Did Williams make a slip in having Amanda say Laura is a "crippled"?

Amanda does her best, throughout the play, to avoid
referring to her daughter, Laura, as a cripple. As stated by Laura, herself, she had "an
attack of pleurosis" in high school which left her with a weakened leg that necessitated
the wearing of a brace. In the play, Laura walks with a visible, though slight,
limp.

Twice during the play, the idea that Laura is a
cripple arises and is quickly denied by her mother:

readability="35">

1)

AMANDA: Girls
that aren't cut out for business careers usually wind up married to some nice man. [Gets
up with aspark of revival.] Sister, that's what you'll do
!

[LAURA utters a startled, doubtful laugh. She reaches
quickly for a piece of glass.]

LAURA: But,
Mother

AMANDA: Yes ? [Crossing to
photograph.]

LAURA [in a tone of frightened apology]: I'm -
crippled !

AMANDA: Nonsense ! Laura, I've told you never,
never to use that word. Why, you're not crippled, you just have a little defect - hardly
noticeable, even! When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate
other things to make up for it - develop charm - and vivacity and - charm! That's all
you have to do ![She turns again to the photograph.] One thing your father had plenty of
- was charm!

2)

TOM: Mother,
you mustn't expect too much of Laura.

AMANDA: What do you
mean?

TOM: 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 any
more.

AMANDA: Don't say crippled ! You know that I never
allow that word to be used
!

The last time the word is
uttered, Amanda finally admits what she really thinks of her daughter's condition. It is
said in a fit of anger and disappointement. It was not a slip of Amanda's or of the
playwright. Amanda finally has to face one of the many bitter truths of her sad and all
but hopeless life:

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TOM: I'm going to the
movies.

AMANDA: That's right, now that you've had us make
such fools of ourselves. The effort, the preparations, all the expense ! The new floor
lamp, the rug, the clothes for Laura ! all for what? To entertain some other girl's
fiancé ! Go to the movies, go ! Don't think about us, a mother deserted, an unmarried
sister who's crippled and has no job ! Don't let anything
interfere with your selfish pleasure I just go, go, go - to the movies
!