Symbolic illustration of Laura's hands holding a glass unicorn

The Glass Menagerie

by Tennessee Williams

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Student Question

In The Glass Menagerie, does Amanda sell newspaper subscriptions or take out a personal ad for Laura?

Quick answer:

Amanda attempts to sell magazine subscriptions over the phone to earn money, as depicted in The Glass Menagerie. In Act I, she is shown trying to convince a customer to renew a subscription. Amanda does not place a personal ad for Laura; instead, she pressures her son, Tom, to find a suitor for Laura, leading him to invite Jim O'Connor for dinner.

Expert Answers

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Amanda tries (obviously without much success, considering the family's difficult economic circumstances) to sell magazine subscriptions over the telephone to earn income. This information is included in the play through staging. When Amada is alone on stage toward the end of Act I, a screen image of Glamour magazine appears while a spotlight shows Amanda talking on the phone to a woman customer, Ella Cartwright. Amanda's part of the conversation (the only part we hear) is her sales pitch to get her customer to renew her subscription to another magazine, Companion. Amanda does not place an ad to find Laura a suitor. Instead, she pressures Tom continually to find someone for his sister. Tom finally gives in and brings Jim O'Connor home for dinner.

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