The Glass Menagerie: Scenes 5–6

by Tennessee Williams
Amanda Wingfield clings to her memories of her youth while living with her two children, Laura and Tom. When Tom brings a friend home for dinner, the family's precarious balance is disrupted.

Here are links to our lists for the play: Scenes 1–2, Scenes 3–4, Scenes 5–6, Scene 7
15 words 841 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ritual
    the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies
    Amanda and Laura, in light-colored dresses, are removing dishes from the table in the dining room, which is shadowy, their movements formalized almost as a dance or ritual, their moving forms as pale and silent as moths.
  2. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
    There is only one respect in which I would like you to emulate your father.
  3. compensation
    something given or received as payment or reparation
    This was the compensation for lives that passed like mine, without any change or adventure.
  4. homely
    lacking in physical beauty or proportion
    AMANDA: He’s not right-down homely, though?
  5. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed
    I didn’t let on that we had dark ulterior motives.
  6. vitality
    a healthy capacity for vigorous activity
    Then vitality and optimism return and she turns from the door, crossing to the portieres.
  7. hostility
    a state of deep-seated ill-will
    And while the other boys in the warehouse regarded me with suspicious hostility, Jim took a humorous attitude toward me.
  8. unobtrusive
    not undesirably noticeable
    In high school Laura had been as unobtrusive as Jim had been astonishing.
  9. translucent
    allowing light to pass through diffusely
    A fragile, unearthly prettiness has come out in Laura: she is like a piece of translucent glass touched by light, given a momentary radiance, not actual, not lasting.
  10. altered
    changed in form or character without becoming something else
    LAURA [with an altered look]: What did you say his name was?
  11. rendition
    a performance of a musical composition or a dramatic role
    A faraway, scratchy rendition of 'Dardanelles' softens the air and gives her strength to move through it.
  12. exhilaration
    the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
    He leans over the fire-escape rail, speaking with quiet exhilaration.
  13. acquainted
    having fair knowledge of
    Mother is not acquainted with my plans!
  14. paragon
    model of excellence or perfection of a kind
    I finally said to him, Tom—good gracious!—why don’t you bring this paragon to supper?
  15. tribulation
    an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
    But what am I going on for about my—tribulations?
Created on Wed May 15 20:15:21 EDT 2013 (updated Fri Aug 01 15:19:17 EDT 2025)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.