Hate, anger and envy in Scene 3 of 'The Glass Menagerie'

they continue to interrupt one another as the other is trying to get their point across. It appears that

Amanda has run out of patience with Tom as he continues to ignore what she says to him, but Amanda

insists that what she has to say is important and that he should be listening to what she is saying. At the

same time Tom also appears to have run out of patience with Amanda.

The interruptions continue throughout the scene which increase the hate and anger that Amanda and Tom

have for each other. Before Tom can finish what he is saying, Amanda interrupts and totally disregards what

he has to say, and scene 3 suggests that Amanda interrupted Tom's creative labor throughout the scene by

continually interrupting Tom when he speaks.

The interruptions continue as Tom attempts to tell Amanda that there is something he really wants to do but

explains it's not what he has to do, but before he can finish his explanation, she's interrupted him again to

accuse him of doing things he's ashamed of. These accusations and interruptions show the anger that

Amanda has to Tom's attitude and many of his actions.

At the same time, Tom's tone suggests that he has a lot of anger and hate for Amanda as he does not want

to listen to what she has to say and at times he can be abusive.

Amanda explains that Tom has no right to jeopardise his job and their security by staying out so late, and

this may suggest that Amanda is jealous of the success that Tom has had compared to her. Amanda thinks

what Tom is doing is selfish behavior.

Just before Tom leaves to go to the movies again, Amanda accuses him of lying again and a very

intimidating action occurs. Tom towers over her and sneers that she's right, this shows his true hate for

Amanda as he towers over her.

Tom finishes the scene with an offensive line directed at Amanda ; "You'll go up on a broomstick, over Blue

Mountain with seventeen gentleman callers! You ugly - babbling old - witch!". True hate for Amanda is

expressed in this line and in his tone as he says what he really thinks about Amanda

Anger is expressed by Tom at the end of the scene as he is quite evidently outraged; he grabs his coat and

as he's clumsily trying to put it on, the shoulder rips. He throws it across the room and it knocks some

ornaments from Laura's shelf, sending the glass tinkling onto the floor. She shrieks as if she's been

wounded.

More hate may occur as a result of this, Laura may feel a bit of hate towards Tom for his irresponsible

actions as he broke one of her most prized possessions. Amanda stands stunned by the witch comment as

she tells Tom that she won't speak to him until he's apologised to her.

It is important to notice Laura's reaction to the fight between her mother and brother. Her "closed fists and

panicked expression" reveal her tension and fear; she blames herself for being the cause of the problems in

this fatherless home. She sees her failure to learn typing skills the reason that Amanda nags Tom about his

responsibilities. Laura feels that she stands in the way of Tom pursuing his own interests.

This scene shows how Amanda does not understand Tom. By the end of this scene, the reader realises how

completely Amanda has failed to recognise her children as individuals or accept who they really are. She

gives them no 'space' to breathe or grow freely. Her fear that Tom may desert her, like her husband, is also

obvious; when Tom, in anger, tries to leave the house, Amanda physically restrains him and reminds him

how much he hates his father's desertion.