Wingfield Mental Family

In his play, “The Glass Menageries”, Tennessee Williams presents a very disturbed family. Each character of the play is a prisoner of his or her own illusion. Their refusal of facing the reality is the source of a constant conflict among them. Growing tired of the situation, Tom Wingfield finds it necessary to break the circle and free himself from the materialistic world of his family. How he was able to break the circle?
Like every young man of his age, Tom Wingfield has dream of a better future. He wants to become a writer. He writes poetry in his spare time, but he is unable to persue this dream for the simple fact that he is the breadwinner of the house. His father, having left the family early in the play, puts on him the heavy burden of providing for his mother and sister. He does not like his job at the warehouse but has to remain there in other to put food on the table. He gets frustrated by that situation. Finding himself trap in an apartment and a job he does not like, he finds escape through adventures, literature, and alcohol. These things are contrary to his mother world, which is the subject of their constant troubles. She does not want him to read, write, or go to the movie. In fact she does not believe him at all to even go there. This can be seen when she says, “I don’t believe that lie,” (Williams, 2013, scene …show more content…
He finally faces his to make her understand that they are different. Amanda rejects his view and forces upon him the belief that she is always right. He already knew there was no future for him in the warehouse, and he knows the same goes for the apartment. Therefore, he must find a way to escape his current situation. But how could he leave his mother and sister? His heart is torn, but he must act. He cannot let himself consumed by this life of illusion and withdraw. Therefore, like his father before him, he assembles his strength and