Disillusioned Amanda

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Amanda becomes very ironic from Tom's point of view. Throughout the play, she accuses Tom of being selfish. It happens that Tom forces himself to work at the mill everyday because he cares about his family, "I'll rise--but I won't shine" (Williams, 1249). He goes to the movies so that he may enjoy a little part of his day. Amanda fails to recognize this and further infuriates Tom. She bombards him with accusations that he only cares about his selfish pleasure and that he is a selfish dreamer. Amanda coerced Tom out of her life for good.  Furthermore, Amanda accuses Tom of living in dreams and manufacturing illusions. Amanda is the one who happens to living in her dreams, illusions, and fantasies. She constantly compares the amount of gentlemen callers she had to the ones that Laura had. She relives her past life as if it were today by wearing old dresses and recalls all the wonderful times she had with her husband. Amanda was the main reason that Tom left the family.