Post by danl02 on Mar 20, 2008 7:05:14 GMT -5
D.L.
Period 2
Word Count:733
The Undeclared War
In America, life is war. People are taught to fight since childhood when they’re told to enter that college that few can enter. High school students shadowbox when they compete with each other with GPAs and SAT scores. And when those very people enter society, they are forced by their culture to fight and defeat others in the business world. The consensus of society is one in which every man must fight and the fortunate few achieve the greatest hopes and dreams. This hostile mindset of capitalism, dressed as the American Dream, was criticized by Arthur Miller during his time, the mid twentieth century, with a play that was itself criticized. Yet even today, Miller’s play Death of a Salesman serves as an important reminder that in society’s pursuit of the American Dream, people must triumph over others to succeed, the old are mercilessly replaced, and people are driven away from their dreams.
Miller’s character Dave Singleman, for instance, could be viewed as an example of a lone individual rising in society at the cost of others. When this fictional success dies, “hundreds of salesmen and buyers [go to] his funeral” (Miller 81). Yet when the protagonist Willy Loman, an unsuccessful salesman, dies, only his family and neighbor attend his funeral. Willy is no different from other white-collared men who dream of rising on the social ladder who were stepped on so people like Singleman could become powerful—if only by comparison. This was the case in Homeland Security’s largest defense contract bid: the winning company Lockheed Martin was hailed by people in the business as a success story while other competitors fell to the ground. Annually, Lockheed Martin gets billions from Homeland Security just as Singleman makes sales “without ever leaving his room” (Miller 81). But other bidders, like Willy, paid a hard price: they had trouble finding funds. The layoffs following crushed the dreams of many Americans, victims of society no longer capable of sustaining themselves. In America, not all people may achieve the same dream.
As a result of the American Dream, the old or inefficient are used and tossed away so the young may seek their dreams. Willy, who’s too old “to keep traveling every week,” doesn’t wait long to find himself jobless (Miller 14). In his place is new machinery and younger workers—a common occurrence in modern society. For instance, when software was introduced into accounting in the late twentieth century, the older manual accountants were removed. No longer needed for their archaic skills, people who dreamed of a good job and a relaxing retirement were suddenly unemployed before the end of their planned careers. Though both Willy and these accountants put many years into their work, they were heedlessly replaced once no longer deemed the most efficient. And though people of different ages are against replacements, sometimes they are unwilling to question society.
The society that forces people into believing the American Dream often makes them work against their dreams. For instance, Willy’s “a happy man with a batch of cement,” yet society forces him into a suit to become a salesman (Miller 138). He was taught that not having a ‘proper’ job like his son Biff “was a disgrace” (Miller 16). Yet Mr. Loman, who becomes a salesman for fame and happiness, fuels his unrewarding society and wins nothing in the end. Today, people are taught by society the importance of money, with billionaires held with esteem or envy. Many employees simply dream of adventure or raising kids, but culture dictates that they may only do so through a successful career. Society has made adventurous professions, such as farming or woodworking, into improper blue-collar jobs—yet these may be the true dreams of many Americans. Though they may feel proud of the color of their shirt collars, many rich followers of the American Dream may not be achieving their dreams at all.
So while Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman may have been criticizing a very old consensus, the criticism is still important as the current hunt for the American Dream has also resulted in people being defeated for victors to appear, the cruel exchange of used employees, and the inability for people to seek their true dreams. Problems from the past reappear in the present. Unless Americans are willing to admit to flaws in their culture, more dreams will be crushed than achieved.
Period 2
Word Count:733
The Undeclared War
In America, life is war. People are taught to fight since childhood when they’re told to enter that college that few can enter. High school students shadowbox when they compete with each other with GPAs and SAT scores. And when those very people enter society, they are forced by their culture to fight and defeat others in the business world. The consensus of society is one in which every man must fight and the fortunate few achieve the greatest hopes and dreams. This hostile mindset of capitalism, dressed as the American Dream, was criticized by Arthur Miller during his time, the mid twentieth century, with a play that was itself criticized. Yet even today, Miller’s play Death of a Salesman serves as an important reminder that in society’s pursuit of the American Dream, people must triumph over others to succeed, the old are mercilessly replaced, and people are driven away from their dreams.
Miller’s character Dave Singleman, for instance, could be viewed as an example of a lone individual rising in society at the cost of others. When this fictional success dies, “hundreds of salesmen and buyers [go to] his funeral” (Miller 81). Yet when the protagonist Willy Loman, an unsuccessful salesman, dies, only his family and neighbor attend his funeral. Willy is no different from other white-collared men who dream of rising on the social ladder who were stepped on so people like Singleman could become powerful—if only by comparison. This was the case in Homeland Security’s largest defense contract bid: the winning company Lockheed Martin was hailed by people in the business as a success story while other competitors fell to the ground. Annually, Lockheed Martin gets billions from Homeland Security just as Singleman makes sales “without ever leaving his room” (Miller 81). But other bidders, like Willy, paid a hard price: they had trouble finding funds. The layoffs following crushed the dreams of many Americans, victims of society no longer capable of sustaining themselves. In America, not all people may achieve the same dream.
As a result of the American Dream, the old or inefficient are used and tossed away so the young may seek their dreams. Willy, who’s too old “to keep traveling every week,” doesn’t wait long to find himself jobless (Miller 14). In his place is new machinery and younger workers—a common occurrence in modern society. For instance, when software was introduced into accounting in the late twentieth century, the older manual accountants were removed. No longer needed for their archaic skills, people who dreamed of a good job and a relaxing retirement were suddenly unemployed before the end of their planned careers. Though both Willy and these accountants put many years into their work, they were heedlessly replaced once no longer deemed the most efficient. And though people of different ages are against replacements, sometimes they are unwilling to question society.
The society that forces people into believing the American Dream often makes them work against their dreams. For instance, Willy’s “a happy man with a batch of cement,” yet society forces him into a suit to become a salesman (Miller 138). He was taught that not having a ‘proper’ job like his son Biff “was a disgrace” (Miller 16). Yet Mr. Loman, who becomes a salesman for fame and happiness, fuels his unrewarding society and wins nothing in the end. Today, people are taught by society the importance of money, with billionaires held with esteem or envy. Many employees simply dream of adventure or raising kids, but culture dictates that they may only do so through a successful career. Society has made adventurous professions, such as farming or woodworking, into improper blue-collar jobs—yet these may be the true dreams of many Americans. Though they may feel proud of the color of their shirt collars, many rich followers of the American Dream may not be achieving their dreams at all.
So while Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman may have been criticizing a very old consensus, the criticism is still important as the current hunt for the American Dream has also resulted in people being defeated for victors to appear, the cruel exchange of used employees, and the inability for people to seek their true dreams. Problems from the past reappear in the present. Unless Americans are willing to admit to flaws in their culture, more dreams will be crushed than achieved.