Abby Holdeman Defense of Amanda Wingfield 6B 7 August 2014

Though Amanda Wingfield can be considered the antagonist of The

Glass Menagerie by no stretch of the imagination, she is not completely evil.
Amanda is a victim (or antagonist) of circumstance. Because Tom is the
narrator of the play, we see Amanda as an overbearing, manipulative
mother, when in reality, she is a hardworking mother who is trying to provide
the best life possible for her children.
Tom Wingfield, Amandas son, is the narrator of the play. Therefore, we
see Amanda and her actions through his eyes. This presents a type of bias.
Amanda is Toms mother and constantly meddles in his and Lauras life. Who
among us can say that they enjoy their mother meddling in their business?
Tom certainly doesnt, and manipulates the story until he is seen as the
victim and Amanda is seen as the cruel and heartless mother.
Amanda wants to give her children the same kind of life she had as a
youth. Amanda was stereotypical southern belle, and frequently recalls the
days when she had 17 gentlemen callers in one day. But now, life is different.
Her daughter Laura is a social recluse, while her son Tom is making plans to
leave. Amanda must meddle in her childrens lives so that they make the
right decisions and become better people in order to have a better future,
something that makes Tom see her as manipulative and overbearing.
Amanda is seen as the antagonist in The Glass Menagerie, but only
because Tom is the narrator. No person enjoys their mother meddling in their
life, which is why Tom portrays Amanda as manipulative and overbearing.

Instead, Amanda is trying to provide a better life for her children, and if she
must meddle in order to get it done, so be it. In the wise words of Wreck-itRalph: Just because you are a bad guy, doesnt mean you are a bad guy.