A Brother and Sister Relationship in The Glass Menagerie...

A Brother and Sister Relationship in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams In the play, The Glass Menagerie, the characters and relationships between them are very unique. Two unique characters that have a very strong relationship are the brother Tom, and his sister, Laura. Tom is a confused, young man who supports his sister. Laura, his sister, has very low-self esteem and does nothing but sulk around the house all day. Their mother Amanda, is absolutely a lunatic. She is obsessive and controlling to her children, because she wants them to live the life she wanted to live. While Tom works hard to support his family, and has a strong care for Laura, he feels trapped and confused. After working long hard days, Tom has to†¦show more content†¦He abandoned Laura like their father abandoned them, and he felt major regret for leaving. Laura, Toms sister, is crippled and stays at home with her mother. She has no confidence in herself and is very quiet and shy. She just keeps to herself and does not talk very much. Her life is surrounded by her glass ornaments that she collects. The little glass ornaments represent her life. Her life is like a translucent little piece of glass. Laura chooses to not work and stay at home and confine herself in the tiny apartment. In her article about Williams use of small spaces in his plays, Jacqueline OConnor writes Laura is voluntarily confined in the apartment, which, according to her mother, will lead to permanent confinement if she does not pursue a career or marriage (1967). Laura does not believe in her abilities that much, and can do more than she thinks she can. Lauras mothers only answer to her getting through life is to find a husband so she will be taken care of for the rest of her life. Lauras pleurosis really took a toll on her self-esteem when she was growing up. She has never felt like the rest of society. She describes herself in high school, I had to go clumping all the way up the aisle with everyone watching!(1946). Tom is also concerned with Laura because he d oes not think she fits in with the rest of society. Tom and Laura have a strongShow MoreRelated Comparing Tennessee William’s Life and Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie1551 Words   |  7 PagesA Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is one of the greatest American playwrights. He was constantly shocking audiences with themes such as homosexuality, drug addictions, and rape. He broke free from taboos on such subjects, paving the way for future playwrights. He also was a very good writer. One of the things he is famous for is his dialogue, which is very poetic. Williams wrote about his life. The Glass Menagerie is a very autobiographical playRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1534 Words   |  7 PagesThe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams, born Thomas Lanier Williams, wrote The Glass Menagerie, a play which premiered in Chicago in 1944. This award winning play, autobiographical in nature, represented a time in which Williams felt the obligation of his responsibilities in regards to the care of his family. Robert DiYanni, Adjunct Professor of Humanities at New York University, rated it as, â€Å"One of his best-loved plays...a portrayal of loneliness among characters who confuseRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1055 Words   |  5 PagesDrama Oral: The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Good morning everyone, today I will be talking about â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams. Context/ author biography Tennessee Williams was born in Columbus, Mississippi, in 1911. His birth name was Thomas Lanier Williams III. He got the nickname Tennessee in college due to his classmates calling him that because of his Southern accent and his father’s home state. Characters: Amanda Wingfield - Laura and Tom’s mother. She is a cheerfulRead More Misguided Love in The Glass Menagerie Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesMisguided Love in The Glass Menagerie The Glass Menagerie, written by playwright Tennessee Williams, is the story of a family torn apart by heartbreak from the past and tragedy from the present. Williams parallels this play to his true life experience with his own family, which makes The Glass Menagerie an even more tragic version of what happens to a family when love is lost and abandonment is reality. Providing for a family can be an overwhelming responsibility, for there are many pitfallsRead MoreEssay about Williamss Use of Symbolic Reference in The Glass Menagerie851 Words   |  4 PagesWilliamss Use of Symbolic Reference in The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams wrote The Glass Menagerie basing it on himself and his life, although not always in detail. Tennessees life was not one of perfection. It had a lot of downs causing the play to be a very sentimental, dimly lighted and emotionally play. Although this play has a very basic story line Tennessee use of symbolism crates a much more meaningful story of the Wingfild family. Symbolism is used in Read MoreThe Glass Menagerie : An Autobiography1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Glass Menagerie: An Autobiography Tennessee William’s The Glass Menagerie is, by definition, a memory play. (Southeastern) It’s written from the point of view of Tom Wingfield, and outlines the events that caused him to flee his family, the entire story filled with undertones of guilt, as he regrets leaving his sister, Laura. The entire situation is eerily similar to the life of Williams, with the characters mimicking his real-life family – even similarly named – and the (arguably) main characterRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1540 Words   |  7 PagesIt is easy to read through â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams and quickly dismiss it has a play of a nagging mother, disheartened son, and socially incapable, whimsical sister. The three seem completely caught up in their own narrow mindedness they are blind to the reality around them. While these may all be true, the characters exhibit far more complications than the surface analysis proves. In Tenn essee Williams play, the characters are full of complexities and contradictions. One ofRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1987 Words   |  8 PagesJessica Toelle Beth Orozco ENG102 29 February 2016 The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams, born Thomas Lanier Williams, wrote The Glass Menagerie, a play which premiered in Chicago in 1944. This award winning play, autobiographical in nature, represented a time in which Williams felt the obligation of his responsibilities in regards to the care of his family. Robert DiYanni, Adjunct Professor of Humanities at New York University, rated it as, â€Å"One of his best-loved playsRead MoreFacing Reality in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesThe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams was a confusing, astounding, and wonderful play that takes an in depth look at the complex relationships that develop between members of a family and then presents them for the audiences dissection. How did the characters in the play interact? What were the independent and dependent relationships between the characters? Perhaps most important, how did they cope with one another? That seemed to be the key question when looking at The Gla ss Menagerie. EachRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams2140 Words   |  9 PagesThe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a play that represents the revelation of truth, the struggle of accepting reality, and the realization of possession. We focus in on the Wingfield family consisting of the mother, Amanda, her daughter, Laura, her son, Tom, and her absent husband that ran off years ago, but still holds a presence in the household despite his absence. Considering that this play was set in the 40’s and deals with issues that the present society does not face, it seems that

Childhood Of Their Own Lives Essay - 1475 Words

Gordon, Linda, Heroes of their Own Lives: The Politics and History of Family Violence, 1988 (New York, New York: Viking Penguin Inc., 1988), 383. Child abuse, neglect, incest, and spousal abuse affects thousands every year, but this is not a newly discovered problem. In Heroes of their Own Lives Linda Gordon discusses the history of family violence in Chicago, Illinois from 1880 to the 1960s. Gordon is a professor of American history at the University of Wisconsin, who has written many books on women’s history. Gordon’s central argument is, â€Å"family violence has been historically and politically constructed†. Gordons purpose is to shine the light on child abuse, neglect, incest, wife abuse, and the contradictions in child protection in Chicago from 1880 to the 1960s. Before 1880 there were not many organizations dedicated to the protection of children. It was led by white, religious, middle class women who did general charity work for the ‘poor souls’. 1880, marked a change in child protection with new programs being made to protect children. Gordon uses MSPCC (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) in Boston records through her book, they were the most influential organization in the city. They were referred as the â€Å"cruelty† by the poor and immigrants, since those two groups were greatly affected by the MSPCC, by the removal of children, imprisonment, etc. The MSPCC had no clear jurisdiction, they focused mainly on child abuse and child crueltyShow MoreRelatedChildhood Development Through Active And Participatory Socialization1393 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood can be explained as an early stage of life in which there is the existence of development through active and participatory socializatio n. The stage of childhood only began to exist post fifteenth and sixteenth century; children used to be considered miniature adults (James, p. 16). Once children were removed from the adulthood designation, the attitudes of parents also began to change; they began coddling their children. Prior to the fifteenth century, children were expected to performRead MoreTo What Extent Can Childhood Be Considered a Social Construction?1489 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent can childhood be considered a social construction? This essay will analyse the major experiences by which childhood is constructed: one determined by the society and the other examined personally. Following this approach will be explained socially constructed childhood that asserts children’s attitudes, expectations and understandings that are defined by a certain society or culture. Furthermore various aspects of childhoods will be taken into account in relation to social, economicRead MoreChildhood Studies : A New Field For The Advocacy Of Children1181 Words   |  5 PagesJoe Dawson Dawson 1 Professor Cook Childhood Studies April 13, 2011 The New Childhood Studies Childhood studies is a relatively new field for the advocacy of children that has developed to represent points of view that had been repressed. The authors, Allison James and Alan Prout, argue that the notion of childhood has become complicated over the past decade. The nature of childhood is socially constructed. Meaning, the childish nature of adolescents is developedRead MoreSummary Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1307 Words   |  6 PagesMay 1, 2015 Language Arts p.3 Topic 3 In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the main character Scout and her brother Jem become friends with a child by the name of Dill. They live in old tired town called Maycomb, in Alabama, where there isn’t much to see nor do, and the only excitement they obtain is from there own games and imaginations. Maycomb is also a old fashion town where racism is still very much alive. One day, the town becomes engulfed in a court case in which a black man, Tom RobinsonRead MoreReview Of Michael Caton Jones And Central Station Directed By Walter Salles1706 Words   |  7 PagesBernabei   Professor Prapopoulos   ENC 1101   5 December 2016 THE LOSS OF CHILDHOOD DUE TO TRAUMAS The actions, emotions, and distorted memories of children may be the result of the interpretation of a subconscious mind aspiring to accept past experiences. Children register circumstances in an imprecise and unclear manner due to the sensibility and the naà ¯vetà © of their mind which may cause significant repercussions in their lives. The mind of children struggles to elaborate lived or witnessed traumaticRead MorePersepolis : The Story Of A Childhood1164 Words   |  5 Pageshave the ability to skew the true image of a person or a situation. In the autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, readers are able to focus on the honesty and emotion of stories to capture their own opinion on Iranians rather than previous assumptions. During the time of the novel, Marjane weaves through childhood in an environment that is full of war and political conflict. Slowly Iran turns into a physical and mental prison, and, like many otherRead More Childhood Obesity : An Epidemic1036 Words   |  5 PagesRainsu Kumbhani All About Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is an epidemic in U.S. In the year of 2012, about â€Å"one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.† Also, percentages of childhood obesity have increased by over ten percent in the last thirty years in children and adolescents (Childhood Obesity Facts 2015). These statistics are shocking, and many people are concerned for the health of their children. This medical condition, as defined by Mayo Clinic, leads to seriousRead MoreThe Effects of Nature and Nurture in Middle Childhood1215 Words   |  5 Pagesin Middle Childhood† Middle Childhood is the name given for the age division from 6 to 11 years of a child’s life. They are also known as the â€Å"school years.† During this time a child’s health, education, and emotional well being are all undergoing changes. 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An initial start to life is well recognized as the foundation to future development. Not only have the children who participate in early childhood program get benefit but also the families and community. â€Å"It has been shown that children who attended early childhood centres of high quality were more successful at school, remained at school longer, and continued to achieve more after they had left school

A Silver Dish Free Essays

string(152) " an admirable and rare trait, he had in fact proved himself to be deceitful and therefore disloyal to those who had supported him as he was growing up\." Add one extra variable Into the equation, and the entire solution has hanged, Just as well If you were to take one variable out. In this essay, I will be using the butterfly effect theory to explain how events will be altered when one characteristic Is taken out of the main character, after first identifying four of his characteristics and showing how it supports the development of the story as well as his character. What does it mean to have responsibilities and what is its importance in life? Responsibility consists of the duty or obligation that one owes to another or oneself. We will write a custom essay sample on A Silver Dish or any similar topic only for you Order Now One can direct the responsibility towards family, friends, and even God. Responsibility results in a positive character trait that shows a high degree of unselfishness. It teaches each person that there will always be something beyond themselves to care about. Responsibility can consist of moral, legal, mental or physical obligations. Woody, a businessman in Chicago, has an endless amount of responsibility. â€Å"He [father] came to Woody In the backyard one spring day and said, ‘From now on you’re the man of the house’ â€Å"(Bellow 543). At the age of fourteen, Wood’s father had abandoned him, leaving Woody the responsibility of taking care of his mother and two younger sisters. He cares for his mother and his two sisters who are all mature adults. He also cares for his father and his father’s wife, though he shares no blood with his stepmother. † Since his wife, after fifteen years of separation had not learned to take care of herself, Woody did her shopping on Fridays, filled her freezer. He had to take her this week to buy shoes. Also, Friday night he spent with Helen- his wife De facto. Saturday he did his big weekly shopping. Saturday night he devoted to Mom and his sisters. He was too busy to attend to his own feelings†(Bellow 541 Wood’s countless obligations to his family UT him in a position of the dominant male, the caretaker. â€Å"Mother and the girls turned into welfare personalities and lost their individual outlines. Ah, the poor things, they became dependents and cranks. In the meantime, Woody, the sinful man, was their dutiful and loving son and 561). How would the story have changed If Woody had no sense of responsibility? As a child, Woody had no choice but to take full responsibility over his family, seeing as nobody else would. During these hard times for Woody, his selfless acts were the glue that held his broken family intact. If Woody were to exile all selfless feelings from his body and replace it with pure selfish thoughts, only the worst would be in store for his family. â€Å"Woody, who took full responsibility for them all, occasionally had to put one of the girls (they had become sick) In a mental 541). If Woody had Ignored shadows, known only as the crazy women you tell your children to avoid. The narrator went on to say that, † he paid for heat and light and food, and dressed them all out of Sears, Roebuck and Webfoot’s, and bought them a TV, which they watched as devoutly as they prayed†(Bellow 561). With his mother in the hospital religiously, his sister checked into a mental institution, and his other sister unable to stabilize herself or her career, Woody had no choice but to take responsibility. If he hadn’t done so, knowing that his father would never step up to his responsibilities, his family would have indefinitely perished to the harsh reality of poverty. Woody had shown signs of true loyalty to his family, loyalty that will always be in existence, even for his father. Some people believe that loyalty makes one predictable. Others may say that being loyal means being unable to think for oneself. And some may even indemnify loyalty as a weakness. Loyalty is the willingness to make an investment or personal sacrifice to strengthen a relationship. Though it is rare to find, a loyal person is a valuable asset to anyone. Loyalty involves obedience, sacrifice, and compassion, a mix that is not easy to find. Family requires undoubted loyalty from family members as well as friendships require friends to convey the meaning of loyalty to strengthen a bond between one and another. A loyal man can be described as a man who sacrifices his life for his family, his friends, and even his country. In his case, loyalty will be described as Woodsy endless devotion to his father. Woodsy father had, on every occasion, let Woody down, yet he has always stood behind his father. Mimi got to lend me money to buy gasoline- the caddie money you saved†(Bellow 543). The only money Woody had been able to save up working a side job, Woodsy father had taken it as getaway cash. Woody had not hesitated upon giving his father what he had asked for, even though this meant Woody was an enabler for his father’s wishes upon deserting his family. â€Å"Why had he let Pop have his way? Why did he agree to meet him that day, in the dim rear of the lorry? â€Å"(Bellow 549). Woodsy father had return for one purpose, he needed money. Woody had decided to take him to Ms. Skulled, the woman who out of good faith, paid for Woodsy college tuition for two years to become a minister. Woody had taken a risk by bringing his father to the only person who supports him in life. What he did not expect is that his father was planning on stealing her personal belongings for extra cash. Even when his father had done so, Woody had stood by him and said, â€Å"He denied that he or Pop had touched Ms. Shouldn’t property. The missing object- e didn’t even know what it was- had probably been misplaced, and they would be very sorry on the day it turned up†(Bellow 559). By staying loyal to his father, an admirable and rare trait, he had in fact proved himself to be deceitful and therefore disloyal to those who had supported him as he was growing up. You read "A Silver Dish" in category "Papers" Take one variable out of an equation, and the answer will be entirely different. Just as an equation, remove a character trait from Woodsy character, and the entire story will differ from the original. If woody had not been so loyal to his father, many things would have been different. To start, if Woody had not given his father the money to escape, His father could have never returned, believing that there was no warming welcome to accept. If he had indeed returned though, and asked Woody once more for money, I believe that Woody would have turned him down. Woody was well off in his life, entity from himself. When his father returned again, if Woody had thought in more of a selfish manner, he would have turned his father down, and would not have dealt with the pain of his supporters giving up on him. By being more selfish, Woody would have been seen as a more respectable character, without weakness for the man who mined his life. Woodsy loyalty to his father had been the variable in his life that continuously forced a downfall in his life. Loyalty is comprised of many things, but one thing loyalty does require is honesty. Honesty is another quality that is rare to find in this world, a quality that should be treasured. Honesty is the ability of being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, and fair. When you look at being honest and telling the truth it would seem as a simple task to practice. Being honest means keeping a friends secret unknown, admitting to your mistakes, and telling the truth despite the consequences. When you make a statement, make a truthful one. However, it seems that being entirely honest can be more difficult than one may perceive it to be. Woody was moved when things were honest. Bearing beams were honest, undisguised concrete pillars inside high-rise apartments were honest. It was bad to cover anything. He hated faking†(Bellow 542). Everything in his life that Woody had been able to appreciate had been honest. Woody had tried to learn from his father’s mistakes, and instead bei ng an honest man. After bringing his father to the house of the woman who could possibly help Woody and his father with their money issue at hand, Woody witnessed his father stealing a silver dish from the kind lady. ‘Before they come down, pop, will you dig that dish out of your long Johns. ‘ Pop turned stiff on him. He became absolutely military. He said, ‘Look, I order you! ‘ Before he knew it, Woody had Jumped his father and begun to wrestle with him†(Bellow 556) Being an honest man, Woody must go against his loyalty for his father and stop him from committing theft towards the one person who can help them. Woody does his best to be honest with everybody around him, but to be honest with one may result n dishonesty towards another. Dishonesty is a word used to describe the absence of honesty. If Woody would have been known as a man with the absence of honesty, the Woodsy life may have been altered entirely. If he had allowed his father to continue on with his theft, he would not only have felt guilty for allowing the terrible deed to continue, he would have been an accomplice. He must have to choose a side, to stand behind his father or against him. By standing with him, it could have ignited a spark within Woody, causing him to follow in his father’s footsteps as a kleptomaniac. He old have gone on to lead a life of crime, forgetting his mother and two sisters at home to starve. Truth and honesty are not easy qualities to come by, yet truth can always be found in religion. Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs, symbols, and values that provide a group of people with the solution of the question of the ultimate meaning. Religion is a way to acquire a higher feeling of self-importance. Man unites himself with the Infinite and feels ennobled. Through religion, men and woman are able to give their lives purpose. Religion is the central element in the life of civilization. Woody, immersed in Christianity, is known to be a man deeply connected to his religious roots. Woodsy religion is what put him on the path for a new life, a path opposite of his fathers. Religion is the one source of comfort that Woody is able to find in his life. It gives to get up and tell a church full of Scandinavians that he, a Jewish lad, accepted Jesus Christ†(Bellow 545). Woody testified of his faith to Christianity and went on to say that, † he moved his own heart when he speak up about faith†(551). Woody had been known to the general public as a faithful Christian boy, servant to none except God. Although Woody had studied for two years in a seminary, preparing to be a minister. Two years of college during the Depression was more than most high-school graduates could afford†(Bellow 539). Without his father in his early years of life to show him the way, religion introduced him to the right path. Religion is what paid for his college tuition, taught him the meaning of honesty and how to take responsibility. Just like the rest of the character traits, take religion out of Woodsy character and the story will drastically change. Ms Skulled, out of good faith, had paid for his auction for two years in hopes of Woody becoming a minister. If Woody had chosen to be a nonbeliever, he would have undoubtedly lost his opportunity to go to college. By doing so, he could have lost his future opportunities to be able to support his mother and two sisters, as well as his father and his fathers spouse, Haling. Without religion, Woody might have not been able to find truth in the world, and therefore have no reason to be an honest, truthful person. If he had chosen the path to be free of religion, he might have not cared for being a sinner and in fact turned into his father, a gambling, stealing, irresponsible man. In conclusion, there had been many attributes that describes Woodsy character. The four character traits that I had chosen to talk about were his responsibility to his family, loyalty to his father, honesty in life, and faith in his religion. All of these characteristics help develop their story in their own way, and I have proved this using the theory known as the butterfly effect. Change one detail in the past, and entirely alter the outcome of the future. Each characteristic helps develop the story in its own way, each critically changing the story when it had been removed from the list of his character traits. How to cite A Silver Dish, Papers

I believe healthy nutrition is the most important Essay Example For Students

I believe healthy nutrition is the most important Essay factor for maintaining and keeping good health. Healthy nutrition basically is eating healthy and balanced from all the basic food groups; which consists of the dairy group, poultry group, fruit group, vegetable group and a little from the fats, oils, and sweets groups. It is also imperative to drinl an adequate amount that corresponds with the daily guidelines of eight glasses a day which is equivalent to a one two-liter soda per day. In order for myself to attain this status of eating healthy I kept a food log for a month that has the entries of what I ate each day. In this food log it helped me keep track of how many fat grams I was eating and if I was eating balanced. I also listed how much sleep I was getting each day, what my mood was, and how many minutes I exercised each day. All those factors combined, determine my overall state of physical and mental health. Well, I think Im eating pretty healthy; Ive never tracked down what I ate before so I didnt really think what I was eating. But when the whole project was done it didnt look like I was a healthy eater. I was drinking too much soda with excessive sodium intake and I didnt eat a lot of fruits or vegetables and I was drinking more soda than water. For breakfast, I was eating too many donuts which means too much sugar. On the bright side of things, I was eating a variety of foods. It may not be balanced amount from each food group but I made a conscience effort to eat at least something from all the food groups. So even though the food project is now done, from the basis of my good log. Im trying to make permanent adjustments in my diet to make my body healthier. No more soda, no more donuts for breakfast, and no more sweets. Instead more water, more fruits and vegetables, and increased physical activity and more sleep. I know its going to be hard to make these sudden adjustments but Im going to do it gradually until I get comfortable and use to it. Hopefully from these changes I will have low blood pressure and a low cholesterol level. In conclusion, this generation of Americans is the most overweight and obese ever. It seems that people do not care about their weight, appearance, or health. Its sad to see people that do not have respect for themselves and have low self-esteem. People need to start eating healthy to better enjoy life and feel good about themselves. .