Tom is because of his attitude toward Amanda and Laura even though he cares for them; he is often very cruel toward them during the play. But in the end he deserts them both and not once during the play does he show any love or kindness toward Laura. Toward the end of the play when Tom and Amanda are discussing Laura he states that she is a hopeless peculiar person who cannot survive in the outside world. Tom should have been encouraging to Laura to complete the business school that she was attending instead of running away to the