In the beginning of the scene, as Amanda crouches to put on Laura's dress, it is obvious that Laura is uncomfortable with her mother's attempt to over-beautify her for Jim's arrival. This scene emphasizes Laura's fragility that is doll-like and non-human through describing her appearance as "unearthly prettiness". Not only is she unearthly, but she is also "like a piece of translucent glass" which emphasizes her vulnerability because she's like a piece of glass that is about to be shattered. Her beauty is also described as giving off the effect of a "momentary radiance" that is "not actual, not lasting", highlighting the artificiality of Amanda's attempt to beautify her daughter. The imagery of "translucent glass touched by light" gives a sense of purity because "light' usually connotes a pure and untainted entity but since the light only reflects through glass, the appearance of purity is temporary and artificial.
Laura moves slowly to the long mirror and stares solemnly at herself. A wind blows the white curtains inwards in a slow, graceful motion and with a faint, sorrowful sighing. (53)
When Laura stares at herself "solemnly" in the mirror, the personification of the wind mimics Laura's emotions through the "slow, graceful motion" and "faint, sorrowful sighing". The comparison of Laura to the wind emphasizes Laura's emotional presence rather than physical presence. Like the wind, she is almost invisible and her presence can only be felt through her feeble movements and her passive inner sorrow.
Outside a summer storm is coming on abruptly. The white curtains billow inward at the windows and there is a sorrowful murmur from the deep blue dusk. (65)
Nature continues to play an important role in the scene as Laura attempts to join the dinner table with Jim and her family. The "summer storm" foreshadows an ominous event that will shatter the Wingfields' hopes of finding Laura a suitor. It also leads to Laura physically getting hurt as she "stumbles" with "a faint moan". The faint moan also paralells the "sorrowful murmur" which I interpret to also be the sound of the wind. The wind progressed from "faint, sorrowful sighing" to a "sorrowful murmur" which both reflects Laura's feebleness and overwhelmed feeling by the whole prospect of facing Jim. Afterwards, the stage direction read:
[There is a clap of thunder.]
Hence, the weather is a reification of Laura's emotional state in the scene as she struggles with confronting Jim (or reality in general) to please Amanda.
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