Who is the most dislikable character of The Glass Menagerie?

Answer 1

the mother because she tries to keep the son at home and to marry the daughter off, she kept the daughter sheltered her entire life. There is also talk of why the father isnt around and its probably due in part to her controling ways. Sorry I can't be of more help, i read this play 2 semesters ago and if i wasnt so busy at work I could add a lot more to it. I hope this at least gets you started in the right direction.

Answer 2

It depends. You could make a good argument for any of them. Here's what I think:

Jim- He led Laura on to believe he was single, and even kissed her, only to break her heart. We can't know if his interaction with her helped her or hindered her. You still don't kiss a girl to make her feel special then tell her you are engaged, that is leading someone on, even if he was just thrown into the awkward situation.

Tom- He wanted out, he had a responsibility and just let everyone down by walking out like his father, however; I wouldn't have lasted as long as he did, considering the conditions.

Amanda(mother)- She can just be too overpowering, even though it is a parent thing, she tends to overdo it and get her childen angry with her.

Laura(daughter)- If she was my daughter I would tell her to just suck it up and go out don't come back untill eight. Eventually her mother will die, and her brother left, how will she live? In that apartment, until she starves or someone finds her? On the street, when she can't pay the rent? It's barely a disability. I know someone who has a limp, and they are out going and friendly, and POPULAR at my school.

I hope you saw the play instead of the movie version because the movie was crap.

Chill out, to the person who posted about me. It's a question. It sounds like an essay question, and I didn't want to give a wishy-washy-maybe-this- maybe that answer. It sounds like an essay question, and I'm still in school, and know that taking the easy 'None of them' answer doesn't get a good mark. And it's kinda pathetic that you are wishing a disablilty on me.

Answer 3

I don't know that any of them are dislikable. They all have their human flaws.

I find the son (Tom) to be the least appealing. He's angry, bitter, lonely and frustrated ... doesn't make for the most fun person. He has many reasons for being those things - but it doesn't change the fact that he is those things.

I think the mother (Amanda) and the daughter (Laura) are pitiable and sad - but not dislikeable.

And of course, the gentleman caller (Jim) is just a nice guy with no agenda at all.

Answer 4

The Glass Menagerie is so autobiographical, that I find it hard to believe Tennessee Williams intended you to find any of his family members or friends dislikable. Especially not his sister, who underwent a lobotomy just before he wrote this show.

Answer 5

First, to the poster - Dreamer, WHAT PLAY DID YOU READ or SEE, dear? Jim, the Gentleman Caller DID NOT MISLEAD ANYONE! He was a young man engaged to be married who was invited to dinner by his friend and co-worker Tom. He (Jim) could not have known that the invitation was a ploy to set him up with Laura, Tom's sister. Jim DID NOT LEAD Laura on, but tried to encourage her to be more outgoing. As for your opinions of the other characters, again dear, WHAT PLAY DID you Read or See? Certainly NOT this one! And, as for your assertion that Amanda should tell Laura to "suck it up," I hope one day YOU have a disability and you find out how unpleasant it is. You obviously don''t understand Williams' work in the least, dear. Geesh!

Amanda was not dislike-able, only pitiable. The rest were along for the ride and Tom finally got out of her piteous web.

Answer 6

I don't find any of them unlikeable, frankly. With the exception of Laura -- who is clearly the innocent "victim" of circumstances in the play -- I think that they all do the best of which they're capable. Sure, they screw up -- Amanda is manic in her attempts to re-create an atmosphere of Southern gentility; Tom makes a decision to put his personal agenda above that of his mother and sister; and Jim is somewhat oblivious to the effect he's having on Laura in their extended "courtship" scene. Still...

The genius of the play is that Williams makes them all SYMPATHETIC, because he allows us to feel as though we UNDERSTAND them and their motivations. They're all in a tough situation, and trying to make the best of it.