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Theme Of Trauma In Death Of A Salesman

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The two plays Death of a Salesman and Fences are both very similar. both plays take place in American cities. This is post WW2 era and both families are facing the struggle of the “American Dream.” In each play the families deal with the disappointments of life during this time period. Willy Loman is the father figure in the play Death of a Salesman. He is a salesman with big dreams for himself and his two sons. Happy and Biff are expected to follow in their father’s footsteps and be salesman. Biff and Willy kind of butt heads around this idea. Biff knows he can’t fulfill his dad’s dreams for him and Willy won’t take no for an answer. Willy suffers disappointment from his job and hopes Biff can outshine him. Biff struggles with growing up …show more content…

But it is the inevitable. We cannot fear tragedy. We have to be familiar with it, or even almost embrace it. If we discuss tragedy in today's movies and books we can prepare for it. If how to handle tough situations is talked about then when we get to these situations we will feel more prepared. Tragedy really makes a person. Someone who has experienced trauma thinks completely different then someone who has been sheltered their whole life. Miller is saying we have to look at it as the glass is half full not half empty. He is encouraging optimism. “The possibility of victory must be there in tragedy.” We have to look for the good in the bad otherwise we won’t appreciate the good. Miller thinks we underappreciate and underestimate tragedy. Arthur Miller is saying these tragedies happen to nobility, kings and royal people. He thinks we need more to write about tragedy in the common man. Death of a Salesman is a perfect example of tragedy in the common man. Willy Loman is depressed, facing struggles in his job and with his family. His struggle really gets to him and he feels like he can't open up to anyone about it. He gets so mind boggled that he has flashbacks of an old friend talking to him and giving him advice. All of this going on while Biff is going downhill, and he faces troubles with his wife really pushes him over the edge. He ends up taking his own life. The Tragedy of the Common man is talking about Willy Loman

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He sees one of his failures as not being able to raise his sons to be “perfect”, like when biff didn't becoming successful in business. He feels that biff is betraying him by not following out what he wanted, and it really takes a toll on Willy when Biff walks out on him after discovering Willy with another women. When this scene comes up in the movie, Willy feels like Biff betrayed him all based on that, while Biff feels betrayed because of the multiple times Willy lied to him and his

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One of the greatest conflicts every human must face is a conflict within his or her self. These sorts of internal conflicts are forged and fought within our minds. These feelings are caused by one’s inability to face the realities of modern society and conform to the expectations that come with them. The novel, 1984 by George Orwell, addresses the external conflict between Winston Smith and Big Brother; and the internal conflict between repression and independence. The play, Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller addresses the emotions and feelings of Willy Loman as he comes to terms with not achieving the American Dream.

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Willy Loman was a troubled man who didn't have respect for his wife and degraded his children every chance he got when it came to their failures, especially with his son Biff. He only cared about achieving the American dream which he did not succeed because of all his problems that stood in his way. His constant obsession with achieving the American dream only made his family distance themselves from him more only due to the fact that he believed that achieving this would lead him to happiness and success. This also leads to the other major theme which is resilience. Willy came from a poor socioeconomic background and he is making all the efforts to pull himself out of his current situation through whatever he can do in hopes for something better that will make him feel like he's achieved his

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(Miller, “Tragedy”, 6). The reason that there is such an absence of tragedies to this day, is that “...the turn which modern literature has taken toward the purely psychiatric view of life, or the purely sociological.” (Miller, “Tragedy”, 13). With so much thinking and analyzing involved, no one can really enjoy a play for what it is--pure entertainment.

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Although in a way one can understand him not taking the risk and going to Alaska. Finally, Willy is responsible for his own death. I see this as a tragedy because Willy felt that the only way for him to make up for the fact that his past actions contributed to Biff’s failure in life was to commit suicide. In order that Biff would get an inheritance that would allow him to achieve the “American

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While Linda enabled him, Willy could not help himself too keep ruining the good opportunities he had and turning them into some factious reality. At Willy`s funeral Biff comes to the realization that his father had all the wrong dreams and visions of success. Willy`s only dream was the fake “American Dream” that people believe will happen overnight. Willy`s failed attempts and happiness bonded into one and played a part into him creating this false reality and persona that he was the best salesman and that he was well loved by everyone around him.

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HAPPY: What the hell! WILLY: Tell me what happened! Biff [to Happy]: I can’t talk to him! Willy is only able to cope with the reality the Biff lays before him by escaping entirely into his delusions.

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Biff wants to retake the class in the summer but when he catches his father having an affair his perception of his father, his biggest role model, is shattered causing him to give up on the things he used to want to do. Willy represses this memory entirely and tries to blame others for Biffs behavior instead of himself. Willy also fools himself into thinking he is well liked and successful. In small moments of clarity Willy admits that people have made fun of his physique and no one talks to him anymore when he goes

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His mood swings cause him to constantly change his opinion, so nothing can ever be good enough for Willy. He could be perfectly content with life one moment then despising it the next. There is no way for Willy to ever be perfectly happy. Linda loves Willy more than anything, yet he has an affair anyway. Biff comes home after finally finding work that he enjoys out west, but Willy still bashes his son for not being the all-American football star like his father wanted him to be.

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Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller portrays the last 24 hours of the life of a common man, Willy Loman, as he reflects on the failures of his life. Loman’s success as a salesman has passed now that his old loyal boss, Howard, has died, and he now works as an unsuccessful traveling salesman, scraping by on commision from Howard’s son. Loman goes to the neighbor, Charley, often borrowing money for household payments, but refuses to take a job-offer from him. Willy Loman’s spouse is Linda and they have two boys, Happy and his older brother Biff, who are now middle aged men who live back at home and are trying to find where they belong in life. Bernard is a childhood friend of the Loman boys, and is Charley’s son.

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As the old saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. This is especially true for Willy Loman in the Death of a Salesman. Death of a Salesman is a rather tragic tale depicting the fall of Willy Loman and, to some degree, the fall of his son Biff Loman. There are two ways in which one could interpret Death of a Salesman, with Willy as the protagonist, or with Biff as the protagonist. Either way, the story is not made a tragedy by its plot, but rather, it is made a tragedy by its characters.

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Miller depicts Willy as a tragic character in his willingness to preserve his dignity. Additionally, Willy’s dignity is tainted in the story because of his flawed philosophy of the American Dream. This along with unjust comparisons leads to Willy’s death. Based on how Willy Loman evaluates himself unjustly, he is a tragic hero because he must do anything to preserve his dignity, and his false impression of the American Dream, which leads to his downfall.

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1537 Words | 7 Pages

Willy finds out his dream of being an popular, well respected salesman is impossible and takes his own life. Linda supports Willy despite the abuse and confusion he puts her through with his various attempts to take his own life, with his delirious ramblings and hallucinations, and with his constant deception. Happy still sees his father as a hero and Biff finally begins to grasp the truth of the “American Dream”. When Willy kills himself, all of the Loman family, including Willy, break free from the web of false dreams he spun and begin to understand Willy’s failings. They also realize their own flaws.

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978 Words | 4 Pages

This cancelled his plans to be a collegiate football player. Ever since then, things have kept going on a downhill path for Biff. Willy and Linda both notice this and it devastates them. But, instead of helping his son, Willy becomes agitated for the rest of his life. He expected his son to be better but, Biff did not want to be better.

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Willy Loman is the central figure of the play. He’s an untalented but energetic man gripped by the American dream. Willy’s personality disintegrates as he moves into his 60’s and his strength begins to fail him. He commits suicide in hope of earning thousands in life insurance for his wife and two sons. Over the course of the play, he is presented as a complex person who hides deep insecurity beneath bluster and drive, relying on his handsome and athletic sons to compensate for his own sense of inadequacy.

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