Tennessee Williams portrays the 1940s society very well in Glass Menagerie. The story depicts the lives of women in two ways. A woman is to either get a job typing or answering phones or becomes a wife and a homemaker. When Laura fails at this first case, her mother demands that she devotes the rest of her youthful days in preparation to become a wife. This role of a homemaker was viewed as a pretty woman first with no obligation of a sound mind. "All pretty girls are a trap, a pretty trap, and men expect them to be" (Williams, 1263). This quote shows that in society, a man will choose a woman based on her looks first; not her personality.
We also see that this society that a homemaker is demanded to have exquisite skills around the house. "It's rare for a girl as sweet an' pretty as Laura to be domestic! But Laura, is, thank heavens, not only pretty but very domestic" (Williams, 1270). This quote emphasizes the two main qualities of a great wife, beauty and a handiness around the house. Amanda is trying to make Jim impressed by all of Laura's "skills." We see here that Amanda is no hypocrite. She is a trap, trying to sway Jim into falling for the counterfeit parts of the evening. In reality, it was Amanda who cooked and made Laura look the part; Laura wanted no part in the evening at all.
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