A motif is described as something that occurs several times in the course of a literary work. Most of the time, because it is repeated so often, the motif can reveal a lot about the characters of the story. They are also used to set establish a way of feeling about what is happening. Death of a Salesman contains many motifs such as memories, secrets, ambitions and the one that I find most interesting, the garden. The garden is a motif in death of a Salesmen that could be interpreted in many different ways depending on what perspective you view it in. I’ve chosen to look at it like a representation of Willy’s hope for the future.
The garden is first mentioned in act 1. Willy is talking about how boxed in they are now, how before they had the room to grow a garden and hang a tire swing. The garden represents the hopes Willy had for the future. Before it was certain that they would grow a garden, just as it was certain
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Willy is reading the back of the seeds he has purchased, as he intends on following the instructions carefully, insuring that his crop is successful. This can be compared to how Willy tried to raise Biff. He did everything he thought he was supposed to do in order for his son to grow up and be successful. Unfortunately, Biff struggles with this formula similarly as he struggles with the formulas in his math class. Biff`s failure in math is symbolic for his failure to live up to his father’s expectations.
“For a lot of people "The American Dream" is connected to becoming wealthy and the ability to achieve everything if one only works hard enough for it (From rags to riches). For others it is much more and is beyond materialism. For them it is the dream of living a simple, happy and fulfilling life and the most important features being faith and equality. "The American Dream" also is about liberty and America being the country of unlimited opportunities.”
At the beginning of the play it is evident that he cannot determine the realities of life, and so he repeatedly contradicts himself to establish that his conclusion is correct and opinion accepted. These numerous contradictions demonstrate that Willy is perturbed of the possibility that negative judgements may come from others. Willy strongly believes that “personality always wins” and tells his sons that they should “be liked and (they) will never want”. In one of Willy’s flashbacks he recalls the time when his sons and him were outside cleaning their Chevy. Willy informs Biff and Happy the success of his business trips and how everyone residing in Boston adores him. He mentions that due to the admiration of people he does not even have to wait in lines. He ultimately teaches his sons that being liked by others is the way to fulfilling one’s life and removing your worries. These ideals, that one does not need to work for success, demonstrate Willy’s deluded belief of achieving a prosperous life from the admiration and acceptance of others. This ultimately proves to be a false ideology during his funeral, when an insufficient amount of people arrive. Willy constantly attempts to obtain other’s acceptance through his false tales that depict him as a strong, successful man. In the past, he attempts to lie to his wife, Linda, about the amount of wealth he has attained during his
The term “American Dream” is defined as an idea which believes that all people have the possibility of prosperity and success. The idea first came from James Adams, a noted American writer and historian. He claimed, “Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement.” Therefore, the core concepts of the American Dream were closely linked to hard work and opportunity.
First, what is the American dream? According to David Wallechinsky, “the traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can improve their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life, and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire” (1). “The American Dream” states, “It has always represented the possibility for individuals to succeed and live a life of wealth and comfort, made possible by both the political and economic attitudes in the USA and the individual’s own hard work” (1). Daniella Nicole adds that “in years past, chasing the American Dream meant the sky was the limit. . .” (1).
The garden is the vehicle in which the narrator reveals her reluctance to leave behind the imaginary world of childhood and see the realities of the adult world. The evidence supporting this interpretation is the imagery of hiding. The narrator uses the garden to hide from reality and the changes of growing up. When she no longer can hide from reality, she tries to hide from herself, which leaves her feeling disillusioned and unsure of who she is.
Willy didn’t care if Biff did well in school; he just wanted him to be a popular football player because he thought that would bring him success in the future. Biff eventually fails math, which leads to his career in football to be over. Seeds are representing growth/potential but also failure. “Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground” (Miller). He wanted to leave something behind that would hopefully grow and prosper. Willy worked his whole life for nothing, he never attained the success and popularity he wanted and neither of Willy’s sons followed the path he wished they did. Biff did not become what Willy wanted him to; instead he hoped to have almost the exact opposite of what his dad wanted. Biff does not agree with his dad’s version of the American Dream.
The American dream can be defined as the promise of living in America with opportunities for all, regardless of social class, and according to their ability and effort (Schnell, 2010). Proponents of the American dream believe that there is equal opportunity for all in the American society to achieve success. Success is not pegged on social status, race, or creed, but rather on an individual’s own efforts. The definition of the American dream has unique interpretations to different people. The most common meaning is that of a life of abundance and prosperity, characterized by economic rewards that enable one to live a middle class life of comfort. Here, success is measured by material possessions such as beautiful homes, cars, a high income, and the ability to spend on luxury items. America is considered a land of plenty, and as such, many who come to the United States in search of the American dream have this form of success in mind.
"The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.
The main ideas of the American dream as well as the way we are exposed to them is ever-changing. Nowadays, to a large portion of individuals, the American dream is to own a big house and a nice car. . Though the term the “American Dream” was not introduced until 1931 by James Truslow Adams it was birthed with the signing of the Declaration of Independence (Where Is the American Dream?). Founding fathers did not conjure this dream in means of monetary success but the ability and freedom to be as equally successful as how hard you work and not of what or who you are. The byproduct of such freedom could then be to own a big house and a nice car. One of the most infamous phrases in the Declaration of Independence,
The American Dream has changed; it is no longer the same as it was fifty or even one hundred years ago. Today, people not only search for prosperity and wealth, but they also search for happiness, equality, and determination. The American Dream is for everyone, not just the rich. The term “The American Dream” is a term used to describe the American way of life in general. It is a noun stating “the idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” Dreams are not limited to just one social class, everyone has a different version of the American Dream but they all work together in a community to create an organized, working society. A dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition, or idea that is open to anyone.
Although Willy’s relationship with Biff was scarring, conceivably his relationship with Happy was even more tragic. Happy was ignored by Willy. Where Biff could not measure up to Willy’s high expectations, nothing was expected of Happy at all. Happy tried unsuccessfully to get his father’s attention by calling Willy’s attention to his having lost weight. Willy does not respond. Interestingly enough, Happy is the son who is following in his father’s footsteps but again, Willy does not notice. Where Biff will never measure up to Willy’s expectations for him, Happy will never measure up to the expectations he has for himself.
Theme of Success in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman One of the important themes in Death of a Salesman is the nature of success. Many people believe that success is about making a lot of money. They say that with money comes happiness. However, this may not always be true. In other words, success is defined as the accomplishment of something that was desired.
During their quest to reach the top of the totem pole, Willy Loman and his two sons slip and are left behind. Deluded and troubled traveling salesmen like Willy Loman do not come around every day. His belief that the American Dream consists of simple success and wealth is extremely sincere. Nevertheless, he never manages to achieve it. Instead, Willy is stuck with the hope that his sons will succeed where he has failed. One of his sons, Biff, experiences a dazzling life in high school with almost everything going his way. However, Biff fails math and as a result he is not able ...
Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman is wrought with symbolism from the opening scene. Many symbols illustrate the themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willy’s brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willy’s attempts to be successful and his impending failure.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman criticizes the American Dream and the means some (i.e. Willy Loman) use to achieve the Dream through many different symbol and motifs; however, the title Miller selected for his play is an overlooked aspect of his criticism towards the Dream. He uses the title to build layers of understanding for his denunciation of the American Dream.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is a demonstration of the affliction with which America has been stricken. It is an affliction of false idealism, but also a birthing of the consumer. It is this consumer society which is the affliction, and the characters of this drama are unable to cure themselves of it. Willy Loman is the manifestation of the consumerism which is destroying society. He is the corporeal manifestation of this myth, and the American dream is the myth itself. This myth can be broken down into several parts itself. First is the belief that situations, commodities, etc. improve with time, which is a technological misconception. Second is the understanding that hard work is necessary to bring about this sort of improvement. And third, the coming together of these amounts to the belief that commodities brought about by hard work will help in the betterment of our lives, and that this never ending accumulation of wealth will generate a truly happy life.