Question

How does Jim O'Connor’s visit affect Laura Wingfield?

• A. He encourages Laura to pursue her dreams of being an actress.
• B. He reveals that he is uninterested in romantic relationships, which comforts Laura.
• C. He shares that he is already engaged, which shatters Laura's illusions
• D. He tells Laura that he has always admired her, boosting her confidence.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. He shares that he is already engaged, which shatters Laura's illusions

• In The Glass Menagerie, Jim O'Connor’s visit profoundly affects Laura Wingfield, but not in the way Amanda hopes.

• Laura is deeply shy and socially awkward, and Amanda believes that Jim might be the suitor who could help Laura escape her loneliness and find happiness.

• During Jim’s visit, there is a brief moment when he encourages Laura to open up and feel more confident.

• She believes that Jim might be the person to "save" her and give her the attention she desperately craves.

• However, the pivotal moment occurs when Jim reveals that he is already engaged to another woman.

• This revelation shatters Laura’s illusions about him and crushes her hopes of a romantic future with him.

• She had built up a fantasy around Jim, imagining that he could be the one to give her a better life, but his engagement destroys that dream.