Human Development In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams Free Essay Example, 750 words

ï » ¿Human Development In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie produced in 1944 and authored by Tennessee Williams depicts psychological aspects of human development. The play highlights the experience of Tom, a young man who despite his small age supports his family when the father abandoned them. In addition, the play also introduces Tom’s sister who is shy and crippled character. She is introvert from reality based on her obsession with glass animals (Smith 1). Notably, the hardships depicted in the play create depression for the family. However, they remain united and focus on helping one another. The paper provides a psychological critique of the play. Particular emphasis is on the themes and motifs of the Glass Menagerie. The play tries to justify that complete and happy families should have the support of the male’s household heads. Amanda’s family has no father as he abandoned them. They try to find happiness they do not have and end up living in fear and neglects. Therefore, Tom takes the responsibility to take care of the family despite his small age. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Development In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The new roles affect his psychological development. Tom’s parental duties at a tender age deprive him of his prime youth experience. Human development is a process, and everyone should enjoy every stage of his or her life thus, psychological mismatch evidence in Tom’s boredom in family issues. Glass Menagerie emphasizes roles of parents in child development. However, the play illustrates strictness and decision making on behalf of kids as positive attributes of a good mother. Amanda is strict on Tom and Laura. She expresses her desire for Laura to have a right date and asks for Tom’s assistance but quickly becomes angry that she dropped out of typing class because of shyness. In psychological perspectives, parents should understand the strengths and weaknesses of their children and help them to overcome the challenges. Amanda’s approach is worse and only serves to humiliate Laura. She also offers little assistance to enable Laura overcome shyness. Amanda is a character who does not tolerate mistakes among her children. Thus, she engages in every aspect of their lives with the notion of providing the moral support. Nonetheless, she portrays qualities of a mother who is overprotective. Her approach is not a healthy approach to parenting because she provides little time for the Tom and Laura to explore the world and establish their desires. Her actions are evident when she asks Tom to introduce Laura to a friend. Jim disappoints Laura making Amanda yell at Tom. She is the cause of her daughter’s heartbreak, and reason Tom left their home (Bloom 72). Nurturing requires a mother who understands psychological developments of the children and empowers them. The mother should also be a refuge for the children in hardships. However, she does the opposite. Human cognitive and mental development is a gradual process. The play primarily Laura’s approach to things depicts the society’s wrong perception of disability. The society stamps into them the idea that they are vulnerable and always need the assistance of others. However, schools offer opportunities for growth and interactions. Likewise, people should select their mates based on sound knowledge of oneself. Relationships are healthy, but only with the right kind of persons. Laura is so shy that she drops out of school (Williams 59). Furthermore, she loved Jim but never expressed her emotions until Tom introduced them. She ends up heartbroken because of her fear and her unaggressive nature. Women have the obligation to make informed decisions on matters pertinent to them. A happy life involves accepting the realities of life and working towards improving them. Reality provides the comfort and enhances a healthy living. Nonetheless, the play illustrates that every member of Wingfield family has difficulty of accepting their fate. They prefer a world illusion to try to find support that is lacking in the real world. However, the family structure should be a source of consolation for every member. The family members should understand one another and offer the psychological support. Amanda, Laura, and Tom are each in a separate world with diverse interests. They do not seem to coordinate as a family unit even though they live together. The family is structure provides no space for personal development and escape. Every activity performed by a family member should be in line with family values and practices. Tom illustrates this wrong belief at the beginning of scene four when he entertains Laura with a story of a magic show whereby a magician escaped fr om a coffin. In cognitive aspects, narration shows the belief that Tom perceives his family as a coffin. He feels the family suffocates and limits his chances of development. In conclusion, the play illustrates real struggles and endurances that most parents undergo in different circumstances. However, it fails to consider the psychological aspects of development and strengths of families. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Tennessee Williams's the Glass Menagerie. New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2007. Print. Smith, Nicole. "Analysis and Plot Summary of â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams. " 7 December 2011. Article Myriad. internet. 19 March 2015. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New York: New Directions, 2011. Print.