In reading The Glass Menagerie, for some reason I kept drawing parallels to Pride and Prejudice. The mother in Pride and Prejudice and Amanda are similar in that they both want what is best for their children, but they do it in a pushy way that does not make the children happy. I remember the mother in Pride and Prejudice had five daughters and she had made it her mission to see them married in a timely manner. Likewise, Amanda also set her heart on seeing Laura married. In both stories, the mothers trample on their daughters’ feelings a little bit by being so obsessive. Tom reminds me of Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice because they are the more rational characters that get frustrated and see through the motives of their mothers. Laura reminds me of Mary in Pride and Prejudice because they are both a little socially awkward and their mothers worry that they will not get married. It is easy to, as a reader in 2011, to look at these mothers and think about how ridiculous they are acting. However, when you stop and consider the time period and the social and economic pressures, it is easier to understand their behavior. While I do think the two mothers are frustrating characters, during that time period, women were not as immersed in the workforce and without marriage, it was hard for them to make it on their own. Especially in The Glass Menagerie, the family was very poor and Tom even payed the rent so I could see why the mother was so obstinate about seeing Laura married.
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Glass Menagerie Comparison
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I've never read Pride and Prejudice but I do love the movie. And I find it very interesting that you made connections between the two works. Mothers trying to marry off their daughters by doing kinda whatever it takes. I like that you made parallels to a different work to try and explain what was happening in the play.
ReplyDeleteSome examples of Amanda's pushing her children to be more fit for marriage and "successful" in life are:
ReplyDelete1. Amanda addressing Tom at the dinner table
"Honey, don't push with your fingers. If you have to push with something, the thing to push with is a crust of bread. And chew-chew! Animals have secretions in their stomachs which enable them to digest food without mastication, but human beings are supposed to chew their food before they swallow it down. Eat food leisurely, son, and really enjoy it. A well-cooked meal has lots of delicate flavors that have to be held in the mouth for appreciation. So chew your food and give your salivary glands a chance to function!"
2. Amanda talking to Laura about getting married:
Amanda: "Girls that aren't cut out for business careers usually wind up married to some nice man. Sister, that's what you'll do!
Laura: "But, Mother-"
Amanda: "Yes?"
Laura: "I'm-crippled!"
Amanda: "Nonsense! Laura, I've told you never, never to use that word..."
3. Amanda talking to Tom about how his night activities could affect his job:
"What right have you got to jeopardize your job? Jeopardize the security of us all? How do you think we'd manage if you were-"
Vocabulary Words:
1. Proscenium: the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium.
2. Menagerie: a collection of wild or unusual animals, especially for exhibition.
3. Aghast: struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror:
4. Endowments: the property, funds, etc., with which an institution or person is endowed.
5. Querulous: full of complaints; complaining.