Tom's Real Motivation

Tom clearly works hard to provide for his small family; both his mother and daughter depend on him for survival. However, as one reads Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, he sees a change in Tom's true motivation. Amanda asks Tom, "What right have you got to jeopardize your job? Jeopardize the security of all of us? How do you think we'd manage if you were-" (Williams, 1247). Clearly, Amanda assumes that it is Tom's responsibility as a member of the family to provide. However, Amanda soon realizes that Tom, though he loves his family, is not entirely devoted to working hard simply for the sake of providing for the family. Moreover, he frequently comes home intoxicated with hopeless feelings about his own future. Thus, Amanda says later on, "Oh, I can see the handwriting on the wall as plain as I see the nose in front of my face! ....I know what you're dreaming of. ....Very well, then. Then do it! But not till there's somebody to take your place" (Williams, 1253). Amanda knows that Tom will not be motivated to help find Laura a husband unless he knows that he would be granted "freedom" for his efforts. Amanda, however, does not fight this realization. Though Tom is motivated by what she deems "selfish reasons", she is nonetheless achieving her goal of attaining a gentleman caller for Laura.