Analysis Of The American Dream In The Death Of A Salesman

American writer, James Truslow Adams defined the â€Å"American Dream† as the â€Å"dream of a land in which life should be better and richer, and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement† (Clark). Many mistakenly associate the American Dream’s success with materialistic wealth, such as the Kardashian’s or Mark Zuckerberg’s, the success of the American dream to be associated with materialistic wealth, but Adams refers to it as a better lifestyle. Even though the United States is known as the land to opportunities, a place where every man can prosper by pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, this mythologization quickly fosters the path to delusion. The land of the free and the home of the brave can†¦show more content†¦Linda unconditionally supports Willy’s career, while Biff is more critical of his father, putting them at odds as Linda feels the need to defend Willy at the cost of the m other-son bond. Realizing that Biff’s relationship with his father is distant and cold, she angrily tells Biff, â€Å"if you don’t have any feelings for him then you can’t have any feeling for me† in order to persuade him to love and support Willy (Miller 55). Linda connects her identity as a mother to Willy, and by extent, a hapless pursuit of the American Dream, attempting to force Biff to, if not follow in his father’s footsteps, then understands his father on the condition that loving Willy is a prerequisite for loving her. In addition, Linda tells Biff â€Å"Either he’s your father and you pay him that respect, or else you’re not to come here† (Miller 55). In order to get Biff to respect his father and support him she utilizes an either-or fallacy to support her argument. Through the use of this fallacy Linda only offers Biff two possibilities, when more than two exist. Linda’s employment of flaw logic towards Bif f stems from her unconditional support and love for her husband. Willy’s aspirations gain unconditional support from his wife such that Linda is willing to sacrifice her relationship with Biff. Willy negatively influences Biff in other ways, such as his emphasis on success and being well-liked over morals and ethics. For instance, when Biff steals aShow MoreRelatedComparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson 1403 Words   |  6 PagesFences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller are two plays that could be considered very different in terms of their plot. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. If the reader or audience looks past the plot into the theme and symbolisms used they can see that the plays are more similar than they are different. In spite of the different cultural backgrounds of each protagonist they bothRead MoreAmerican Dream Derailed in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe American dream originated when immigrants came to America searching for new opportunities and a better life. In th e early 1900’s all people could do is dream; however, those dreams gave many different meanings to the phrase â€Å"American dream†, and for the most part, wealth and hard work play a very large role in the pursuit of â€Å"the dream†. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and Arthur Miller’s drama, Death of a Salesman, both protagonists, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, are convincedRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman Tragedy Essay1365 Words   |  6 PagesDeath of a Salesman is a tragic play written in 1949 by Arthur Miller. The story is about a salesman who lost his identity after having an affair with another woman and can’t seem to accept the changes in his life since the event. The story has been performed in theaters and shown on film for many years. Lee Siegel, a writer for The Nation explains the role of Death of a Salesman in the entertainment industry: Every ten years or so, Death of a Salesman is revived, and every ten years we get theRead MoreEssay about The American Dream in Death of a Salesman1371 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is an examination of American life and consumerism. It relates the story of a common man who portrays this lifestyle. Other issues explored in the play include: materialism, procrastination and alienation. The play was set in 1948, in a time where The American Dream was highly regarded, despite the Depression. The American Dream was a belief that emerged in the later half of the nineteenth century, that if you work hard you will achieve success and prosperityRead MoreThemes Of Death Of A Salesman1286 Words   |  6 PagesIllusion Death of a Salesman is a tragicomedy centered on the events that take place at the end of Willy Loman’s life. From the opening act, we learn that Willy and his family struggle to behave as a united front when they face financial pressures and strained familial bonds. This causes Willy to become desperate for success and validation. Death of a Salesman has commonly been interpreted as an analysis of the American dream. Within the ideal American society, citizens believe that the American dreamRead MoreDeath Of Salesman By F. Scott Fitzgerald1515 Words   |  7 Pageshuman being looking only at the past or present—instead of looking forward to the future. John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, â€Å"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.† In the play Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller, the protagonist Willy Loman is depicted as a man who has failed in life; he spent most of his life reminiscing the pa st. This affected his life greatly, especially his relationship with his son, Biff Loman. Nevertheless, inRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Death Of A Salesman 954 Words   |  4 Pages Darrian Dowden AP English IV Death of a Salesman Written Assignment Death of a Salesman Character Analysis 1.Willy Loman. Although the main protagonist of the play, Willy Loman does not come to a certain self-realization. Searching and sifting through his memories (which cannot be completely taken as the truth as he reinvents them in a way to make them out as a golden era) he fails to recognize his slanted reality he’s lived in made up of his delusions. His forged relationship withRead MoreEssay on The Failure of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman1480 Words   |  6 Pagesas a land of opportunity. Out of that thinking comes the American Dream, the idea that anyone can ultimately achieve success, even if he or she began with nothing.  In The Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses the characterization of Willy Loman to represent the failure of his ideal of the American Dream.  Willy’s quest for the American Dream leads to his failure because throughout his life he pursues the illusion of the American Dream and not the reality of it. His mindset on perfection, obsessionRead MoreFailure Of The American Dream In The Writings Of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, And August Wilson1418 Words   |  6 Pageswill define the failure of the †American Dream† in the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Arthur Miller, Zora Neale Hurston, and August Wilson. Fitzgerald’s account of the Jay Gatsby s rise to fame in the 1920s defines the failure of financial success as part of the American Dream. Gatsby will eventually die due to his excessive greed, which is not unlike the emotional death of Willy Loman as he fails to become a successful salesman in Author Miller’s Death of a Salesman. More so, Hurston’s depictionRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1027 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Tragic Heroism of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller This literary study will define the tragic heroism of Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman. Biff is initially a victim of Willy’s continual harassment to make more money and find a better career. In this family unit, Biff must endure the unrealistic and fantasy-based elusions of his father in his fanatical pursuit of the American Dream. However, Biff soon learns of Willy’s extra-marital betrayal