How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Scene.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a big long monologue.
Quote #16
"Laura seems all those things to you and me because she's ours and we love her. We don't even notice she's crippled anymore."
"Don’t say crippled! You know I never allow that word to be used!" (5.120-5.122, Tom and Amanda).
Amanda establishes roles and obligations within her family to help her avoid having to deal with reality.
Quote #17
"Laura is very different from other girls."
[…]
"…in the eyes of others-strangers-she's terribly shy and lives in a world of her own and those things make her seem a little peculiar to people outside the house."
[…]
"She lives in a world of her own-a world of little glass ornaments, Mother…She plays old phonograph records and-that's about all-". (5.126, 5.128, 5.132, Tom)
Tom fully understands Laura’s retreat from reality.
Quote #18
Yes, movies! Look at them-[a wave toward the marvels of Grand Avenue]. All of those glamorous people-having adventures-hogging it all, gobbling the whole thing up! You know what happens? People go to the movies instead of moving! Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a dark room and watches them have them! Yes, until there's a war. That's when adventure becomes available to the masses! Everyone's dish, not only Gable's! Then the people in the dark room come out of the dark room to have some adventures themselves-goody, goody! It's our turn now, to go to the South Sea Island-to make a safari-to be exotic, far off! But I'm not patient. I don't want to wait till then. I'm tired of the movies and I am about to move! (6.114, Tom).
Just as Tom escapes reality by going to the movies, so, he says, does the general population.