Death of a Salesman Final Paper
Introduction
The play ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a powerful reminder of the dangers of pursuing a societal ideal like the American Dream, and a poignant story about how social expectations and ideals can lead a man to delusion, disillusionment and ruin. This essay will argue that false social ideals such as the American Dream can lead individuals to become disillusioned and to make disastrous choices that will ultimately lead to their downfall. In order to understand the complex characters in the play and the impact of the failed American Dream ideal on their lives, one must draw on history, psychology and sociology, and examine the nature of the narratives, insights, motifs and authorial intention in the play. This essay will discuss the reliability of the narrative in Death of a Salesman, the insights from the play about the American Dream, the motif of the stockings, and the author’s pessimistic views toward modernity and progress. Drawing on the sociological memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ by J.D. Vance, the sociological study of the failure of the American Dream by Davis (1999) entitled ‘Prisoners of the American dream’, Wellek’s psychological analysis of Kohut’s tragic man (1993), and Emami’s critical analysis of the play (2011), this essay will also examine how the lessons of the play on the American Dream’s failure continue to resonate today, and the role of the individual in such societal issues. The essay will focus on the character of Willy Loman.
Narrative instability as a way to show the impact of the American Dream
The narrative in Death of a Salesman is inherently unstable, and demXXXXXXXXX XXX extent XX the protagonist Willy Loman’s XXXXXXXXXXXXX breakdown. XXXXX XXXXX XX XXXXX XX XX a helpless XXXXXX throughout XXXX XX XXX play, XXXXXX to distinguish between past XXX present, XXX XXXXXXX past and XXXXXXX versions XX his friends and XXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX XX the play, XXXXX has flashbacks to past XXXXXXXX (XXXX as Biff’s XXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX, or his failures as an athletic XXXXXXXXX) as well XX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXX as XXX guilt at XXXXXXXX on his XXXXXXXX XXXX Linda, or in XXXXX caught in XXX act of an affair by XXX XXX XXXX). The fluid and XXXXXXX XXXXXX of time in XXX XXXX lead to a sense of XXXXXXXXXXXXX breakdown, XXXXX the audience can XXXXX empathise with the XXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXX Loman, and XXX XXXXXX that XXX XXXXXXX of XXX XXXXXXXX Dream has had XX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX. XXX audience XXXX gains an unnerving, XXXXXXXXXXX distrust XX Willy’s words. XXX XXXXXXX, when XXXXX XXXXXX that he XX ‘XXXXX in XXX England’ (Act X), or when he empathically XXXXXXXX that he XXX his son XXX ‘not a dime a dozen’, XXX audience can see through the XXXX-deception inherent in XXX words. XXXX in rare XXXXXXX in XXX play XXXX Willy XXXXX show a clear XXXXX XX lucidity. XXX XXXXXXX, Willy eventually realises that he XX ‘XXXXX more XXXX XXXX alive’, which then XXXXX XXX to XXXXXX suicide in order XX get an insurance payout for XXX family, in XXX ‘XXXXXX’ that XX ‘XXXX XXX full XX XXXXXXXX’. Imaginary characters such XX XXX XXXXXXXXX version XX Bernard and XXXXX’s older brother Ben XXXX imbue the XXXX XXXX a XXXXX of dislocation XXX XXXXXXXXXXX, which shows XXX audience how XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXXX a false XXXXX XXXX as XXX XXXXXXXX Dream can XX. XXXXX’s loss over his XXXX XX XXXXXXX may be contrasted XXXX that of XXX XXX Biff, who XXXXXXXXXX realises XXXX he is ‘nothing’ and who XXXXXXX his father to ‘take XXXX phony dream and burn it XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX’. XXXX, after all his attempts XX live up to his father’s XXXXXXXXXXXX of XXXXXXXX a great salesman, XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX the truth XX XXX own failure, and resolves to XXXX life on XXX own XXXXX.
XXX fluid XXXXXX XX XXXX in XXX XXXX XXX the self-deception of XXX XXXXXXXXXXX are XXXXXXXXXXXX by XXX XXXX-deception of XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX in the play, XXXX as XXXXX and Happy. XXXXX and XXXXX XXX supportive XXXXXX members, but XXXX fail to XXXXXXX Willy’s psychological issues XXXXXXX, XXX therefore feed XXX XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXX he makes XXXXXXXXXX claims, or XXXXX XX XXX mistakes by exhorting others XX XX XXXX to XXX when he goes XXXXXXXXX XXXX his XXXXXXXX. XX an XXXXXX, the play shows XXX XXXXXX of XXX failed ideal XX XXX XXXXXXXX Dream XX XXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XX the XXXXXX XXX their XXXXXXX. XXX XXXXXX ideal of XXX American Dream constantly XXXXXXX the Lomans and their XXXXXXX to live in self-deception, XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXX own failures rather than living up to the XXXXXXX XX their own XXXXXXXXXX and decline. This type XX self-XXXXXXXXX is XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX J. D. XXXXX in XXX memoir ‘XXXXXXXXX XXXXX’, XXXXX XXXXX presents a sociological portrait XX his midwestern family, XXX too clung XX XXX XXXXXXXX Dream and XXXXXXX XX confront the sordid XXXXXXXXX of XXXXX existence, XXXX as XXX prevalent drug XXXXX, domestic XXXXXXXX, XXXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXXX families that XXXX were XXXXXX XXXX. (Vance, XXXX)
The false ideal XX XXX XXXXXXXX Dream in a XXXX XX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX
XXX XXXX XXXXXXX reveals that the American Dream XXX a false ideal, XXX XXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXX XXX could XXXX hard and XX successful in XXXXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XX determination, charisma XXX likeability XX XXXXXXX XXXXXX to XX an illusion. XX XXXXXXXXXX the failure of XXX American XXXXX, it XX XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXX XXXX XXX circumstances which XXX XXXXXXXXXXX Willy Loman was living in were XXX XX XXXXXXXX transition XXX XXXXXXX. XXXXXXXX economic XXXX such as New England and New XXXX XXXX declining in importance XX XXX XXXXXXX centers XX XXXXXXXX activity, such XX San XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXX, rose in XXXXXXXXXX. (XXXXX, XXXX) XXXXXXXXXXX, as XXX economy shifted XXXXXX a neoliberal orientation, XXXXX and productivity XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX stagnating wages XXX XXXXXX costs of living which led XX XXXXXXXX XXX many working class XXX XXXXXXX American households. (XXXXX, 1999) XXXXX (XXXX) also XXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXX politics XXXXX XXX to a deprioritisation of XXX needs XX the XXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX, XXX the rising inequality and stagnating XXXXXXXXXXX that XXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXX. (Davis, 1999) XXX to these XXXXXXX, the XXXXXXXX XXXXX clearly XXX to XX a XXXXX XXXXXX, because sheer determination XXX charisma XX any one individual could not have XXXXXX the XXXX and allowed them XX XXXXXXX in an economy XXXXX XXXXXXX and transition.
XX a XXXXXX, the XXXX XX able to show XXX XXXXXXX of the XXXXXXXX XXXXX: an XXXXXXXX, hollow ideal XX success XXXX XXXXXX stand against the decline XXX transition in XXX American economy XXXXXX XXX time of the XXXX. XXX XXXXXX is able XX XXX XXXX the American Dream is XXXXX fervently believed XX XXXXXX of XXXXX Loman’s XXXXXXXXXX. XXXX XXXXX XX described as ‘a man XXX out XXXXX in XXX XXXX riding on a smile XXX a shoeshine’, he is shown XX XX a XXXXXXXX relying on style rather XXXX substance, XXX thus unable XX do XXXX in XXXX transformed XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX than XXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XXXX XX the American Dream. Likewise, XXXX XXXXX declares that ‘XXX man who XXXXX an appearance in XXX business world, the XXX XXX creates XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, is XXX XXX XXX gets XXXXX’, he is XXXXXXXXXXX a widely XXXX belief in America XXXXXX XXX XXX of XXX XXXXXXXX Dream, XXXX charisma and XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX carry an XXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXX.
XXX subversion XX XXX ideal of the XXXXXXXX Dream
XXXXXX XXXXXXXX conventional XXXXXXX of XXX XXXXXXXX Dream by showing how XXX American Dream XXXXXXXXX Willy Loman’s expectations and XXX him XX disillusionment XXX XXXX. XXX example, XXXXXXX XXXXX’s XXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXX moribund and he XXXX bored with XXX wife, XXX obsession XXXX the American Dream led him XX XXXXXX an affair with The Woman, which XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXX XXX until his death. Likewise, XXXX XXX XXXXXXXX are young, XXXXX dismisses XXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXX abilities and charisma, to their XXXXXXXX detriment XX adults, when it is revealed XXXX his XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX amount to little in XXXX. Finally, XXXXX’s own XXXXXXXXX as a salesman is contrasted XXXX his XXXXXXX of the XXXXXXXXX salesman XXXX XXXXXXXXX, in order XX show how the American Dream has XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Willy and left him clinging on to XXXXXXXXXXX notions of prosperity, XXXX XXX XXXXXXX. The audience XX left with a highly cynical, negative XXXXXXXXX XX XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX that shows the XXXXXXXXX of the entire notion.
XXX motif XX XXX stockings XX a symbol XX the XXXXX allure XX XXX American Dream
XXXXXXX way in XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXX, Arthur XXXXXX, shows the XXXXXXXX how XXX XXXXXXXX Dream XXX failed XX through motifs. XX particular, XXXXXX’s XXX of the motif of XXXXXXXXX XXXXX how Willy XXXXX’s XXXX-deception and XXXXX eventually lead XXX down the path XX XXXXX XX a ‘XXXXXX XXXX’. (Wellek, 1993) XXX XXXXXXXXX, in the context XX XXX XXXX, XXXXXXXXX a XXXX from Willy to XXX mistress, The Woman, XXX continue to recur in XXX XXXX XX a XXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXX excess that XXXXX to a XXXXXXXX XX XXX Loman XXXXXX XXXXX haunts Willy until his death. XXXXXXXX, the XXXXXXXXX XXX a XXXXXX of XXXXX-class XXXXXXXXXX, which Willy aspires to XX XXXX of XXX XXXXXXXXX with XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX, alongside XXX financial XXXXXXXXXX of indulging in a XXXXXXXX alongside supporting XXX XXXXXX. Secondly, XXX XXXXXXXXX continue to recur in the XXXX as a symbol XX Willy’s guilt in XXXXXXXXX in XXX XXXXXX, and his shame XX being XXXXXX XX XXX son XXXX in the XXX in XXXXXX. As a XXXXXX, the stockings XXX XXXX a symbol that represents XXXXX’s XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XX success by XXX standards of XXX American Dream, XXX a XXXXXXXX reminder XX Willy’s XXXXX XXXX XXXX’s XXXXXXXXXXXX and his XXXXXXXX XX XXXXX. The XXXXXXXXX, in many points in XXX XXXX, XXXXX XX a mysterious XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXX eventually XXXXXXXXXX XX his XXXXXXX.
The author’s XXXX XX XXXXXXXXX XXX the American Dream XX XXXXX XXXXX
XXXX the XXXXX analysis, it can XX XXXXXXXXX that XXX playwright had a XXX XXXX XX XXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX. XXXXXX American XXXXXXXXXX in XXX play are XXXXX to XX creature XXXXXXXX that XXXXX little in the way XX XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXX, XX XXXXX XX XXX XXXXXXXX with XXX own XXXXXXX and XXX material failures XX his XXXX to enjoy these objects in his own XXXX. XXXXXXXX, XXX playwright clearly XXXXXXXX new economic opportunities in XXX XXXXXXX regions XXX XXXXXX as XXXXX XXXXXXXX of XXX American XXXXX that only serve to XXXXX Willy XXXXX into a XXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXX XXXXX content with XXX present XXXXXXXXXXXXX, XXX XXXXXXXXXX driving him XX commit XXXXXXX. XX XXX XXXX XX XXXXXXXXX that XXX playwright takes a XXX XXXX of modernity. XXX XXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX of XXXXXXXXX, has XXXXXXX XXXX left behind in XXX march of XXXXXXXX, XXX XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX XXX new XXXX, XXXX recorders and telephones that fill this new age XX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX.
The XXXXXXX of the American dream as XXXXXXXXXXX in XXX central XXXXXXXX XX the XXXX
The XXXXXXX XX the American Dream XXX its XXXXXXXXXXX impact XX families in America may be XXXX in XXX central XXXXXXXX between XXXXX XXXXX XXX XXX son, XXXX Loman. This may be observed by Willy’s XXXXXXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XXXXX of the American Dream, to XXX point XXXXX he alienates Biff by XXX XXXXXXXXXX that Biff is XXXXXXXXXXX XXX to XX faulted for his apparent XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX in life. XXXXXXX, XXXXX is an XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX struggle XXXXXXX Willy XXX XXXX, which XXXXX how one XXXXXXXXXX continues to XX deluded while another wants XX XXXXX free XXXX such self-XXXXXXXXX.
Conclusion
XX conclusion, XXXX essay XXX drawn on XXXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXX perspectives to show how XXX American Dream XXX a XXXXX XXXXX XXXX an economic, XXXXXXXX and historical XXXXXXXXXXX, XXX how it XXX individuals such XX Willy Loman XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXX. XXX narrative, XXXXXXXX, motif of XXX XXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX in XXX play XXXXX XXXXXX a false ideal XX the XXXXXXXX XXXXX that led XXXX XX XXXXXX unrealistic XXXXXXX of success XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX caused XXXX to XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXXXX, like XXXXX, and become XXXXXX about their XXXXX. In an age of political XXXXXXX such as ‘XXXXXXX First’ XXX ‘XXXX America XXXXX XXXXX’, XXX lessons of the play about false ideals are well worth revisiting.
References
XXXXX, Mike.XXXXXXXXX of XXX American XXXXX: XXXXXXXX and economy in the XXXXXXX of the US working class. XXXXX, XXXX.
Emami, Kaveh Khodambashi. "XX XXXX-Social Socialist: A XXXXXXXX Reading Of XXXXXX XXXXXX's XXXXX XX A Salesman."XXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXX Teaching and Research X.2 (2011): 353.
Vance, J. X.Hillbilly elegy. XXX York, NY: XXXXXXXXXXXXX, 2016.
Wellek, XXXXXX S. "Kohut's tragic man: An XXXXXXX XXXX “death XX a salesman”."XXXXXXXX social work XXXXXXX XX.2 (XXXX): 213-XXX.
">