Essay on the Dysfunctional Family of The Glass Menagerie

The Dysfunctional Family of The Glass Menagerie Dysfunctional. Codependent. Enmeshed. Low self-esteem. Emotional problems of the new-made twenty-first century or problems of the past? In his play, The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams portrays a southern family in the 1940s trying to deal with lifes pressures, and their take fears after they argon deserted by their husband and father. Although today, we have access to hundreds of psychoanalysis books and therapists, the family problems of the far past continue to be the family problems of the present. The three family members are adults at the metre of this play, struggling to be individuals, and yet, very enmeshed and codependent with one another. The overbearing and tyrannise mother, Amanda, spends much of her time reliving the past her days as a southern belle. She desperately hopes her daughter, Laura, will marry. Laura suffers from an inferiority complex partially out-of-pocket to a minor disability that she perceiv es as a major one. She has obstruction coping with life outside of the apartment, her cherished glass animal collection, and her Victrola. Tom, Amandas son, resents his mapping as provider for the family, yearns to be free from him mothers constant nagging, and longs to pursue his own dreams. A futile attempt is made to match Laura with Jim, an old blue school acquaintance and one of Toms work mates. Jim is very self-assured and attempts to support Laura with her problems of self-esteem and shyness. Laura seems to be responding to his efforts of help when he unexpectedly announces his engagement to be married. Of course, this brings an end to the well-planned chargeing. At this point, there seems to be a wake-up call for these characters. A... ... yet, ladder into their own, personal cocoon of fear and insecurity. In conclusion, nothing really changes from spring to end. Laura is still dependent, very shy, and lonely. Tom still has no real future, even though he runs awa y to fulfill his dreams. Amanda has no job and continues to experience her past. We really dont know what happens to Jim. In an effort to free themselves, these characters become much entangled in their problems. The ending is sad, without hope. However, The Glass Menagerie is timeless. Many of us can relate to these characters in some way. Most of us throw together in some way with fear, insecurity, dysfunction, codependency, and the complexities of life. Yes The problems of the past continue to be the problems of the present. works Cited Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New York New Directions Publishing, 1999.