After finishing The Glass Menagerie and after reading “Tragedy and the Common Man” (Miller), who do you believe is the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie? On what do you base your claim? Your response should be at least four sentences long.
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After finishing both of the readings, I believe that the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie is Tom based on the definition that Arthur Miller gives. Miller states that the hero reveals to his tragic flaw which is “a failing that is not peculiar to grand or elevated characters…but his inherent unwillingness to remain passive” which is shown in Tom’s attitude with his job. Tom refuses to work at the warehouse as his mother wishes him to, if he accepts that job as a career for the rest of his life, then he would of been flawless. The action of him also joining the Union of Merchant Seamen also shows that he does not want to remain passive.
I believe that Tom is The Glass Menagerie’s tragic hero. Arthur Miller describes the tragic hero as someone that is willing to lay down his life to find his place in society, or to face what he thinks is a challenge to his dignity. Amanda asks Tom to stay in his boring job until Laura finds a husband, and accuses him of making a fool of them when it’s found out that Jim isn’t single. Tom later leaves behind everything he knows, essentially laying down his life, in order to find adventure, looking for his place in the world. This is also an act of protest to Amanda’s attacks at his dignity. She continuously compares him to his father and says he embarrassed them on purpose.
Based on Miller’s description I believe that Tom Wingfield is a tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie. He is living in an “evil” environment where he cannot follow his dreams and instead of writing poems, he has to work in a warehouse to support his mother and sister. But instead of accepting his fate, he goes against it. Throughout the play, he disappoints his mother by drinking and disappearing to the “movies” every night. He brings the caller from his sister giving both mother and Laura hope that everything can work out. Tom created the excitement that Jim could be the one for Laura. The news about Jim’s engagement not only disappointed Tom’s mother and sister, but it crushed Laura and made her lose hope and come back in her world of glass. Then Tom is leaving his family to travel alone even though he knows that they cannot live without him. His decisions not only affect him but the lives around him bringing tragedy in all their lives.
After finishing the readings, I would say that Tom is the tragic hero of this story. Although, I wouldn’t say that Tom exemplifies greatness, he does have a tragic flaw. His tragic flaw is his love for his sister, Laura, which ultimately impedes him with his own goals in life. The story ends with Tom leaving his mom and sister to go on an adventure, but while he is on his adventure, he cannot stop being reminded of his sister. Tom explains that he still has not found what he is looking for, and the reader can assume that Tom’s feelings for Laura are ultimately what is holding him back from finding happiness. I feel that Tom deserves to be the tragic hero because he was the only one in his family who could have helped his sister. However, he chose to abandon his responsibilities to his family and leave them prematurely. This resulted in both parties feeling upset and unsatisfied.
Based on Arthur Miller’s definition of what a tragic hero is, I believe within “The Glass Menagerie,” the tragic hero is between Tom and Laura. Tom being the main tragic hero because he is in a state of constant shun and clearly portrayed not enjoying his life. He is constantly disappointing his family with his habits of smoking, drinking, and going to theaters. When he introduces Jim to the family and a gentleman caller, he is met by the tragedy of not knowing a key piece of information that breaks Laura’s heart. Lastly throughout the story, Tom foreshadows his father in always trying to run away from his problems.
I would also say Laura may be considered a tragic hero within the story because we as the audience see the course of emotions she goes through. Though within Miller’s definition, the role of a tragic hero usually does not involve women, she faces so much tragedy. From dropping out of school and not satisfying her mother to Jim breaking her heart. It is her shyness that truly consumes her and I would consider this to be quite tragic.
After reading the Tragedy and the Common Man by Arthur Miller I believe that the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie is Laura Wingfield. Arthur Miller mentions that a tragic hero is usually one who is displaced from society and tries their best to find their rightful place but sadly it ends in tragedy for the character. As a crippled girl who is extremely shy, Laura Wingfield has been displaced from society since birth. She tries her best to finish school or go to business college but her shyness and anxiety gets the best of her every time. In the end she remains lonely and without love when Jim reveals that he is with another woman. Throughout the story Laura never tries to hurt anyone but instead tries her best to please everyone. For example when she did not continue in business college, Laura did not tell her mother that she had dropped out in fear of her disappointment. Laura may not be the classic definition of a tragic hero but her story is certainly one of tragedy and she is a hero in her own way.
Tom or Laura Wingfield seems to be the tragic hero in The Glass Mangerie. Tom has these pressures he faces from his family from working to support them to finding a gentleman caller for Laura. He’s constantly compared to his father which affects his ego. He mentions he’s unhappy working at the warehouse but is still pressured to do so. In his quest to figure out who he truly is, it’s given Tom cannot leave behind Laura and I believe that’s stopping him from being happy and moving on with life.
After finishing the readings, I believe that the tragic hero, in “The Glass Menagerie”, is Tom. The author, Arthur Miller, mentions that a tragic hero is usually the one that is displaced from society and tries their best to fit in, but it usually ends terribly for them. Tom leaves everything behind knowing that it will cause problems for his family. However, he can’t stop thinking about his sister, and that holds him back from truly being happy.
I believe Laura is the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie. Miller describes a tragic hero as someone who struggles to gain their rightful position in their society. They also have a tragic flaw that challenges them. In Laura’s case, it is her shyness and her disability. Her shyness caused her to not attend business school. She also felt like a social outcast because she had trouble making friends. She also felt self-conscious about her disability and the loudness when she walks with her equipment. She could have more faith in herself and be more proud of her interests like her glass collection.
However, another limitation is her gender in that time period. She could not take on a job and has to resort to finding a husband to support her. After talking with Jim and seeming to have possibly found a good partner, she was let down once again when he reveals he’s already engaged. Tom also leaves her and her mother behind. She and her mother will then have to find a way to make money. Perhaps if she managed her shyness over time and was able to successfully attend business school and if Tom hadn’t left, she could’ve had a better shot at life.
After reading The Glass Menagerie and “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I believe that Laura Wingfield is the tragic hero of The Glass Menagerie. This is because the story reveals Laura’s tragic flaw which is her being crippled. Laura seems to be a good person, but she prevents herself from seeing her own positive characteristics by focusing on the fact that she is crippled. Arthur Miller points out that the tragic hero of a tale tends to have a flaw that they see as a challenge even though it is nothing. When speaking to Jim O’Connor, Laura said that she was uncomfortable while walking to class because of the noise coming from her brace. Jim revealed that he barely heard any noise when she walked in which shows her flaw was not as big of a problem as she thought it was.
Based on Arthur Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I believe that the tragic hero in “The Glass Menagerie” is Tom. Arthur Miller identifies a tragic hero as any common man/person willing to sacrifice everything in an attempt to gain their “rightful” position in society as well as their dignity. Tom can be identified as the tragic hero because of the constant disappointment he brings to his family. As the man of the house he is expected to care after his mother and sister, yet it is impossible when he is unsatisfied with the role he is playing in his life. When asked to bring a caller, Jim, they figure out that he is already engaged, which for his mother is disappointing and a waste of time. Tom has a difficult time especially when he is compared to his father who does not have the best reputation in the family, for example, the alcoholism and abandonment.
I believe that the tragic hero in “The Glass Menagerie” is Tom, at least using Arthur Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man.” Miller says that part of the the tragedy is when “The wrong is the condition which suppresses man, perverts the flowing out of his love and creative instinct.” This line reminded me of Tom, and how for a long time he had to sacrifice his happiness and wanting to go on adventures, to support the family, and work in the warehouse. Tom had said earlier in the play how the warehouse was suppressing his creativity and he hated working there. Even when he leaves his family is still something on his mind, that somewhat seems to be holding him back.
After reading the end of “The Glass Menagerie” and “Tragedy and the Common Man” I have come to believe that the tragic hero in the Glass Menagerie is Laura. She is a protagonist and is very kind toward everyone. However, Laura’s tragic flaw was her shyness. In situations throughout her life such as confessing to the person she liked in high school and attending business school, her shyness got the best of her.
After finishing “The Glass Menagerie” and reading “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I believe Tom Wingfield is the tragic hero. He is the tragic hero because he is stuck in his role as a provider for his mother and sister whilst hoping for a better, more explorative life. He has to work at the warehouse to provide for them, which gives him no room to display his creativity. It is the reason he goes to the movies every night, to watch other people live a life full of exploration and imagination as artists he wishes to live. Then, after this, he has to go home to the reality of not being able to live out his dreams.
His mother enlists him to find a suitor for his sister Laura which he agrees to do because of his sense of obligation towards her. He seeks out Jim from his work to try and fulfill the role he has been playing in her (and his mother’s) life of being a provider. This fails because Jim is engaged to be married.
Tom planned to leave around then. He goes out into the world from city to city to pursue something he can’t identify and finds he can’t leave Laura. His sense of obligation and his love for his sister follows him from city to city. Some piece of glass or quality of light reminds him of her which leads him back to her at the end. He never truly finds out what he is looking for and his sense of duty in his role as provider sticks with him.
After reading The Glass Menagerie, I believe the tragic hero of the story is Laura. Laura spends most of her life hyper aware and self conscious of her condition. Laura spends most of the play trying to please everyone else and not living for herself. When Jim comes around, he gives her hope and a sense of normalcy that he takes when he leaves and moves on. Unlike other characters in the play Laura cannot move on and she is unable to live without someone to take care of her. Laura has lost hope and will remain feeling “deformed”. The other characters in the play like Tom, Jim, and Amanda all move on and have things to hold onto. Tom joins the Merchant Marines, Jim is engaged, and Amanda has her memories, but Laura has nothing to hold onto to keep her going.
After finishing “The Glass Menagerie” and after reading “Tragedy and the Common Man” I believe the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie is Laura. Laura has the tragic flaw of being crippled and very shy. Laura is also displaced from society and tries her best to fit in which is shown when she struggles to go to business college or finish school because of her anxiety and shyness. Laura’s story also ends in tragedy when Jim reveals that he is already engaged.
After reading The Glass Menagerie and “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I believe that Tom Wingfield is the tragic hero of The Glass Menagerie. Throughout the novel, Tom portrays himself as a tragic hero by making decisions that affect his life and the lives of those around him. Tom makes life worse for those who love and care for him. He neglected Laura to an extent, and calling for a suitor who was due to be married in a short time. Tom not only sent Laura back into her small world of glass ornaments, but also deeply hurt his mother, who had high expectations for her unmarried daughter. Tom’s inability to comprehend fully the danger that Laura’s future was in without a husband was a cause for him to be labeled as a tragic hero. Tom seems to caught up in his own dreams, and in the process his mother finds that she can no longer count on him to find Laura a suitor. As Tom consistently tries to leave the dismal situation at home by “going to the movies”, he does not realizes that both his mother and daughter are sinking into an everlasting despair.
After finishing The Glass Menagerie and watching the movie, I believe that Laura is the Tragic hero of the play. Laura has a huge flaw where she is very shy. During this time, being shy was an unusual characteristic. Amanda and Tom call this a disadvantage. Jim saw this trait as her being different and says that being different Is good. Knowing Laura had a huge crush on him in Highschool, Jim started to catch feelings and kissed Laura. He kissed her without telling her about his upcoming marriage. I feel like this made Laura experience heartbreak for the first time in her life after Jim saying he wont come back anymore.