Death of a Salesman - Problems with the American Dream Essay -- essays

Death of a Salesman - Problems with the American DreamWhat specialized ills does Miller diagnose in the America Dream? Discuss with prolongation to Death of a Salesman.The American Dream is an idea that originated from the Pilgrim Fathers and has remained in the American society. It is the belief that America is the land of opportunity where everyone can be heavy(p). The word woolgathering is in fact probably the best manner to describe the problems that Arthur Miller can see in this belief. The word dream can suggest something wonderful to look forward to achieving, or, it may point that something is only a dream, something that is impossible to carry out. We can see Miller believes dream to mean the latter of these interpretations when we see the character Howard in Death of a Salesman. It is implied through the way that he disregards Willys past loyalty to his company, that he has only achieved his dream of success through moral compromises, and therefore, that few achieve the dream without doing this as well. The American society however, seems to support the first exposition of the word dream. They have certain claims to self-perfection that are absent in a large part of the world I celebrate myself, and clack myself, and what I assume you shall assume, Song of Myself by Walt Whitman. Others tend to eat up far greater, that conditions of life are hostile to mans pretensions. It is theme that if they live by this dream, that there is a natural order in favour of them ...