The American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur...

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald In a majority of literature written in the 20th century, the theme of the American Dream has been a prevalent theme. This dream affects the plot and characters of many novels, and in some books, the intent of the author is to illustrate the reality of the American Dream. However, there is no one definition of the American Dream. Is it the right to pursue your hearts wish, to have freedom to do whatever makes one happy? Or is it the materialistic dream prevalent in the 50s, and portrayed in such movies as Little Shop of Horrors? Or is the American Dream a thought so intangible, it changes in the heart of every†¦show more content†¦Such was not the case in Death of a Salesman. Willys dream is to be rich, at whatever cost. In the end, Willys only option to become rich was to commit suicide, and collect life insurance, and Willy accepted that. Willy had an admiration for his brother Ben, who became very rich. It didnt matter to Willy that Ben died at the age of 21, he died rich. In the play, Willy is seeking the American materialistic dream, despite the fact that he realizes the futility of it. Willy knows that by the time he pays off his possessions, they will be worthless. By the time Willy paid off his house, the boys had moved out and Willy was dead. Miller is showing the depression and sadness that this dream leads to. And despite it all, Willys younger son, Happy( an excellent pun) decides to follow in his fathers footsteps, and try to become rich. Then, there is the other American Dream. To pursue happiness, no matter what the cost or the outcome. The authors are saying that the American Dream lies not in making money, but in being spiritually and emotionally fulfilled. In The Great Gatsby, this is the dream that Gatsby had. He wanted love. He wanted Daisy, at any costs. Gatsby knew he needed to be rich in order to attain Daisy, so he became rich. He worked hard, he engaged in illegal activities, but he became rich. He had attained the American Dream so many others sought to achieve, that of material fulfillment, but Gatsby was notShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1684 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween the central characters of The Great Gatsby, a timeless classic written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, set in a hedonistic summer of 1922 America, and Death of a Salesman, written by American playwright Arthur Miller set in 1949 America. The characterisation of both Willy and Gatsby illustrate that th ey have similarities, in a way that are considered destitute, with imperfect ethical conduct. To a certain extent both protagonists have the right intentions; Gatsby wants to grasp at his quest for loveRead MoreEssay On The American Dream In The Great Gatsby1652 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream is a popular theme in many classic American novels and has been throughout history. This theme is often used as a motive or influence for the plot of many novels and drives characters to take action to accomplish these dreams. The American Dream is also used in the two novels, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller. Both of the main characters in these novels had a specific dream and they based their entire lives off of these dreams. TheRead MoreFailure Of The American Dream In The Writings Of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, And August Wilson1418 Words   |  6 Pageswill define the failure of the †American Dream† in t he writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Arthur Miller, Zora Neale Hurston, and August Wilson. Fitzgerald’s account of the Jay Gatsby s rise to fame in the 1920s defines the failure of financial success as part of the American Dream. Gatsby will eventually die due to his excessive greed, which is not unlike the emotional death of Willy Loman as he fails to become a successful salesman in Author Miller’s Death of a Salesman. More so, Hurston’s depictionRead MoreEssay on The American Dream1459 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, and Maggie: A Girl of the Streets Millions of immigrants come to America each year to seek their American Dream. Many people believe that ri sing social mobility and success is possibleRead More Pursuit of the American Dream in Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1323 Words   |  6 PagesComparing the Pursuit of the American Dream by Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman (Essay outline also included in the word count.) People from all around the world have dreamed of coming to America and building a successful life for themselves. The American Dream is the idea that, through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit in terms of financial success and a reliable future. While everyone has a different interpretation of the American Dream, some people use it as an excuse to justifyRead More Comparing the Perversion of Values in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1642 Words   |  7 PagesPerversion of Values in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Throughout History there are many examples of perversions, from sexual, social to the very morals themselves. One of the greatest examples is the continuous corruption of the American Dream. As the Dream evolves, it tends to conform to the illicit dealings of the time and immortals of society. No longer is an individual interested in working hard to achieve goals, it is desirous of the quick fix. Society wants its wishesRead MoreAmerican Dream Derailed in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe American dream originated when immigrants came to America searching for new opportunities and a better life. In the early 1900’s all people could do is dream; however, those dreams gave many different meanings to the phrase â€Å"American dream†, and for the most part, wealth and hard work play a very large role in the pursuit of â€Å"the dream†. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and Arthur Millerâ€℠¢s drama, Death of a Salesman, both protagonists, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, are convincedRead MoreThe Death Of A Salesman By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesmake a great impact? In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, is one extraordinary novel that he wrote in 1925. F.Scott Fitzgerald s novel takes place in 1920’s and takes part of the 1st World War. It is written about a young man named Nick, he moved to west egg to take a new life occupation on the bond business. He ends up being neighbors with a mysterious man named Gatsby who ends up giving him an interesting aspect of his life. Similar to Biff in the Death Of a Salesman by Arthur MillerRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream, coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, had been a popular term that had; given motivation to the dissatisfied, reduced the influence of race and one’s social position on achieving their goals, adver tised America as a land that offered an abundant amount of possibilities that no other country could match, and unified the country under the same desire of wealth and prosperity, even in times of great despair. Adams had constructed the idea, â€Å"...that American dream of a better, richerRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By F. Scott Fitzgerald2062 Words   |  9 PagesDreams drive our pursuits and motivations. They allow us to look into the future and see hope and prosperity in order to give our every day tasks purpose. Dreams, however, are not always beneficial. They can often, like in these works, be build on nonrealistic ideals, which drive characters in the wrong direction and lead to self distruction. Both F. Scott Fitzgerald through The Great Gatsby and Arthur Miller through Death of a Salesman use these misshapen dreams and visions of the future to describe