In Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, the characters participate in several external conflicts with one another. One major conflict is between Amanda and Laura. Most of the women's conflicts stem from misunderstandings about each other. Amanda remains in denial about her daughter's physical state and the drawbacks it causes. She goes on and on about Laura's gentlemen callers, ignoring the fact that, due to her shyness and brace, Laura has none. Amanda ignores Laura when she suggests there will be no gentlemen callers, simply stating "Sometimes they come when they are least expected" (Williams, 1238). This denial and pressure placed upon Laura causes strain on their relationship.
In contrast, Laura's shyness and submissive nature cause her to become agitated by her mother's outspoken nature. This leads to many conflicts in the story, such as the woman's arguement over who should answer the door for the gentleman caller. Amanda is unable to accept Laura's embarassment and bashfullness. Laura is unable to overcome her fears and articulate to her mother her concerns and fears. These misunderstandings and lack of communication cause rifts in the mother and daughter relationship.
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