Often having happiness is finding the key to life. Happiness is the ability to make one’s life full of joy and success. In the “Death of a Salesman”, “The Great Gatsby”, and “The Devil’s Advocate”, the protagonists in the movies seem to yearn for happiness and success in their lives. Although success may be the ultimate goal to achieving happiness, it does not always lead us there. There are many obstacles people have to overcome, and sometimes happiness is not enough for some people. It is why I believe more people should enjoy life and live it to the fullest extent as possible. Happiness allows people to live their lives and look at the good despite all their flaws and as they are happy they look back at what it took for them to achieve happiness. In “Death of a Salesman”, Willy Loman the protagonist is attempting to find out what it takes to be happy. Willy wants to become a great man in life and fails on numerous occasions. Unlike Keanu, and Gatsby, Willy can be coined a failure and dies a “failure”. He yearns for the “American Dream”, and believes if he has that he will get the success, and respect, especially out of his family that he desires. Willy works his whole life to achieve success, but finds it very difficult to achieve. He never ends up finding it. Willy yearns to be liked. He is a salesperson who is looking to make the most out of his life. Willy worked hard and attempted many times to achieve the success he was looking for, but he never did get it. His death could have been considered more successful than his life. The “American Dream” requires hard work and dedication and in being a salesperson, Willy had both, but I think his dream had to be a little more attainable where he could have worked harder for somethin... ... middle of paper ... ...e different paths to achieve the American dream. One of the three men achieve happiness, but to a certain extent. Gatsby was successful, but eventually dies unhappy as does Willy from “Death of a Salesman”. Keanu lives to see another day and is able to live life after experiencing a life changing dream. Keanu’s perspective on life changes and he seems to want to live it morally and ethically. He would rather fight each and every day to achieve happiness and the American Dream. I believe many of us wish for a second chance when making mistakes. I think all three men needed to be happy that they lived a life so beautiful and realize that every day is a blessing. Life in itself is something to be happy about and these men need to possess these qualities in order to be happy. With time, success can be founded as a foundation is built as they work hard each and every day!
The American dream is something many people strive to achieve. In many ways, the “American dream” itself, is inevitably impossible to achieve fully. In both stories, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller both main characters strive to achieve the American dream, but ultimately fail. There are both similarities and differences in how they define success for themselves, the way in which they both chose to achieve their dreams, and finally the result in attempting to achieve their dreams.
The play, “Death of a Salesman” written by Arthur Miller, presents Willy Loman, as a salesman, who fails to earn a living and slowly loses his mind. Willy continuously seeks the past to find out where he went wrong. During his years in life, Willy wanted his two sons, Biff and Happy to become someone they’re not; Willy wanted them to become a salesman like him. However, because of his obsession in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, he created a life full of lies for himself and his sons. In the end because of “his misconception of himself as someone capable of greatness” leads to his downfall and the end of his life (Death of a Salesman).”
Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman”, primarily focuses on the flaws and failures of Willy Loman, Millers’ main character in this story. Willy’s distorted and backward views of the American Dream, paired with his inability to let go of the past lead him down a road of regret and in the end his biggest failure which was his wasted life.
Willy Loman's Vision of America in Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller's The Death of a Salesman is about a man, Willy. Loman, whose life is going downhill and coming to an end. Willy Loman was a good salesman because he cared and was honest and through his personality. He sold his goods. Time has moved on, but Willy hasn't.
In Arthur Miller’s Death of a salesman the play is based on one man trying to reach the a personal dream while unknowingly hurting his family. During Willy Loman’s life he caused his family to be damaged by living a life that he could no longer fulfill. His sons Biff and Happy realized what their father is going through and are their for him in his time of need. Willy traveled around the east coast selling merchandise but as he grew older he lost his ability to travel. Willy tried to force his dream on to his sons Biff and Happy after he realizes that he can no longer cut it for his traveling job. He risks his life and is eventually fired after a lifetime of hard work. Willy subconsciously decided that he need to create a future for his children. His realization that he can not fulfil his dream crush him and he starts to complain about
Willy Loman is a firm believer in the "American Dream:" the notion that any man can rise from humble beginnings to greatness. His particular slant on this ideal is that a man succeeds by selling his charisma, that to be well liked is the most important asset a man can have. He made a living at this for 30 years, but as he enters the reclining years of his life, people have stopped smiling back and he can no longer sell the firm's goods to support himself. His ambition was one of greatness, to work hard and to be a member of the firm; and if he could not succeed in this respect, that he should at least be well-liked and be able to sell until the day of his death: When his friends would flock from all over the country to pay their respects.
In Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman”, the audience gets to witness the decline of a man so washed up and warped by his society that he takes his own life in the hopes that his family will benefit from the insurance money. This man’s name was Willy Loman, and he was a salesman in the late 1940’s plagued by false ideas and realities. In an interview, Arthur Miller described the man who inspired Willy Loman as a “failure in the face of surrounding success. .He was the ultimate climber up the ladder who was constantly being stepped on. His fingers were being stepped on by those climbing past him...And I mean, how could he possibly have succeeded? There was no way.” (Lahr 10) The society Willy lived in, as well as his own heart and ideals are what inhibited and ultimately destroyed his chance for a prosperous, fulfilled life.
But in this debate, one question still raises its head - What is happiness? Happiness is not actually leading a luxurious life, but the luxury of living a life. Happiness is not actually about expanding your business, but it lies in expanding the horizons of life. Happiness is not having a meal in the most famous restaurant, but having it with your most beloved family. It does not lie in attending honorable parties, but to attend a party with honor.
Within the play Death of a Salesman, the “American Dream” is prevalent throughout its entirety. The american dream has stood as the symbol of happiness and success for multiple generations in the United States. The main character, Willy Loman, has become obsessed with the idea of achieving this sought after goal. While of course everyone would love to be able to live a life well lived, Willy takes it too far. The ideal that everyone should be able to achieve success no matter their background intrigues the titular character to the point of obsession. I believe that his fixation on “making it” in life; is what led to the psychological breakdown and eventual suicide of Willy Loman.
Moreover, the psychological view of Willy Loman is shown as a person who works as a traveling salesman and decides to commit suicide because the “American Dream” overwhelms him. As Charley says in the story: “the only thing you got in this world is what you can sell”. He is a normal person “who embodies traditional American values of success.”(Hansberry) In fact, Willy Loman wants to a great extent believe that he is one of the finest salesmen, a winner in life and a great father. For Mr. Loman, the accomplish...
Willy Loman's definition does not differ greatly from mine, although while trying to pursue this dream, Willy's mind slowly drifted further and further away from reality. The "American Dream" is the idea that any man or woman can make his or her own fortune, despite his or her past. Willy is trying to achieve success through this thought, believing that being "well liked" and working hard will be enough to ensure his success. Willy was wrong. Social class is a major factor in the death of a salesman.
Willy Loman equates success as a human being with success in the business world. When Willy was a young man, he heard of a salesman who could "pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, make his living." 8. This salesman is Willy's inspiration; someday to be so respected and so well known that he can still provide for his family, even at an old age. Of course, Willy is no good at being a salesman because his heart isn't in it.
Happiness is a feeling that humans naturally desire. Without it, one feels incomplete. In this generation, happiness has taken on a definition by how we are presented to one another. It is measured by how much money we have, how famous we are, or the things we possess. When in reality, none of these things guarantee a happy life. Happiness is something that cannot be bought with money, but rather, it must be found, earned, sought after. Each and every one of us has our own list of things that we consider to make us happy. However, happiness shines brightest through the relationships we create, and the goals we make for ourselves to strive after. Along with these two essential sources, we then can mix and match those things in life that we enjoy to create our own unique formula for happiness.
America has long been known as a land of opportunity. Out of that thinking comes the "American Dream," the idea that anyone can ultimately achieve success, even if he or she began with nothing. In "The Death of a Salesman", Arthur Miller uses the characterization of Willy Loman to represent the failure of his ideal of the American Dream. Willy’s quest for the American Dream leads to his failure because throughout his life he pursues the illusion of the American Dream and not the reality of it. His mindset on perfection, obsession with success, and his constant reminiscence of the past and predictions of the future, all contribute to his defeat in the end.
I believe that happiness is the key to living a good and prosperous life. Through all of the sadness and hate in the world, happiness gives me hope. It gives not only me, but others hope and joy. Happiness gives us something to hold onto, therefore we cherish it as much as we can.