is deceiving herself through an obsession within unreal or fantasy objects in her glass collection. Self deception in this case is by far more damaging to the spirit, since Laura is incapable to finding a relationship with anyone else but her glass objects. This perspective comes in the realization that she cannot escape the insular world she has created, and in unable to reach outside of her fantasy world. This is the mot damaging aspect of this character's self-deception, as it denies her any type of relationship with real people."

Tags:characters, deceive, perspective, relationship

Abstract
In this paper, the writer discusses that three forms of deception: fantasy escapism, sexist isolationism, and material obsession are present within 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams. The writer points out that three family members of the Wingfield family often use these forms of deception to escape from the cold realities of life, but often hurt others in their lack of intimacy and isolation. The writer maintains that this provides the key aspect of deception that are used within the play, which define the problematic and dysfunctional relationships found within this classic play by Tennessee Williams.

Tags:film, gender

Abstract
The characters Amanda, Tom and Laura in "The Glass Menagerie" are a dysfunctional family living in individual and collective deceptions in order to deal with reality. The paper uses literary analyses of the work as well as psychological texts in order to demonstrate the deceptions that rule the Wingfield family's life.

Abstract
The Glass Menagerie was written by Tennessee Williams in 1944, and follows the lives of those within a single-parent family in 1930s St. Louis, Missouri. Williams' portrayal of this family and a family acquaintance is compelling and disturbing, as each of the characters possesses tragic flaws. Each of the characters has serious issues surrounding the lives that they live: Amanda's major flaw is that she lives in the past and through her daughter, Laura; Tom lives in a fantasy world to escape the reality of his arduous life and "career"; Laura believes she has physical defects that she must overcome, which leaves her feeling helpless; and Jim is unfulfilled although he has high hopes and continues to strive for a better life. Although these characters interact with one another and the Wingfields reside in one small apartment together, they are each encapsulated in their own little worlds, yet "eventually find that they can never quite succeed in breaking the bonds of the world" (Bluefarb 513). The flaws of each character are significant because they represent human toil and strife that every human being must endure when making serious decisions that will have lifelong ramifications.

From the Paper
Mahsa Farshchi Professor Schamp English March 21, 2008 Inherent Flaws: The Tragic Personalities of Major Characters in The Glass Menagerie The Glass Menagerie was written by Tennessee Williams in 1944, and follows the lives of those within a single-parent family in 1930s St. Louis, Missouri. Williams' portrayal of this family and a family acquaintance is compelling and disturbing, as each of the characters possesses tragic

Tags:english, glass menagerie, tragic

Abstract
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the play "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams. Specifically it highlights the character of Laura in the play and what she represents. The paper's author describes Laura as afraid of everything, including life. The paper also examines the relationship between Laura and her mother.

From the Paper
"Laura Winfield is a grown young woman who still lives at home with her mother and brother. One of her legs is shorter than the other and so she wears a brace on her leg, and she is very self-conscious about it. She thinks it makes her unattractive and people make fun of her because she wears it. That is not the truth, however. In reality, her brace is not really that noticeable. Laura is handicapped, but it is not the brace that is her handicap. The way she lives her life is really her handicap, and it makes her a recluse and afraid. She is afraid of life and of really living life, and so, she uses her handicap as an excuse not to have to really participate in life."

Tags:Tenessee, Williams, Glass, Menagerie, South

Abstract
This paper provides an explanation of Amanda Wingfield's accusation of her son in the last scene of Tennessee Williams' 'The Glass Menagerie' with respect to the passage's dramatic irony in the context of the play in its entirety.

From the Paper
"Just prior to Tom Wingfield's long-foreshadowed desertion in the last scene of Tennessee William's 'The Glass Menagerie' Amanda Wingfield hurls a departing accusation at her son which is in the context of the play both a statement of the obvious and a dramatic irony. When Amanda angrily proclaims You don't know things anywhere You live in a dream you manufacture illusions she is besides berating her escapist son for his idealism restlessness ..."

Tags:Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie, dramatic irony, fantasy, illusion

Abstract
This paper explains that, although "The Glass Menagerie" centers its attention on Tom, another character, Laura Wingfield, Tom's sister, emerges as a powerful individual in the story. The author points out that establishing Laura's character takes more than physically describing her deficiencies, such as her being crippled. Laura is also characterized as a woman who has lost all hope of attaining a wonderful life in being a wife and mother. The paper relates that author Williams achieves self-actualization through Laura's character in the same way that Tom and Laura finally free themselves from their emotional burdens in the play, "The Glass Menagerie".

From the Paper
"Laura's low regard for herself is not only developed within her but also by the people who are with her, especially Amanda, her mother, and Tom. This observation is expressed among critics who have illustrated Laura's character as "symbolic", i.e., laden with hidden meanings meaningful only to Williams. Indeed, she is identified as the character who is "burdened by self-consciousness", experiences a "sense of worthlessness", and "yearning for " ideal or mystical beauty and spiritual or romantic love" absolute emotional and artistic fulfillment". The third symbolic description of Laura, which pertains to her inherent likeness for "mystical beauty" is symbolically represented by her fascination of her glass collection, considering them as objects that compensate for her imperfection."

Tags:glass, crippled, self-actualization, emotion, burden

Abstract
This paper discusses the story behind the play, "The Glass Menagerie". The focus is on explaining the symbols used in the play. Some of the symbols explained are the fire escape, the use of irony, the glass menagerie, the search for a man by both Laura and Amanda. The paper concludes by suggesting that the family in this play is dysfunctional and explains the reasons for this suggestion.

From the Paper
"Amanda is obsessed with her past as she constantly reminds her children of "one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain" when she received seventeen gentlemen callers (Williams 32). Amanda refuses to acknowledge that her daughter is handicapped and refers to her disability as "a little defect (that is) hardly noticeable" (Williams 45). Only for brief moments does Amanda ever admit that her daughter is "crippled" but then quickly reverts back into her state of denial. Amanda doesn't see anything in realistic terms. She believes that the gentleman caller, Jim, is going to be the one man who will rescue Laura, even though she has never seen or spoken to him at this point. Again, she is wrapped up in her own fantasies and delusions about men, who must act as saviors to all young women."

Tags:wingfield, woman, figurines, family, depression, tom, fragility, glass, music, jim