Post by alliet07 on Apr 4, 2008 20:23:23 GMT -5
Living in the Past: The Generational Divide in Fences,Glass Menagerie, and Death of a Salesman
August Wilson’s Fences, Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menageries, and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman are plays that are all centered on dysfunctional family dynamics during the first half of the 20th century. Although many people say that we are currently living in turbulent times, it does not compare to the first half of the 20th century when the country was involved in two world wars, a catastrophic economic depression, and severe racial discrimination. The massive changes that were taking place in society forced Americans to reconsider many of their values and beliefs. In all three of the plays, tensions between what the parents’ goals and aspirations are for their children and what the younger generation wants for themselves prove to be destructive. While the younger generation is trying to take advantage of new opportunities and plan their futures in this “new America”, the older generation wants them to live their lives according to their notions of success and economic security which were shaped by their own experiences. The parents thought they were doing what is best for their child did not take into account their well-being. The parents in Fences, The Glass Menagerie, and Death of a Salesman try to force their children into futures without keeping in mind their interests.
In all three of the works, the parents do not realize that their own personal lifestyle may not be for their children. In Fences, Troy does not support Cory’s dream to play football in college. Troy’s heart was broken when he was prevented from playing baseball professionally when he was younger because he was black. He cannot accept that racial attitudes have changed and as Cory had mentioned there were plenty of black athletes competing in professional sports. Troy cannot see the long term benefits of college and instead believes that it would be best if Cory earn a living immediately after high school by working at the supermarket. Troy is being both protective and selfish by preventing Cory from attending college. On the one hand, he does not want Cory’s dreams to be crushed by society as his were, and on the other hand, he is jealous of the tremendous opportunity that Cory is being offered when it was denied to him.
Like Troy, Amanda in the Glass Menagerie, lets her own childhood experiences dictate the way she raises her children. She was a former southern belle and constantly reminisces about her numerous gentleman callers and popularity. She puts tremendous pressure on her shy disabled daughter Laura to attract the same amount of male attention. She constantly tells her about her experiences and makes Laura feel inept. She enrolls Laura in business college as insurance that even if she never weds she will be self-sufficient. When Amanda learns that Laura is too scared to attend school, Amanda is furious and tells her that all of her “plans-her hopes and ambitions for [her],” had gone “up the spout “(Williams 14). When Laura fails in becoming a “career woman” or a wife, Amanda feels that she has failed as well. She sees their futures intertwined and sees Laura as an extension of herself. She tells Laura that without a career or a husband her only option is to be a spinster dependent on her brother. Amanda tries to make her feel guilty by asking her if “it was the future that we’ve mapped out for ourselves” (16). Laura was satisfied with sitting home alone with her glass menagerie and her old records and would probably be just as happy as a spinster. Amanda’s ambition for Laura overshadows Laura’s needs and desires.
In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman also has very firm opinions about what he wants Biff’s future to be like. He believes that a desk job is the only means for reaching success. He cannot accept that the traveling salesman industry is long passed his glory days. He urges his son Biff to accept a suit and tie job. Biff has other plans, however. He finds much greater joy in watching a calf with its mother than waiting for the next paycheck. Willy sees Biff’s ranching out west as a sign of failure and a step backward in the American cycle of advancement. He believes that ranching is an occupation that is far below him. Biff is always persuaded to return east and find a desk job but is always unhappy and unfulfilled. When Biff admits his failure in the corporate world to Willy, his father cannot stand it because it means that after all those years in the company, he would be a failure as well.
It is a tragic truth that because of their parent’s stubbornness the children in the above mentioned plays are so miserable they decide to leave home and pursue their own passions resulting in estrangement. After Troy kicks Cory out of the house in Fences, Cory does not even attempt to return home. He resents Troy from standing in the way of his college dreams. Cory has finally escaped Troy’s fence and wants to make something of himself in the real world. Cory returns to the house for the first time as a marine to console his mother after his father died. If Cory had continued to live with his father he would not have been allowed to join the marines. In Glass Menagerie Tom leaves Amanda and Laura soon after the Jim debacle. He is fired from his factory job and decides to travel to look for more in life. He follows in “his father’s footsteps” leaving his poor disabled sister behind. As he moves from city to city he is constantly haunted by his guilt for Laura, but is able to freely pursue his own interests. In Death of a Salesman, Biff has an epiphany when he steals businessman Bill Oliver’s pen during a job interview. He realizes that he is lying to himself by pretending to be an office man, and making a “contemptuous begging fool of [himself]” (Miller 1053). He does not want to wind up like his father and refuses to sacrifice his own happiness for his father’s pride.
There is a much smaller generational gap between 21st century children and their parents. The millennial generation ( aka GenY) consists of those born between 1980 to 1995. A characteristic of a millennial is that they are close to their parents and enjoy spending time with them. Their parents are supportive of whatever they choose to do and are constantly reminded they are “special” by their parents. This causes them to be less independent and perhaps less equipped to deal with disappointment. Despite their flaws, Troy, Amanda, and Willy believed they were doing what was best for their children. For the most part, 21st century parents do not face the same challenges that those who were raising children during the depression, the world wars and racial segregation experienced.
August Wilson’s Fences, Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menageries, and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman are plays that are all centered on dysfunctional family dynamics during the first half of the 20th century. Although many people say that we are currently living in turbulent times, it does not compare to the first half of the 20th century when the country was involved in two world wars, a catastrophic economic depression, and severe racial discrimination. The massive changes that were taking place in society forced Americans to reconsider many of their values and beliefs. In all three of the plays, tensions between what the parents’ goals and aspirations are for their children and what the younger generation wants for themselves prove to be destructive. While the younger generation is trying to take advantage of new opportunities and plan their futures in this “new America”, the older generation wants them to live their lives according to their notions of success and economic security which were shaped by their own experiences. The parents thought they were doing what is best for their child did not take into account their well-being. The parents in Fences, The Glass Menagerie, and Death of a Salesman try to force their children into futures without keeping in mind their interests.
In all three of the works, the parents do not realize that their own personal lifestyle may not be for their children. In Fences, Troy does not support Cory’s dream to play football in college. Troy’s heart was broken when he was prevented from playing baseball professionally when he was younger because he was black. He cannot accept that racial attitudes have changed and as Cory had mentioned there were plenty of black athletes competing in professional sports. Troy cannot see the long term benefits of college and instead believes that it would be best if Cory earn a living immediately after high school by working at the supermarket. Troy is being both protective and selfish by preventing Cory from attending college. On the one hand, he does not want Cory’s dreams to be crushed by society as his were, and on the other hand, he is jealous of the tremendous opportunity that Cory is being offered when it was denied to him.
Like Troy, Amanda in the Glass Menagerie, lets her own childhood experiences dictate the way she raises her children. She was a former southern belle and constantly reminisces about her numerous gentleman callers and popularity. She puts tremendous pressure on her shy disabled daughter Laura to attract the same amount of male attention. She constantly tells her about her experiences and makes Laura feel inept. She enrolls Laura in business college as insurance that even if she never weds she will be self-sufficient. When Amanda learns that Laura is too scared to attend school, Amanda is furious and tells her that all of her “plans-her hopes and ambitions for [her],” had gone “up the spout “(Williams 14). When Laura fails in becoming a “career woman” or a wife, Amanda feels that she has failed as well. She sees their futures intertwined and sees Laura as an extension of herself. She tells Laura that without a career or a husband her only option is to be a spinster dependent on her brother. Amanda tries to make her feel guilty by asking her if “it was the future that we’ve mapped out for ourselves” (16). Laura was satisfied with sitting home alone with her glass menagerie and her old records and would probably be just as happy as a spinster. Amanda’s ambition for Laura overshadows Laura’s needs and desires.
In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman also has very firm opinions about what he wants Biff’s future to be like. He believes that a desk job is the only means for reaching success. He cannot accept that the traveling salesman industry is long passed his glory days. He urges his son Biff to accept a suit and tie job. Biff has other plans, however. He finds much greater joy in watching a calf with its mother than waiting for the next paycheck. Willy sees Biff’s ranching out west as a sign of failure and a step backward in the American cycle of advancement. He believes that ranching is an occupation that is far below him. Biff is always persuaded to return east and find a desk job but is always unhappy and unfulfilled. When Biff admits his failure in the corporate world to Willy, his father cannot stand it because it means that after all those years in the company, he would be a failure as well.
It is a tragic truth that because of their parent’s stubbornness the children in the above mentioned plays are so miserable they decide to leave home and pursue their own passions resulting in estrangement. After Troy kicks Cory out of the house in Fences, Cory does not even attempt to return home. He resents Troy from standing in the way of his college dreams. Cory has finally escaped Troy’s fence and wants to make something of himself in the real world. Cory returns to the house for the first time as a marine to console his mother after his father died. If Cory had continued to live with his father he would not have been allowed to join the marines. In Glass Menagerie Tom leaves Amanda and Laura soon after the Jim debacle. He is fired from his factory job and decides to travel to look for more in life. He follows in “his father’s footsteps” leaving his poor disabled sister behind. As he moves from city to city he is constantly haunted by his guilt for Laura, but is able to freely pursue his own interests. In Death of a Salesman, Biff has an epiphany when he steals businessman Bill Oliver’s pen during a job interview. He realizes that he is lying to himself by pretending to be an office man, and making a “contemptuous begging fool of [himself]” (Miller 1053). He does not want to wind up like his father and refuses to sacrifice his own happiness for his father’s pride.
There is a much smaller generational gap between 21st century children and their parents. The millennial generation ( aka GenY) consists of those born between 1980 to 1995. A characteristic of a millennial is that they are close to their parents and enjoy spending time with them. Their parents are supportive of whatever they choose to do and are constantly reminded they are “special” by their parents. This causes them to be less independent and perhaps less equipped to deal with disappointment. Despite their flaws, Troy, Amanda, and Willy believed they were doing what was best for their children. For the most part, 21st century parents do not face the same challenges that those who were raising children during the depression, the world wars and racial segregation experienced.