Post by devinc07 on Apr 9, 2008 10:25:49 GMT -5
Devin Cline
4/5/08
743 words
The Great Escape: Escapism in the Twentieth Century American Family
Art has always mirrored the society from which it sprang. The twentieth century plays Death of a Salesman, Fences, and The Glass Menagerie all mirror twentieth century America by providing insight into the nature of the American family of that time period. At least one family member in each play tries to escape the pressures of the world and family life in their own way. Willy finds escape in his fantasies in Death of a Salesman, Troy escapes from the world of responsibility by having an affair in Fences, and Tom literally leaves his family behind in The Glass Menagerie. The attempts of Willy, Troy, and Tom to distance themselves from their families reflect the escapism embraced by so many members of the American families of the twentieth century.
The economic hardships faced by American families throughout the twentieth century put immense pressure on American wage earners to provide for their families, causing many to seek some form of escape from the monotonous and strenuous routine of working long hours to support their families. Like so many twentieth century workers, Willy’s job frustration stems from his inability to keep up with the changing nature of his industry or attain the level of success he desires. He constantly lies about his failures and becomes lost in his fantasies of what he wishes the world was like. Willy’s only escape from reality is inside his head, where he relives the few happy moments of his life and imagines how his life could have turned out. The many minority members of society, who were confronted with continuing discrimination during the twentieth century, faced the same pressure to support their families, but found it considerably more difficult because they were denied job opportunities as well as respect. Troy’s struggle to gain respect at his already degrading job combined with the fact that he has to work long hours all week leads him to seek an escape through his affair with Alberta. Tom’s desire to leave home reflects the desires of young people throughout the twentieth century, especially in his generation. It has become customary in our society to leave home when you reach a certain age because of the restlessness felt by the youth throughout the twentieth century and their desire to leave their mundane or possibly difficult lives behind in search of adventure elsewhere in the world.
The escapism of twentieth century American family members was also a result of their dissatisfaction with the American system and their disillusionment with the idea of the American Dream. The capitalist American system invariably produces more failures than successes, and those that have failed to achieve the American Dream, such as Willy Loman, seek an escape from reality because they feel that the system has failed them. Willy originally has high expectations for the possibilities of his life and he makes himself believe that he will be as successful as Dave Singleman someday, but when these illusions are shattered repeatedly by his failures he only gets lost deeper in his fantasy so that he does not have to deal with the disappointment of reality. Troy’s disillusionment with the American system is a result of his experiences with baseball and the discrimination he faces at his job on a daily basis. His attempts to escape from the harsh reality of the American system reflect those of the many members of our society who have faced discrimination over the past century. Tom’s restlessness and desire to leave home are a direct result of his dissatisfaction with the monotony of being another cog in the great American working machine. His plight is that of the working class Americans, whose needs have been repeatedly overlooked by our government, causing them to face hardships in addition to the overwhelming mediocrity of their lives. All these different groups of Americans were disillusioned by the failure of the American system to support them, and sought solace in an escape from their family life.
These works expose the escapist tendencies of twentieth century American families and the reasons for these tendencies. The struggles of Willy, Troy and Tom embody the problems faced by ordinary Americans and how they responded to those problems by trying to avoid them in some way. Thus far, the twenty-first century has proved that it will not be drastically different the previous century. The disillusionment felt by Americans has not waned, but intensified with every passing day. Our government has repeatedly shown its incompetence and inability to respond to the problems faced by everyday Americans, which has made most of the emerging youth in America feel disconnected from the system. Most Americans continue to embrace escapism as a solution to their dissatisfaction with the condition of the world they live in, and they are likely to continue to do so for as long as there are problems in their own lives as well as the world.
4/5/08
743 words
The Great Escape: Escapism in the Twentieth Century American Family
Art has always mirrored the society from which it sprang. The twentieth century plays Death of a Salesman, Fences, and The Glass Menagerie all mirror twentieth century America by providing insight into the nature of the American family of that time period. At least one family member in each play tries to escape the pressures of the world and family life in their own way. Willy finds escape in his fantasies in Death of a Salesman, Troy escapes from the world of responsibility by having an affair in Fences, and Tom literally leaves his family behind in The Glass Menagerie. The attempts of Willy, Troy, and Tom to distance themselves from their families reflect the escapism embraced by so many members of the American families of the twentieth century.
The economic hardships faced by American families throughout the twentieth century put immense pressure on American wage earners to provide for their families, causing many to seek some form of escape from the monotonous and strenuous routine of working long hours to support their families. Like so many twentieth century workers, Willy’s job frustration stems from his inability to keep up with the changing nature of his industry or attain the level of success he desires. He constantly lies about his failures and becomes lost in his fantasies of what he wishes the world was like. Willy’s only escape from reality is inside his head, where he relives the few happy moments of his life and imagines how his life could have turned out. The many minority members of society, who were confronted with continuing discrimination during the twentieth century, faced the same pressure to support their families, but found it considerably more difficult because they were denied job opportunities as well as respect. Troy’s struggle to gain respect at his already degrading job combined with the fact that he has to work long hours all week leads him to seek an escape through his affair with Alberta. Tom’s desire to leave home reflects the desires of young people throughout the twentieth century, especially in his generation. It has become customary in our society to leave home when you reach a certain age because of the restlessness felt by the youth throughout the twentieth century and their desire to leave their mundane or possibly difficult lives behind in search of adventure elsewhere in the world.
The escapism of twentieth century American family members was also a result of their dissatisfaction with the American system and their disillusionment with the idea of the American Dream. The capitalist American system invariably produces more failures than successes, and those that have failed to achieve the American Dream, such as Willy Loman, seek an escape from reality because they feel that the system has failed them. Willy originally has high expectations for the possibilities of his life and he makes himself believe that he will be as successful as Dave Singleman someday, but when these illusions are shattered repeatedly by his failures he only gets lost deeper in his fantasy so that he does not have to deal with the disappointment of reality. Troy’s disillusionment with the American system is a result of his experiences with baseball and the discrimination he faces at his job on a daily basis. His attempts to escape from the harsh reality of the American system reflect those of the many members of our society who have faced discrimination over the past century. Tom’s restlessness and desire to leave home are a direct result of his dissatisfaction with the monotony of being another cog in the great American working machine. His plight is that of the working class Americans, whose needs have been repeatedly overlooked by our government, causing them to face hardships in addition to the overwhelming mediocrity of their lives. All these different groups of Americans were disillusioned by the failure of the American system to support them, and sought solace in an escape from their family life.
These works expose the escapist tendencies of twentieth century American families and the reasons for these tendencies. The struggles of Willy, Troy and Tom embody the problems faced by ordinary Americans and how they responded to those problems by trying to avoid them in some way. Thus far, the twenty-first century has proved that it will not be drastically different the previous century. The disillusionment felt by Americans has not waned, but intensified with every passing day. Our government has repeatedly shown its incompetence and inability to respond to the problems faced by everyday Americans, which has made most of the emerging youth in America feel disconnected from the system. Most Americans continue to embrace escapism as a solution to their dissatisfaction with the condition of the world they live in, and they are likely to continue to do so for as long as there are problems in their own lives as well as the world.