We all have goals and dreams we want to accomplish. But the pursuit of a dream based on false illusions will ultimately lead to tragedy. This is true in Arthur Miller’s play‚ "Death of a Salesman"‚ and in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel‚ "The Great Gatsby". In both works‚ the main character is in pursuit of a dream for success that ultimately causes his demise. The American Dream is the idea that through hard work‚ courage‚ and determination one can achieve prosperity. Based on the Protestant work ethic
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“As iron sharpens iron‚ a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17) Friends are an important part of life. Friends are useful to help one get through the hardships of life. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman‚ we see the small (but present) friendship of Biff and Bernard. Biff is a football superstar‚ with scholarships lined up and friends galore. Bernard‚ his neighbour and childhood friend‚ is very much a book worm who decides to focus his time on his academics and unfortunately‚ doesn’t
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In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman‚ societal expectations to achieve the American Dream cause Willy and Biff Loman to struggle in freeing themselves of this notion. The American Dream holds the expectation of success‚ and for these two characters‚ it causes much hardship in their lives. Willy possesses a skewed idea in obtaining this idea. As a result‚ Biff feels trapped because of his father’s unwillingness to compromise his own view of the American Dream with Biff’s perspective and desires
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Studieportalen.dk ~ The American Dream in Death of a Salesman ~ Death of a Salesman addresses the painful conflicts within one family‚ but it also tackles larger issues regarding American national values. The play examines the cost of blind faith in the American Dream. The American Dream is the idea‚ held by many in the United States of America‚ that through hard work‚ courage and determination one can achieve prosperity. These were values held by many early European settlers and have been passed
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Death of a Salesman In this play-write‚ it shows that Biff is the protagonist. This is because unlike Willy‚ Hap‚ and Linda‚ Biff goes through a great change and is transformed by the action of the play. At the very end of the play‚ at Willy’s funeral‚ Biff announces that he’s leaving New York City. This is because he is ready to move on in his life‚ whereas Hap is holding onto the past‚ like Willy had‚ and decides to stay put. Willy‚ strong in his belief of the "American Dream"‚ never
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Miller’s Death of a Salesman for decades. From the play’s opening scene where Willy Loman (the principle character) states cryptically‚ “I’m tired to the death” to the play’s conclusion‚ scholars have dissected most every portion of Miller’s play but are still in disagreement where the overall work is concerned. “Ever since Lee J. Cobb first dropped those sample cases on the stage of the old Morosco Theatre on a cold February night in 1949‚ the role of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman has been
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In their minds‚ the Loman family believed that they were more successful and powerful than anyone else. Power and success was definitely not the case for any of the Lomans and Biff finally realized it. In the book Death of a Salesman‚ Biff Loman says‚ “We never told the truth in this house for ten minutes.” I think that Biff is correct when he says this. Throughout the entire book the Lomans lie emotionally‚ about their careers‚ and they lie just to lie. Willy and Biff Loman do not have a strong
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Death of a Salesman Act 1 I thought it was interesting the way Willy seems to always contradict himself. On page 36‚ after stating to his wife Linda that he will be a great success at work next week‚ he claims “You know‚ the trouble is‚ Linda‚ people don’t seem to take to me‚”. He also flips between calling Biff a “lazy bum” and then a “hard worker”. This contradiction between fantasy and reality seems to help Willy cope with his unsatisfactory lifestyle. Because of the abandonment from his father
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Glen Ross I noticed that there seemed to be a similar message within Death of a Salesman. The broadest aspect being the negative effects of capitalism. Although represented in entirely different ways‚ the two stories both have the same underlying idea. It is clear that both stories show that capitalism renders the ability to not only be a moral person‚ but creates a void from having a family and relationships. In Death of a Salesman‚ Willy’s relationship with his family slowly deteriorates and inevitably
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When these types of people seek what they want‚ most of the time they think because someone else got this amount of something that anyone can do it. Willy often talks about how his brother got wealthy and everyone respects him. Willy seems to place more value on being well liked than anything else. While talking to his sons in their younger years Willy
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