1. What do you make of the racial epithets that Amanda uses at the beginning of scene one? What is her tone when she uses these words? What do you think Williams intended the audience to make of this language?
2. What does the fact that this is a “memory play” mean for the work formally? Aside from telling us up front that this is a memory play, how does the play reinforce the notion that it depicts memories and not real lived experience? Why is this important to how we understand the point of the play?
3. Not only is the play depicting memories, they are depicting Tom’s memories. Do you think that Tom remembers things the way they actually happened? The play depicts some scenes in which Tom was not even present. Can we trust his “memory” of these events? Are there any events or passages in the play that you are suspicious Tom may not be remembering accurately?
4. Do you think that Tom is blameworthy for leaving his family? Why or why not? Do you think that Williams guides us toward a certain reaction to Tom’s leaving? If so, how?
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