’s Alienation Of Willy Loman Essay, Research Paper
Death of a Salesman:
Society’s Alienation of Willy Loman
By: Joey Powell
It is often stated that society is very judgmental. It can be seen in movies, literary works, or just an everyday walk of life. Arthur Miller chooses to portray society’s prejudice against the protagonist, Willy Loman, in his play, Death of a Salesman. Society, in this case, rejects Willy Loman because he isn’t upper class, and because he is getting up in age. Many occurrances highlight society’s judging of Willy, including him being fired, the “spite” that he recieves from his sons, and the way he alienates himself. All of these eventually lead to the downfall of a strong, determined, but confused character.
Perhaps the most defeating action that happened to Willy was the loss of his job. All he had ever been in life was a salesman, therefore it was the only trade that he was any good at. When he had the conference with Howard, he had his hopes up. Willy had regained his confidence in himself and was ready to take control of his life at a very crucial time. However, Howard crushed all of that by firing Willy, simply because he thought Willy, “needed some rest.” Actually, Howard never intended to give Willy his job back. He was merely trying to take Willy’s position because he didn’t believe Willy could hack it anymore. This is a reflection of society’s present day treatment of the elderly. Younger generations now, move older people into rest homes and try to keep them out of public view, for risk of embarassment. This is reflected by Howard’s statement, “I don’t want you to represent us anymore.” Society’s assumption of Willy’s capabilities, in this case, cost him his job.
A second occurrance that displayed Willy’s alienation happened in his own family. Biff doesn’t believe whatsoever in his father and has no hope for him at all. Biff even says in act one that his father has no character. Biff is a perfect symbol for society in the play. Biff knows his father has problems, but even as a son, “can’t get near him.” Even though he accepts his father as a fake later in life, Biff tries over and over again to reach his father and to help him, but an unseen barrier prevents Biff from doing so. Happy is the type that knows what’s going on with his father, but won’t try to help him. Although it is never actually said verbatum, it is obvious that Willy has some kind of mental problem that needs some attention. Yet even in his own home, he can’t get any help because his family can’t bring it upon themselves to help him. This instance depicts the way society would rather, “Let someone else handle it,” than take action and go against what is popular. This example is probably the saddest and most heartbreaking part of the play.
A final instance of Willy Loman’s alienation is the way he excludes himself from society. Subconciously, Willy knows what his capabilities and his problems are, and he exiles himself socially. That could very well be the reason behind the “conversations” he has with himself throughout the novel; he feels like he can’t talk to anyone else. Willy has a war going on in his mind, and he is helpless toward ending it. He knows that he can do well in life and be the man he should be, but he just can’t seem to piece together the correct method of doing so. It’s because of this that he continually defeats himself, and repeatedly fails. Willy Loman wants to be the best at anything, particularly selling and being a provider for his family. However, his character is one who owns nothing and makes nothing, so he is constantly at the far bottom of the totem pole. Even the merchandise that he sells, which is his expertise, doesn’t belong to him, and just helps to keep him down in the business world and away from society. Perhaps Willy’s alienation is symbolized by the garden he wishes to grow in his back yard. His back yard is small, fenced in, and unable to bear a fruitful garden. Likewise, Willy Loman’s position in the working world is constricted, away from everyone else, and won’t let him become successful. Willy was his own worst enemy, a man who couldn’t accept himself. Society added fuel to the fire by not accepting him either.
It is human nature to be judgemental of things, and especially people. Willy Loman was no exception to this. Yet, Willy was already down, and society kept him there. He lost the job that he’d worked at faithfully for thirty-four years, simply because the younger owner couldn’t bear with having an older, less succesful salesman representing the company. Willy is sealed off from his family, especially from his sons, because of an unseen force that causes an inability to communicate. Finally, he can’t fight the predicament that society placed him in, because deep down, he can’t accept the fact that he’s not what he wanted to be in life. All of the actions that alienated Willy Loman validate the prejudice and bias of society.
Другие работы по теме:
Death Of A Salesman 7 Essay Research
Paper 1. The book Death of a Salesman is a play about a salesman who wants to be well liked by everyone. The title of this book fits the book because there are two salesmen who die in the book. The two salesmen who die in the book are Dave Singleman, who was well liked by everyone, and Willy Loman who was the main character.
Death Of A Sales Man Essay Research
Paper Death of a Salesman Some nights you see a star in the sky or just have that feeling that what you wish will come true and all your wildest dreams will become reality. For Willy Loman that was everyday. He would always make his dreams seem like reality and thought that what he was saying was right and everybody around him was wrong.
True West And Death Of A Salesman
Compared Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman and True West can be compared in terms of their visions of the American dream. Both of these plays focus on characters that spend their lives pursuing this dream and fail at happiness as a result.
Comparing
“The Glass Meangerie”, “Death Of A Salesman” And “A Raisin In The Sun” Essay, Research Paper In the stories, ?The Glass Menagerie?, ?Death of A Salesman?, and ?Raisin in the Sun?, there are many things in common. The most common thing in all of them I felt was how all the families all had ?American? problems. In ?The Glass Menagerie?, the ?American? problem was a family dealing with an ill member.
The American Dream Concept In The Death
Of A Salesman Compared To The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper The American Dream is a theme that many books attempt to touch on, yet few are truly able to examine or explain it. Both Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman and F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel The Great Gatsby are prime examples of these types of talented stories.
DEATH OF A SALESMAN AMERICAN DREAM Essay
, Research Paper There is no doubt, that in society, everyone has a role. A man?s role, for instance, is to provide for his family by going to work and bringing home money. The American dream brainwashes society and fools it into thinking it is easy to be successful and happy in life. In the play ?Death of a Salesman? by Arthur Miller, Willie Lowman builds himself up to the point where he is the cause of his own downfall.
A Salesmans Death Essay Research Paper An
A Salesmans Death Essay, Research Paper An Analysis of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman When people accept an ideal to live by it can be a glorious and noble thing unless they become so obsessed with the ideal that it becomes a yolk and they are unable to realize their dream. This is especially true for Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman.
The Death Of A Salesman Essay Research
Paper Often times when we read literature, we can derive certain ideas or messages that the author of the work is trying to illustrate. After reading the play Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller, it is evident that he is trying to comment on our society . These comments on society being expressed are demonstrated in several examples throughout the play.
Themes Of Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper If gaining success were easy, everybody would be successful. Although who is to say what exactly being successful embodies. In America, the success of a person is weighed according to the amount of materialistic possessions one has attained. In a success orientated society such as this, living according to these values means that one must also be aware of failure.
The Great Gatsby Comparitve Essay Research Paper
Question: To fully understand a text it is important to study it alongside another. Discuss Both texts The Great Gatsby by F.S.Fitzgerald and Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman explore and conjure up the ideals of the American Dream. Through this process, both authors reveal themes such as love and corruption.
Willy As Tragic Hero In Death Of
A Salesman Essay, Research Paper Willy Loman is indeed a pathetic and tragic hero of Death of a Salesman. His problems stem from his own delusions, the American Dream turning sour, and misunderstanding his job and family. All of this tells the story of everyday people in American society. His environment is changing faster than his beliefs which is why he is in the dilemma that he is in now.
Death Of A Salesman And The Great
Gatsby Essay, Research Paper Living Life for the Wrong Reasons Existentialists believe that in order to have a meaningful life one must pursue realistic dreams. Willy Loman from the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, tries to succeed in life by getting people to like him. Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, lives his whole life trying to earn the love of one woman.
Willys Death Essay Research Paper Death of
Willys Death Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman Willy Lomans tragedy is due more to his own flawed character than to societies flaws. Advancements in science throughout this century have led to tremendous advancements in industry. Advancements in industry, however, have not always led to advancements in living.
Death Of A Traveling Salesman Essay Research
Paper Death Of A Traveling Salesman In the short story, Death Of A Traveling Salesman, R. J. Bowman is a successful salesman with the intention to get home after being sick and in the hospital. He faces many obstacles along the way. Even though R. J. Bowman knows that there is something missing in his life he has no desire to try and bring it into his life.
Film Critique Essay Research Paper The film
Film Critique Essay, Research Paper The film Death of a Salesman is a movie about the way people try to live in the past instead of the future. This is brought about within the character Willy and the delusions of the past that he relives day in and day out. Willy fails to live the majority of his life in the present.
How Biff Suffer Essay Research Paper Biff
How Biff Suffer Essay, Research Paper ?Biff suffering from Willy?s illusions and delusions? Who is William Loman? William Loman is the main character in the play Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller. In the play Willy is play as an elderly salesman and lost in false hopes and illusions. As Willy grown older, he has trouble distinguishing between the past and present.
Similarities Beetween Willy And Biff In DeATHof
A Salesman Essay, Research Paper Similarities Between Willy and Biff in Death of a Salesman by john moster Arthur Miller?s Death of a Salesman is the tragic story of Willy Loman who?s life is a continuous torture. He feels as if he had failed in achieving anything for himself or his family. One of his dreams was to become a successful salesman, but instead, he supports his family with the loans he receives from his friend because his job earns him nothing.
The Death Of A Salesman How Biff
Shows Irresponsibility Essay, Research Paper The Death of A Salesman: How Biff Shows Irresponsibility Have you ever felt as if you do not know what to do with your life?
Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller
Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller. It takes place in New York. It is about a man named Willy Loman. He has been traveling salesman for the
Respect In Death Of Salesman Essay
, Research Paper In the play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the main character, Willy Loman, has conflicts with respect and infidelity throughout the story. He has a problem with respect, especially respecting his wife, Linda. Willy shows through flashbacks of The Woman and everyday life that he has no respect for Linda.
Illusion Of The American Dream Essay Research
Paper The Illusion of the American Dream The American Dream is what all Americans strive to achieve. It is the illusion of prosperity and happiness. The American Dream consists of three different elements, money, sex, and power. The plays “Death of a Salesman” and “The Glass Menagerie” are about families who strive to achieve the American Dream.
Falseness In Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper Death of a Salesman by Kyle Pearce All throughout Arthur Miller s play Death of a Salesman, tension and falseness has been displayed by each of the characters but near the end of Act 1, it has become more evident than ever. The family, awoken by Willy in the middle of the night, gathered in the kitchen for their first confrontation.
Death Of A Salesman Willy
Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman – Willy Charley says something in Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman that sums up Willy s whole life. He asks him, “When the hell are you going to grow up?” Willy s spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy exhibits many childlike qualities.
Death Of A Salesman Vs. The Simpsons
Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman vs. The Simpsons Each of the characters in “death of a Salesman” can be compared in some way to a character in the Simpsons.
Death Of A Salesman And Biff Essay
, Research Paper The Importance of Biff?s Role in ?Death of a Salesman? The play ?Death of a Salesman?, by Arthur Miller, follows the life of Willy Loman, a
Death Of A Salesman Willy Loman Essay
, Research Paper Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman Willy Loman is responsible for his own downfall. Willy finds his own hero and tries to become the hero in his own existence. Willy tries to become a
Realism In Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper Realism in Death of a Salesman Realism can be defined as an attempt to reproduce the surface appearance of the life of normal people in everyday situations (Kennedy 1410). Basically realism is a situation that normal people can relate to based on their own experiences. Realism is extremely prevalent in the play Death of a Salesman.
Death Of A Salesman Vs Hamlet
Essay, Research Paper Death Of A Salesman Vs. Hamlet Willy Loman and Hamlet, two characters so alike, though different. Both are perfect examples of tragedy in literature, though for separate reasons and by distinct
Death Of A Salesman 2 Essay Research
Paper Death of a Salesman Summary Death of a Salesman is centered on one man trying to reach the American dream and taking his family along for the ride. Throughout their lives they encounter many problems and the end result is a tragic death caused by the need to succeed. During his life Willy Loman caused his wife, Linda, great pain by living a life not realizing what he could and couldn’t do.
Death Of A Salesman Essay Research Paper
Analysis of ?Death of a Salesman? The tragedy of a family The play ?Death of a Salesman? was written by Arthur Miller in 1949. He was born on October 17, 1915 in New York City. Most of Miller?s works emphasizes the common man struggling through the misconceptions and false illusions that modern society imposes.
Tragedy And The Death Of A Salesman
Essay, Research Paper Tragedy and the Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman revolves around a tragic and misunderstood hero who eventually takes his own life for the betterment of his family, especially his eldest son. Written by Arthur Miller, the play centers on Willy Loman who is a salesman, a father of two sons Biff and Happy, and husband to a wonderful wife, Linda.