Willie Loman’s Corrupted View of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

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What is the American Dream? Is it fame? Is it fortune? President Franklin

Roosevelt explained the American Dream as freedom of speech, freedom of

religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. (AAC) I think that the

American Dream is different for everyone. It is simply the urge for a better life.

The American Dream is still valid but is totally different from what it used to be.

For the early immigrants the American Dream was a better life not with

material goods, but by freedom. Freedom to worship whoever they want.

Freedom to say whatever they want without fear of being arrested or shot. (AAC)

This Dream stayed with America untill the 1900’s. That’s when things started to

change. Norman Rockwell was a famous artist during 1910’s through the 1930’s.

Rockwell drew pictures of the American dream during his time. His art of the

American dream consisted of families having a great time, or of a happily

married couple. The American Dream was happiness with a family or

a loved one.

The ending of war caused the American Dream to completely changed. I

think it’s because we no longer had to worry about freedom, we filled the gap of

freedom with wealth.The American Dream is now to marry a beautiful wife, start

a family, and become rich. It’s turned into greed. Everyone’s dream is to become

just like Bill Gates. People no longer do their work because they enjoy it. They

do their work because of the money. A perfect example of this is pro baseball.

When Major League Baseball first started the players did it because they loved

the game and loved playing in front of the huge audiences. They got paid low

wages but still plated the game because they loved it. Major League players

these days complain because ...

... middle of paper ...

...m cause

problems in his family and personal life. As Willie is trying to pursue his dream

he often lets the family down. There are many flashbacks in the novel to the time

where they lived in Nebraska and how everyone was happy. Willy had a decent

job with good hours and got to spend plenty of his time with his family. He may

not have been the richest or most popular man but he had his freedom, family,

and happiness. If Willy would have never of had such a corrupt American dream

and would have kept it simple he would have lived a happy successful life. This

is Millers way of showing us not to be greedy.

Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” provides substantial evidence that

their is still and American Dream today. Most people dream of fortune and fame

but there is still that 10% that dream for a job they enjoy and strive for a lovely,

attached family.

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