The Glass Menagerie
Scene 1
Opening stage directions
Read the stage directions on page 3 and answer the
following questions in complete sentences.
1. What does the narrator compare the apartment
to in the opening sentence?
2. Why do you think he uses this metaphor?
3. How is memory different from the reality of the
past?
Tom’s monologue
After reading Tom’s introductory speech on pages 4-5,
answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. According to what Tom reveals at the beginning of his
speech, what was the situation like in the USA?
2. What metaphor does Tom develop? Explain the connection
he’s making.
3. Who does Tom say he is using as a symbol? What is he
symbolic of?
Gentleman Callers
Read pages 8-9 and answer the following questions in
complete sentences unless specified.
1. How does Amanda describe herself in her youth?
Use at least two quotations (words/phrases) to
justify your answer.
2. Describe at least two of her gentleman callers.
What two things do most of them have in
common?
3. What does this story reveal about her treatment of
Laura?
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 2
Stage Directions
After reading the stage directions on page 11, answer
the following questions in complete sentences.
1. How is Laura acting before she hears Amanda? How does
this change once she is aware of Amanda’s presence?
2. What is Amanda wearing? What does this reveal about
Amanda’s character? Connect this to what we learned about
her in scene 2.
3. Based on how Amanda is described in the stage directions,
assign an emotion to her character. Use at least two
quotations from the text to justify your response.
The sign of the times
Read pages 15-16 and answer the following questions in
complete sentences.
1. What is Amanda’s attitude towards unmarried women? Use at
least three quotations (words/phrases) to support your
answer.
2. What does Amanda compare unmarried women to? What
literary device does she use, and explain the connection.
3. What pronoun does Amanda utilize and what does it reveal
about her relationship with Laura?
Jim, the high school hero
Read pages 16-17 and answer the following questions
in complete sentences.
1. List three details about Laura’s high school crush.
2. Think about Jim’s nickname for Laura. Compare and
contrast Blue Roses to Laura’s character and
condition. How is this nickname appropriate for her?
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 3
Tom’s escapism
Read pages 23-24 and answer the following questions in
complete sentences.
1. Where does Tom go to escape and why is this significant?
2. In the conflict between Tom and Amanda in Scene 3,
which character do you sympathize with, and why? What
do you think Williams wants you to feel about Amanda?
3. What does Tom say about his father during his rant? Why
does he bring him up at all?
Breaking the animals
Read page and answer the following questions in
complete sentences.
1. What does Tom do at the end of Scene 3? How is
this symbolic, considering the nature of Tom’s
relationship with his family?
2. Considering your answer to #1, discuss at least one
connection between Tom and Tennessee Williams.
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 4
Malvolio the Magician
Read Tom’s story on page 27 and answer the following
questions in complete sentences.
1.When Tom connects himself to the magician, what
is the ‘coffin’ he feels he is nailed into?
2.What would it mean for Tom to “remove one nail”
from his situation? Give two or three possible
examples.
3.Tom knows he can’t escape without removing one
nail. Why does he feel that he can’t do that?
Laura’s fall
Read page 29 and answer the following questions in
complete sentences.
1. Explain the context of Laura’s fall.
2. Remind yourselves of the significance of the family’s only
exit being a fire escape. Look back to your scene 1 notes.
3. Considering your answers to 1 and 2, explain what Laura’s
fall may symbolize. Be sure to explain using specifics from the
book (i.e. your response should discuss the fall, the fire
escape, and the symbolic meanings.
Tom’s Responsibilities
Read Amanda’s instructions to Tom on page 35 and
answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1.What is the extent of Tom’s obligation to Laura?
When is he allowed to be “free” of her, according to
his mother?
2. Do you think Tom is selfish? Why or why not?
3. What does Amanda find that upsets her? Look back
at the description of Tom for scene 1; what do these
events foreshadow?
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 5
Tom vs. his father
Throughout the play, we see Tom struggle with his
obligations vs. his dreams. He is constantly compared
to his father by himself and others.
1.Throughout scenes 1-5, find 2 quotations of
connections made between Tom and his father.
They can be made by himself, Amanda, or your own
inference. Be sure to cite correctly.
2.In your own words: Is Tom like his father or not? Do
you think Amanda is driving him to be more or less
like him? Explain your answer.
Family Responsibility
After reading and discussing Scene 5, answer the
following questions in complete sentences and be
prepared to discuss as a class.
1. Explain your own views on familial responsibility. To
whom are you responsible, and who is responsible for
you? When/how does this shift? 3-4 sentences.
2. How does the Wingfield family compare to your
views? Use quotations to explain your answer What
do you think each character should do
better/differently?
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 6
Jim O’Connor
After reading Tom’s description of Jim on
page 50, answer the following questions.
1. Think about the typical high school hero. Without
using names or specifics to NHS, give 4-5 traits one
would expect from such a figure.
2. After reading Tom’s description of Jim, which of
your traits does Jim fit into? Use quotations
(words/phrases) to support your answer.
3. Why does Tom think Jim likes him? Does this
coincide with your responses from #1-2?
Amanda’s Outfit
After reading the description of Amanda on page 53,
answer the following questions in complete sentences
unless otherwise specified.
1. Describe Amanda’s outfit, using 3-4 quotations
(words/phrases) in your answer. What does Amanda’s
outfit demonstrate about her character?
2. Find 3 quotations from the stage directions that
further support your answer to #1.
3. Look back at Williams’ character descriptions on page
xviii. Use the information from #1-2 to support and
explain a specific quotation from the description of
Amanda.
“I’m planning to change…”
After reading Tom’s description of his future plans
on pages 60-1, answer the following questions in
complete sentences.
1. What changes is Tom planning to make? Use
quotations from the text to support your answer.
2. Why do you think he has suddenly decided to
make these changes? Be specific.
The Glass Menagerie
Scene 7
Jim and Laura Reminisce
After reading the conversation between Laura and
Jim on pages 74-76, answer the following questions
in complete sentences unless otherwise specified.
1. Contrast Laura and Jim’s memories of their high
school chorus class. What does this demonstrate
about their attitudes towards Laura’s disability?
2. Notice how Laura’s portion of the conversation
with Jim is punctuated. Why is it like this? What
does this reveal about each character?
3. How does the punctuation change immediately
following the breaking of Laura’s unicorn on page
86? What is significant about this change?
The Unicorn
After reading pages 83-88, answer the following
questions in complete sentences unless otherwise
specified.
1. Find three ways Laura describes the glass animals
on page 83. Who else in the play is described this
way?
2. Contrast Laura and Jim’s reactions to the broken
unicorn. Provide a quotation for each character
that demonstrates his/her reaction.
3. What event mirrors the breaking of Laura’s
unicorn? Explain the connection.
Tom’s Closing Monologue
After reading pages 96-97, answer the following
questions in complete sentences unless otherwise
specified.
1. In your notes, write the quotation when Tom
discusses what he is “pursued by” after leaving his
family. Explain in your own words what it is that he
is unable to escape.
2. In two to three sentences, explain how this
exemplifies the theme of the play.
3. In two to three sentences, discuss the symbolism
of Laura’s candles.