Laura Wingfield’s Distortion of Character in Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie In his 1944 play, The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams depicts the pseudo-existence of his stifled sister, Laura. The twenty-eight-year-old woman lives at home with her brother Tom and their mother Amanda. Laura has lived her whole life in the shadow of what Amanda envisions for her: an educated, happily married woman who is financially viable. The roots of Laura’s predicament are found in Amanda’s living vicariously through her daughter, including Amanda’s infatuation with the idea that Laura will learn practical business skills and will secure a gentleman caller who will arrive to claim Laura as his wife. Amanda’s husband left her sixteen years ago, convincing Amanda that Laura must marry soon to prevent a life mirroring her mother’s, lonely and reminiscent; however, throughout The Glass Menagerie, the audience can see pieces of Laura that have remained fully her own. She has not succumbed to the expectations of her mother but has, tragically, belittled herself to the point of psychological and emotional distortion. Moreover, in attempting to “branch out” and away from her mother’s overbearing nature, Laura develops survival mechanisms to aid in domestic and social interactions, creating a crutch of sorts to comfort her in uncomfortable situations. She fabricates a visible limp to manifest a physical ailment which she can blame whenever anyone questions her peculiar behavior. Laura’s limp becomes a symbol of her inferiority complex, slowing her to such a pace that may keep her from escaping her dilemma after all. Keywords: Glass Menagerie, Laura Wingfield, psychology, distortion