Question

Amanda often refers to her absent husband, and his grinning picture is highlighted at various times during the play. What does the photograph represent to Amanda? To Tom? How is the photograph a constant threat to Amanda and Laura's survival?

Answer 1

Amanda's husband's photograph symbolizes past happiness for her, while for Tom it suggests an inheritance of escape. To both, it's also a threat to stability and personal aspirations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The photograph of Amanda's husband in the play represents different things to Amanda and Tom. For Amanda, the picture is a reminder of past happiness and a representation of social respectability that she desperately clings to despite her husband's absence. It embodies both the hope of returning to better times and the disillusionment that comes with abandonment. For Tom, the photograph symbolizes the legacy of escape and neglect, a constant reminder of the father who left and the possibility of following in his footsteps. To both characters, the photograph stands as a silent threat to survival; for Amanda, it threatens their social and financial stability whereas, for Tom, it threatens his aspirations and emphasizes the trap of his domestic responsibilities.