The american dream theme in death of a salesman
What is the American Dream? Some would say to be wealthy. Others would say the American Dream is being able to obtain and support a family. At times, people struggle to achieve the American Dream forced upon them. In Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller portrays the American Dream through symbols and the characters Willy and Biff Loman. By using the different symbols seeds, diamonds, and the Loman house Miller presents the theme of the American Dream. Seeds symbolize Willy's desperate attempt to prove the worth of his toils as a father and salesman to achieve the American Dream. The seeds also symbolize Willy trying to leave something for his family. He says, "Nothing's planted. I don't have a thing in the ground."(Miller, Act 2; 96) Despite Willy's venture to nurture the seeds he fails to make them grow. This failed attempt parallels Willy's relationship with Biff. Willy blames himself because Biff hasn't done anything with his life. The seeds he plants are just like how he continually plants false hopes, both will die and never come to flourish (Murphy and Abbotson 4). Diamonds symbolize Willy's downfall as a salesman. While his brother Ben flourishes in wealth Willy struggles to put food on the table and pay bills. Ben states
"Loman's suicide, like Oedipus's self-blinding or Antigone's self-murder, is obviously intended as a gesture of the hero's victory over circumstances. In Death of a Salesman the symbols along with the characters Willy and Biff Loman, Miller supports the theme of trying to obtain the American Dream. Willy says, "You wait, kid, before it's all over we're gonna get a little place out in the country, and I'll raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens. Biff dreams of a cattle ranch and living off the land with his little brother, Happy. "He [Willy] believes the promises that America made to itself-that in the greatest country on earth success is an inevitability" (Bigsby xxv). 2Willy Loman is the tragic character Miller uses to incorporate the theme of the American Dream. Biff is the character Miller creates that supports the theme of the American Dream because he was following it for his father until he realized it wasn't what he really wanted. He is very popular and successful in sports, but because of bad grades he never graduates to a University. However, this does not seem to be Willy's true dream. The house is finally paid off which Willy intended by his life insurance money. The money left over will help his sons create their own American Dream that Willy was never able to possess. Eventually Willy becomes suicidal and decides he wants his sons to finish the dream for him. Willy worked hard until his death to try and get everything paid off, especially their house.
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