The Glass Menagerie - 2 - Characters

"[Amanda]'s characterization must be carefully created, not copied from type.  She is not paranoiac, but her life is paranoia" (Characters, pg. 1234).

Tom is a character that has a double role in the play.  He is the narrator but also one who acts out what he describes to the audience.  In the role of the narrator, he tries to be focused and informative.  In his role as a character, he likes to be laid back and not as strict and proper.  I would say that Laura is the protagonist in the play as she is the only character that is compassionate and generous towards others.  I don't remember a time where she was the mean character in the play.  The antagonists in her way are Amanda and Tom.  Amanda is Laura's mother who is in constant control of what Laura does.  Tom is Laura's brother who Jim is a minor character who kind of just moves the play along with his interactions with the main characters. Tom's character continues the action of the play without creating much of a disturbance.