The Glass Menagerie Socratic Seminar Questions
Directions: You need to completely and thoroughly answer all of the following questions to
prepare for the seminar on Wednesday, May 13th . The seminar will be a test grade.
1. Tom says to Amanda in Scene 5, “One little warning. He doesn’t know about Laura. I
didn’t let on that we had dark ulterior motives.” In your opinion, is Jim entirely to blame
for his actions in scene 7? Are Amanda and Tom at fault in any way? Explain. If you
were Laura, what would you have done?
2. In the play, Amanda claims to do everything for the betterment of her children and her
family. She even tells Tom, “I’ll tell you what I wished for on the moon. Success and
happiness for my precious children! I wish for that whenever there’s a moon, and when
there isn’t a moon, I wish for it, too.” Do you think that everything Amanda does in the
play comes from a desire to see her children happy? Do you think parents have a right
to dictate their children’s lives under the guise of doing it for their own good or for their
happiness? Explain.
3. Was Tom right to leave? Whose leaving was worse, Tom’s from The Glass Menagerie
or Abigail’s from The Crucible? Explain.
4. What do you think happened to Amanda and Laura, based off Tom’s final speech? In
his final speech, do you think Tom regrets his decision? Do you think he would change
it if he could go back in time? Explain.
5. Jim flirts with and hits on Laura in the final scene of the play. Is it okay for a man (or
woman) to flirt with another individual if they are in a committed relationship? At what
point is it considered cheating? Explain.
6. Who is to blame to most for the fragility of Laura: Amanda, Tom, the father, or Laura
herself? Explain.
7. Explain how the absence of a father figure affected characters and plot in The Glass
Menagerie?
8. Of the female characters present in each play, The Crucible and The Glass Menagerie,
who would you say was the strongest female character and why: Elizabeth Proctor,
Abigail Williams, Amanda, or Laura? Who was the weakest? Why?
9. Of the male characters present in each play, The Crucible and The Glass Menagerie,
who would you say was the strongest male character and why: Tom, John Proctor,
John Hale or Reverend Parris? Who was the weakest? Why?
10.
The idea that human beings should sacrifice their happiness for the well-being of
others is evident in both plays. Would you be willing to leave your family, hurt your
friends and/or sacrifice your life to be happy and follow your dreams? At what point
does it become a selfish act? Is it ever acceptable to be completely selfish and not take
into consideration the wants and needs of those in your life who might be affected by
your decisions? Explain.
11.
Which play did you enjoy reading more, The Glass Menagerie or The Crucible?
Which play was more believable, as far as a story line is concerned? Which characters
were more realistic? Explain.