In the first scene of the play, Amanda's goals seem to be for her children to attain wealth and status. She chastises Tom for his sloppy habits at the table, and above all encourages Laura to keep herself looking "fresh and pretty" for all the "gentlemen callers" that Amanda seems to think will be coming. It is obvious to the audience that this is unlikely to happen, and Laura herself says that she is not beautiful enough to attract men. Amanda makes matters worse by reminiscing about her own youth, when she was allegedly the object of the affections of many young men. It seems that her concerns for her children derive in part from a sincere interest in their well-being, but perhaps more out of her desire to live vicariously through them. In any case, she is clearly out of touch with reality, a point that Tom reiterates throughout the play.