...positive light. In the play, “Death of a salesman” by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman becomes increasingly miserable as he progresses from a dedicated, loving father, though not without flaws, into a suicidal, delusional man. This would lead willys influence within his family to affect his relationships with Linda Loman and the negative impact Willy has in Biff and Willy's life. Willy Loman indirectly brings great sufferings to his family in ways that go unseen. Biff and Willy however, have the most strained relationship within the family, “I saw the things that I love in this world. The work and the food and the...
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...The standards of success and prosperity for the protagonists of Death of a Salesman and Wall Street are inflated by the media, celebrities, and their family lives. In the face of his brother’s triumph in Alaska, Willy struggles to achieve the same level of unrealistic, exaggerated success as a mere salesman in Death of a Salesman. Similarly, by working under the exaggeratedly cutthroat Gordon Gekko, Bud Fox seeks a hollow life of luxury, stolen through cheating. Both Willy and Bud try to succeed with exaggerated and unrealistic goals due to the pressure presented to them through external forces such as their mentors, society, their families, and the workplace. The pressure that Bud and Willy’s mentors place on them causes them to exaggerate their goals to unrealistic levels. As a result, Willy’s lucidity spirals into a deep depression that leaves him in a delusional mentality that refuses to let him face the reality of his present situation while Bud’s sanity becomes overcome by his hunger for power that is fed by his ego and arrogance. Ben Loman is the foil to Willy Loman’s character. He is wealthy, bold, and a ruthless business man. He is the epitome of a success story and living the American Dream. Ben is one of the fortunate few who found incredible success without much work, something which Willy recognizes and wants. Willy Loman believes that like his brother, he too can rise from humble beginnings to importance. His specific angle on this outlook is that a man succeeds...
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...patterns of self-delusion? In ‘Death of a Salesman’ Miller writes Linda’s situation as being one of an exceptionally difficult and intractable nature; we see that she is aware of Willy’s suicidal tendencies as well as his financial issues and yet keeps them to herself. Stuck in an invariably volatile relationship, Linda is shown to be doing her best for her husband and sons, yet struggles with the burden of responsibility. She seeks solace in what she deems to be the only way possible; almost by ignoring the problem rather than confront them. Whilst some may denounce Linda as a form of tragic villain, it seems more fitting to view her as a victim of circumstance, her failings in aiding Willy derived only from her well-intentioned yet misguided attempts to be there for him. ‘You’re my foundation and my support,” Willy tells Linda, only highlighting Linda’s profound devotion to him despite everything. Willy needs Linda to stay sane- she provides stability to his otherwise uncertain state. It would be expected then that Willy would pay Linda the utmost respect and reciprocal love, but we find this not to be the case; instead Willy treats her rather cruelly and even cheats on her. Why then does Linda stay with him? The answer is clear: she loves Willy unconditionally. Linda believes and supports Willy’s dreams to a great extent, even talking him out of the opportunity his brother Ben offered him in Alaska, choosing instead to encourage Willy’s career as a salesman with the Wagner...
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...In what ways does Fitzgerald and Williams present the importance of hopes and dreams? Both F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ and Arthur Miller’s ‘A Death of a Salesman’ focus their main ideas on the importance of hopes and dreams. Death of a Salesman, produced in 1949, has become a classic of modern American theatre. It is a story of an average salesman with a dream of being rich and well-liked. Willy believes whole heartedly in what he considers the promise of the American Dream. In the 1940’s The American Dream was as simple as it gets, to have a perfect, successful life with a common nuclear family, a house in the suburbs, a nice car and a life without conflict or family strife. ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a highly symbolic reflection on 1920’s America as a whole, in particular the disappearance of the American Dream in an era of material excess. On the surface, ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a story of the eternal love between a man and a woman. However, in reality the main theme of the novel involves a much larger, less romantic outlook. The 1920’s was an era of decayed social and moral values, which means that the idea of The American Dream was different to what it is now. When World War 1 ended in 1918, the generation of young Americans who fought the war became intensely disillusioned. The rise of the stock market in the aftermath of the war led to a sudden increase in the national wealth and a new found materialism, leading the younger generation to pursue a life of extravagance...
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...Willy Loman When one thinks of Willy Loman, victim is the last word that comes to mind. His character flaws make him responsible for his own misfortune. He has never taken responsibility for any of the disgraces in his life and has constantly blamed everyone, for not being able to live the life he feels he deserves. Some people are able to curb unrealistic expectations into something that is more tangible for them, while others such as Willy are not. Normally a salesman is someone who is able to accept their flaws and learn ways to improve, because this is how they make their living. Because Willy Loman never fully accepts his flaws, he has no way of progressing in life. He has reached the age where he can’t compete with the younger salesmen or keep up with the traveling that is required in order to be successful in his field. This is causing great strife in his life. The pride of a man can contribute to his life by being either a great asset or a ridiculous flaw. This trait is definitely a flaw for Willy Loman. Pride can assist you with taking control of your life and allow you to get what you think you deserve, however, it can also be crippling. This was the case for Willy. Pride kept him from talking to his boss earlier in his life as to why he needs to stop traveling and work from New York. Driving over 700 miles out of town just to come home empty handed would be too much for anyone, but it definitely weighs a toll on a 60 year old man. Once Biff decided he would stay...
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...Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is the perfect example of a tragic hero as he brings suffering not only to himself but also to those around him including his wife and sons. Willy shows the definition of a tragic hero by the pain he brings to himself and his family and this suffering contributes to the tragic vision of the story as a whole. Suffering is brought upon himself through his delusions and the confused view of the world he lives in. He believes he is young, successful, and well liked. The flashbacks throughout the story proves Willy is not who he used to be. Willy’s misconception of time is his main flaw with him being the main victim of that flaw. It eventually leads to Willy’s death as he jumps into his car and crashes it to get the life insurance money for his family....
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...Reaction Paper – “Death of A Salesman” by Arthur Miller Marcos Leiva ENG/125 April 6, 2015 Mr. Ozichi Alimole Reaction Paper – “Death of A Salesman” by Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman is a tragedy about the struggles of a middle class family living in Brooklyn, New York during the 1940’s. The play is a scathing critique of an American society that places emphasis on hollow materialistic values. Arthur Miller personifies the struggle between what society believes to be the “American Dream” and the middle class family trying to make that dream a reality, through the play’s protagonist Willy Loman, who is a depressed, overworked, and spiritless working man with delusions of grandeur. Originally written as a short story, Arthur Miller’s uncle (who was a salesman) inspired him to turn the story into a play. When the drama hit Broadway in 1949 it was a total hit and transformed Miller’s career, as well as gained him recognition as a gifted playwright, with the production winning the Pulitzer Prize that year and has remained a classic to this day. Chasing the “American Dream” Willy Loman is the play’s tragic hero and as the story line progresses the audience gets to learn how truly depressed Willy Loman is and how he has an unrealistic view on the world. The play starts with Willy coming home early from work because of a business trip to New England he has cut short. He tells his wife that he kept finding himself daydreaming while he was driving...
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...Requiem for an American Dream: Benjamin Loman’s Role in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (1951) is a subversive parable that subtly makes use of its characters to castigate the collective societal delusion of the American Dream. While protagonist Willy Loman’s character arc is traditionally read as a direct allegory of the decay of the American Dream, the role of Benjamin Loman is tragically undervalued in this respect. In order to illustrate a twisted ambition rooted deeply in materialism and blind aspiration, the vaguely successful Benjamin serves a necessary but controversial beacon. The very status of Uncle Ben as a unique character is wholly complex at its core. He is at once Willy’s brother, a romanticized memory, and an extended facet of Willy’s own personality, all while never truly existing within the scope of the play. Benjamin’s real and imagined affirmations falsely guide Willy on the path to downfall. The increasing ambiguity of...
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...father figure is important for a man to be able to mature into a man of strong character and a respectable citizen. In Arthur Millers, “Death of a Salesman”, the relationship between Willy and Biff is the example of a father and son relationship that is presented. Not having a strong father figure himself, Willy struggles with his character and that ultimately leads to a rift in his relationship with Biff and his neglect of Happy. Strong fathers play important roles in the lives of their sons and this is seen not only in literature, but also throughout history and in the world today. In “Death of a Salesman”, Willy’s non-existent relationship with his father and ideas of an American dream and what Willy wishes out of life, cause mass amounts of friction between him and his sons. It is evident in not only, “Death of a Salesman”, but in real life examples how having a strong father figure is important in fully developing into a man. Willy’s father left when he was young, and Willy describes this moment as, “…well, Dad left when I was such a baby and I never had a chance to talk to him and I still feel—kind of temporary about myself.” (Pg. 51) With that statement an inference can be made that Willy longed for a relationship with his father. His choice of words that he felt, “kind of temporary about myself” showed that something was amiss in Willy’s life and what he felt about himself. Not having his father around, Willy heard everything he knew about his father from his older brother...
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...Death of a Salesman is a modern domestic tragedy by Arthur Miller, written in 1948 and first performed in 1949. In America it was regarded by John Gassner as “one of the finest dramas in the whole range of American theatre.” (1) The play is a scornful critique of the American Dream and the idillic materialistic nature of American society in the 1940’s. In the play suffering can be seen through the thoughts and opinions of the protagonist Willy Loman, we can see this in Millers use of stage directions, language and time-shifts. Suffering can also be seen in Raymond Carver’s “Short Cuts” which contains stories such as “So Much Water So Close To Home”, “Neighbours” and “They’re Not Your Husband”. Carver’s work was heavily influenced by his upbringing and focuses and blue-collar workers, like his mother and father. Although Miller’s writing style is poetic and metaphorical shown in the opening stage directions “A melody is heard, played upon a flute. It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and the horizon.” This shows a romanticised pastoral idyll as well as a metaphorical stage setting. Carver’s style has been referred to as “minimalistic” and “cinematic” as seen in “Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?” whilst describing Marian’s aura on their honeymoon “her hair was long and hung down in front over her shoulders, and she was looking away from him, staring at something in the distance.” Graham Clarke said Carver is “the quintessential minimalist, seemingly reducing...
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...fantasy by those who criticize it. Capitalism sometimes may not be all that it is cracked up to be when you get down in the dirt and start building. Even when you begin to believe you are moving forward you can be eternally unsure of the direction you are moving. At this point, the race to the top can drive you crazy. In Arthur Miller’s play A Death of a Salesman, the central character Willy Loman embodies the American dream and he is certainly mad. In the story, Willy works as a growing salesman who is getting older and tiring from travelling for work for small returns. His hard work goes unrewarded as each paycheck goes right into the house which always needs to be serviced and mended. This house as it gets to be paid off after 25 years finally becomes owned by the family who ironically may soon not live in the house together. Willy’s family consists of his humble and caring wife, Linda, and his two handsome and able-bodied sons Happy and Biff. The story centers around the external conflict of Willy pushing Biff to be what he wants him to be and Biff’s internal conflict of what it is he would like to do with his life. Death of a Salesman is considered by many to be a tragedy as the play’s events lead to the ultimate suicide of its central character. The play does not lend itself to be a tragedy in a normal sense but a tragedy for all who have succumbed to or at one time believed in the American dream. William Hawkins claims in his review of...
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...Power of Success The unflinching conflict of obtaining success is eloquently portrayed throughout Arthur Millers “Death of a Salesman”. In this modern tragedy, Miller successfully depicts the human condition in midst of denying failure. The play unfolds around a washed- up salesman named Willy Loman, whose obsession with reaching concrete evidence of success, creates unfortunate repercussions on his family, and himself. Willys conviction that a man must not only be like, but he must be well liked (Miller, 1250), along with his uninterrupted focus on prominence, reflects on his two sons, Biff and Happy, as he infuses them with values of social status as well as future success. Willy’s sense of self value depends on the response of others. Such gestures of recognition provide signals that society is a comfortable home for him, one where he hopes to make his sons as happily at ease as he (Jacobson, 249). This is doubtlessly a mirage of security for Willy, as he desperately suppresses his inner motions of regret, and refuses to embrace his conscious identity. Ultimately, Willy Lomans self- delusion of success disabled him to obtain his true identity, and influence a displacement of identity in his sons. Most people in today’s society develop a constant necessity to better their lives, as well the quality of life for their family. For many, this necessity stems from their core beliefs of what a comfortable life should contain in our society, along with secure elements for their...
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...Combatting Reality in Death of a Salesman The public has certainly had its effects on society through the years. It has brought forth fads and trends and assigned people to follow those trends. It has recognized and brought to fame individuals. It has exposed and then censored others. It has taught us what is morally right and wrong. But sometimes we don’t endorse or condone what the public brings to us. Arthur Miller demonstrates this to readers through Willy Loman in the play, Death of a Salesman. Willy, enervated by demanding work, struggles to come to terms with what reality has presented to him. With so much seemingly missing in his life, Willy turns to materialistic and egotistical ways in an attempt to compensate. The best way to...
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...How is the theme of Broken Dreams And Hopelessness presented In Of Mice And Men and Death Of A Salesman? By: Sara The themes of broken dreams and hopelessness are explored in the novel Of Mice and Men published in 1934 by Steinbeck, and also in the play Death of The Salesman written in 1949 by Miller. The desire to achieve the American dream which is to own land and be self-sufficient by being one's own boss is made evident in both texts as the protagonists Willy, George and Lennie aim to elevate their status and be successful. However, they face many obstacles and difficulties along the way. Miller and Steinbeck both criticize the American value of commercialism, as the dream to be successful is just a delusion; if you cannot sell or earn money to provide for your family then you are seen as weak and incapable of success. In both texts men are, therefore, marginalized and don't know where they belong. The tragic endings in both texts show the hopelessness of characters not achieving their goals and desires. The essay will explore how the writers portray the theme of hopelessness and the desire to achieve a dream that is ultimately unachievable. One of the ways Steinbeck shows how eagerly the protagonists are trying to achieve their dream is when George and Lennie find it difficult to get a job. This is shown when George tells Lennie to stay away from "bad things" like he did in "Weed". Steinbeck also reveals how Lennie acts as a barrier for George, as he prevents him from...
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...Death of a Salesman Every family has its discord, but none a bad as Biff and Happy from ‘Death of a Salesman’. These two brothers were very close when they were younger, but one incident changed the whole dynamic of the family’s relationship. Biff, the eldest son of Willy and Linda Loman, was supposed to be the one with the most potential, but fell short of the goals everyone set for him. The three main differences of these two brothers was their age and responsibilities that came with the age, the fact that Biff was a realist while Happy was ignorant and delusional like his father, and the and attention. The eldest is always burdened with more knowledge, higher expectations and more secrets than the younger one. Biff is the only one who knows the real Willy Loman. He knows him as a cheat, a liar and a man riddled with suicidal tendencies. When Biff failed his math test he rushed to Boston where his father was on a ‘business’ trip and discovers the mistress who had been receiving all of his mother’s stockings. He knows that Willy lies about being well liked and making all the money that he does, he borrows most of it and takes it as his own accomplishments. He is also the only person to find the evidence that Willy had tried to kill himself of Monoxide poisoning with a small tube Willy hid behind the water heater. Happy on the other hand sees nothing wrong with his father in the same way the father saw nothing wrong with Biff. In the end Happy follows his father’s exact footsteps...
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