Theatregoers Blog

This blog is for students who attended the play, The Glass Menagerie, as part of the Herberger Theater grant awarded to honors and Advanced Placement students at Maryvale High School. Students who attended this play, should post a blog that answers at least 4 out of the 8 discussion questions below.

1. What was the significance of the visible set during the play? Why do you think the director chose to have the bare set, stagehands, etc. visible during the narrated parts?
2. The scene between Laura and Jim was longer on stage than in the manuscript studied in class. What effect did this have on the meaning of that scene?
3. How did you feel about the character of Amanda during the class-reading of the play? How did you feel about the character of Amanda seen on stage? Compare your feelings here.
4. Was the portrayal of Laura effective according to what you understand about how Williams crafted her on paper? Explain.
5. Tennessee Williams' characters are known for being "tragically flawed." What does this mean to you? Pick one character and discuss his or her tragic flaws. Can you relate to any of these? Explain.
6. At which moments during the production did you hear music? How did this affect the audience? Did the timing of the music or song selection enhance the production? Why or why not?
7. Analyze the use of cigarette smoking on-stage. To what degree was it effective? Ineffective?
8. In the manuscript version and in the production version, Tom leaves at the end of the play. Which ending do you feel was more powerful? Explain.

This blog is for students who were not able to attend the play, The Glass Menagerie. Using the play manuscript studied in class, respond to 4 out of 8 of the prompts below.

1. Why is the fire escape important in the play? How does the fire escape function as a symbol to reveal something about each character's personality?
2. Which aspects of The Glass Menagerie are realistic? Which aspects are the most non- realistic? What function do the non-realistic elements serve?
3. What is the symbolic significance of the unicorn? Why is it significant that Laura gives the unicorn to Jim as a souvenir once its horn has been broken? Why does Laura say "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise" about the unicorn's broken horn?
4. Consider Amanda's character throughout the play. Is she an admirable person or a silly, frustrated woman? Does she arouse your sympathy, or do you think Williams wants you to dislike her? Explain.
5. Amanda often refers to her absent husband, and in the original stage directions, his grinning picture is highlighted at various times during the play. What does the photograph represent to Amanda? To Tom? How is the photograph a constant threat to Amanda and Laura's survival?
6. In the middle of the play, Tom displays an attitude toward his mother that he has not shown before. Describe that attitude, and find the lines of dialogue that reveal it. Cite two lines of dialogue that show that Amanda is also trying to behave differently toward Tom. Why do you think they are acting differently towards each other at this point in the play?
7. Tennessee Williams' characters are known for being "tragically flawed." What does this mean to you? Pick one character and discuss his or her tragic flaws. Can you relate to any of these? Explain.
8. How do you feel about Tom's decision to leave at the end of the play? If there was an alternate ending in which Tom did not leave, what would this mean for the Wingfield family?