JoeyRobinson-ConflictinTheGlassMenagerieResponse-2A-3Sept2014

TheGlassMenagerieisatragicstorythatisfulloffalsehopeandtheunfulfilled
promiseofabetterfuture.Whileeachcharactermayhavehadtheirtimeinthespotlight,
Tomwastheonecontrollingwhereitshone.Hisconstantpursuitofabettertomorrow
combinedwithhisflashbackasaformoftellingthestoryshowsthatitbelongstoTom.
AmandaWingfieldisacharacterthatseemstobethecenterofalltheissuesin
theplay.Whileshemaynotbetheonecausingthetrouble,Amandastillisthepersonto
tellothersaboutitormakeotherpeopletryandfixit.Agoodexampleofthisiswhen
shetellsTomtobringhomeamantocourtLaura.EventhoughthisisntAmandas
problem,shesstillbringingTom,andherself,intothematter.However,Tomtellshow
hefeelsabouttheseactions,andhowhereactstowhatAmandadoes.Thisshowsthat
heisthecenterofthestory.
WhenLaurameetsJimisthefirstrealhopeinthestory.Astheybecomemore
comfortablewitheachother,theoutlookoftheplayseemstobrighten.However,Wilde
usestheforeshadowingandimageryinthisscenetogreatlyshowhowterribleofaturn
thestorytakesonceitisrevealedLaurawillnotbeabletobewithJim.AsTomssister,
LauraisbroughtintothestoryasanobstaclestoppingTomfrombeingabetterperson.
Thewaywithwhichthestoryiswrittenisanotherreasonthatleadsmetotheconclusion
ofTheGlassMenagerie.Atthebeginningandtheendofthestory,TomWingfieldis
callingtheshotsonhowwehearhissideoftheevents.Thisgivesusadeeperlookinto
howhetrulyfeelsaboutleavinghisfamily.Withthis,wecanconcludethatTom,along
withLauraandAmanda,doesnotreceiveanyresolution.Duetothewaywithwhich
everythingseemstodeflectoffofhim,Tomisthecenterinthisstory.