Mr. Wingfield In The Glass Menagerie

Mr. Wingfield is the character in The Glass Menagerie who does not appear in the novel but has a significant impact on the meaning of the work. Mr. Wingfield, who is an employee for a telephone company, abandons his family because he “fell in love with long distances” that the telephone conveys into publics' perception. Mr. Wingfield’s abandonment of his family establishes the future of their life. Mr. Wingfield’s abandonment evidently leads to Tom’s abandonment of his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura; in addition, Mr. Wingfield’s desertion foreshadows Jim’s abandonment of Laura. Although Mr. Wingfield was not a protuberant character in the novel, his substantial existence has a noteworthy impact on the other characters and their actions

and theme.
The excruciating consequence of Mr. Wingfield’s abandonment on Amanda, and Amanda's subsequent terror about her own dependence, is well-defined in her persistent journey for Laura to gain professional skills and then to wed a wealthy man. The large portrait of Mr. Wingfield in the living room suggests that the family does not recognize actuality and do not care for his absence. Mr. Wingfield’s relinquishment plagues the family and creates the example for other male characters who will abandon Amanda and Laura. For example, in scene three Amanda accuses Tom of doing something dishonorable under the appearance of going to the movies, declaring that he will endanger his work. Moreover, Tom screams at Amanda, stating that “Look! I’d rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains—than go back mornings! I go! Every time you come in yelling that Goddamn “Rise and Shine” (Williams 23). In addition, Tom further yells at Amanda and points to the portrait of Mr. Wingfield explaining that he would rather escape from his work just like his father did in the past. With Amanda’s continual blame of Tom’s wrongdoing, Tom is interested to follow in his father’s paths and desert his family, but he is equivalently disturbed by responsibility and repentance at the consideration of doing so. Through movies and drinking alcohol, Tom continues to try to find an escape route from his life, but he is always attracted back by the love he has for his family and his job. For example, Tom sees a trick that symbolizes his situation with his family; after seeing the magic show, Tom states, “But the wonderfullest trick of all was the coffin trick. We nailed him into a coffin and he got out of the coffin without removing one nail. There is a trick that would come in handy for me—get me out of this two-by four situations” (Williams 27). The magic coffin trick he witnesses impeccably signifies the predicament Tom distinguishes himself as being in, and his request that he could desert his life with his family without destroying anything or anyone. The intimidating figure of the father who deserted the Wingfield family is a relentless spiritual influence in all of their lives. Through Tom’s actions throughout the play, Amanda sees that Tom is ready to go after receiving a letter from the merchant marines. Amanda can see that Tom will leave them just his father left her, but she does not want to enter another phase of abandonment. Amanda urges Tom to stay until Laura has someone to look after her. In addition, in the last scene of the play Tom’s abandonment of his family is foreshadowed through his inability to pay the electric bill; the darkness caused by the lights foreshadows Tom’s subsequent escape. Not only does Mr. Wingfield’s absence from the play have a significant impact on Tom’s physical nature, but also Mr. Wingfield’s actions significantly influences Amanda and Laura, physically and emotionally.
In addition to Mr. Wingfield’s impact on Tom’s temptation to leave, Mr. Wingfield had a significant impact on his daughter, Laura. Because Laura had no father figure in her life, she is extremely tenuous, psychologically and physically. Throughout the play Amanda constantly tries to project her visions of success on Laura; for example, instead of allowing Laura to be another housewife in the Wingfield’s household, Amanda forces her to “go in front and study your typewriter chart. Or practice your shorthand a little. Stay fresh and pretty!—It’s almost time for our gentlemen callers to start arriving” (Williams 10). Amanda consistently tries to make Laura a professional business woman in typewriting and continues to force Amanda’s dreams into Laura. Amanda is influenced to take these actions due to abandonment by Mr. Wingfield. In addition, Amanda wants to portray herself in Laura’s life; Amanda views Laura as another opportunity for Amanda’s goals to be achieved. In scene two of the play Amanda understands that Laura does not have the will to fulfill her dreams. Amanda becomes distraught by Laura’s deception and disappointment to meet her potentials rather than apprehensive for her daughter’s happiness; therefore, the only other option left for Amanda is to get Laura married. After thinking that Laura had found the perfect man, Jim, to be her husband, she realized that Jim was already engaged to another women and bound to abandon her. Laura is unable to socialize and therefore is abandon by her expected husband. Mr. Wingfield’s absence from the play foreshadowed Jim’s abandonment of Laura and concluded that no one will marry Laura. All in all, Mr. Wingfield’s absence significantly impacted Laura’s inability to get close to men.
In addition, Mr.

Wingfield’s absence from the play creates a major central theme, abandonment. For example, Jim’s abandonment of Laura fabricates the play’s intense climax; the Wingfield’s hope against faith that somehow he will remain with the Wingfields, though there is constantly the awareness that he cannot be with Laura. Tom, meanwhile, occupies the whole play in anxiety between his love for his mother and sister and his aspiration to chase his own potential, thus deserting his family. Tom sees his withdrawal as vital to the quest of exploration Only Amanda and Laura, who are dedicated to old-fashioned beliefs and ancient reminiscences, will seemingly never adopt the character of abandoner and are destined to be frequently abandoned. In addition, the fire escape in the apartment is symbolizes much more than a fire escape. Thomas Foster states, “The thing referred to is more likely not reducible to a single statement but will more probably involve a range of possible meanings and interpretations” (Foster 105). Tom habitually stands on the apartment’s fire escape, a literal and metaphoric impermanent relief from the limits of his day-to-day life. Tom smokes on the fire escape, eliminating himself from the symbolic domestic fires by igniting his own flare, which also signifies his longing to control his fate rather than be taken over by his family and his past. Tom’s common getaway to the fire escape foreshadows his ultimate withdrawal from the apartment. Through the theme of abandonment and the symbolism of the fire escape, Mr. Wingfield absence significantly impacts the family’s ultimate

doom.
Even though Mr. Wingfield was not physically present throughout the play, he had significant impact on the development of the other characters and the overall theme of the play.