Personally, I see Amanda as a woman who is afraid for the future. She has a selfish daughter who is letting a slight defect give her the excuse to sit on her tail and do nothing. She knows her son hates his job but being an old woman in the '30s when the play takes place there isn't a lot for her to do in order to support the family. She's afraid of what is going to happen to her daughter if her son takes off and she dies.
