Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream...

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman For most, the American Dream is a sure fire shot at true happiness. It represents hope for a successful, fortune-filled future. Though most agree on the meaning of the American Dream, few follow the same path to achieving it. For struggling salesman Willy Loman, achieving this dream would mean a completely fulfilled existence. Unfortunately, Willys simplistic ideas on how to accomplish his goal are what ultimately prevent him from reaching it. Out of all of Willys simplistic ideals, one major pattern we can notice is how Willy truly believes that popularity and physical appearance are what make people wealthy. We are first introduced†¦show more content†¦The boys ask their father if his business will be like their Uncle Charleys. Willy responds by saying that hell be, Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not- liked. Hes liked, but hes not- well liked. From this example, it becomes evident that Willy thinks being well liked can make you successful. The most significant example, however, is also one that takes place in one of Willys flashbacks. Again, he is speaking to his sons about becoming successful. He tells them, ...the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me...I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. Willy Loman is here! Thats all they have to know, and I go right through. From these examples, it becomes very apparent that appearance and popularity are overly important to Willy when it comes to being successful in the business world. As we can see from Willys ideas of personal attractiveness, he doesnt seem to rely on hard work very much, particularly when it comes down to achieving the American Dream. In actuality, it is the lack of hard work that attracted Willy to become a salesman in the first place. In a conversation with Howard, his boss, Willy speaks of an eighty-four year old man hed met when he wasShow MoreRelated Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman724 Words   |  3 Pages the â€Å"American Dream† is the hope for a future filled with success and fortune.   Although many may share the idea of the American Dream, each person has a different perception of what is necessary to achieve this goal.   Willy Loman, the lead character of Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, believes that popularity and physical appearance are the keys that unlock the door to the â€Å"American Dream†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are first introduced to the importance of popularity and physical appearance when WillyRead More Myths of the American Dream Exposed in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman828 Words   |  4 Pagesthe American Dream Exposed in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman    Willy Loman, the lead character of Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, believes in the myths of the capitalistic society(DiYanni 412). This essay will examine the impact of the capitalistic myths on Willy Lowman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy believes in the myth that popularity and physical appearance are the keys that unlock the door to the â€Å"American Dream†. We are first introduced to the importance of popularity and physical appearanceRead More The American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman The American Dream ~ for many, it is the unlocked door that leads to happiness.   It is the hope for a future filled with success and fortune.   Although most people have a similar idea of what the American Dream is, they may have different ideas on how to achieve it.   For Willy Loman, a struggling salesman, achieving this dream would be a major accomplishment.   Unfortunately, his unusual ideas of how this dream can be achieved preventRead MoreThe Destruction of Willy Lowmans American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman626 Words   |  3 Pages In Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman readers are introduced to Willy, an ambitious salesman who just cant seem to get a break despite his drive. Willys life is marked by failure, and an almost stubborn attachment to the idea of striking it big. Willys life is ended by his own hands, the result of a broken dream that lead to a broken spirit. In many senses Willy represents the idea of the everyman, the average working cla ss man trying to get ahead, this is reflected in his attachment toRead More Comparing Death of a Salesman and The American Dream Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Death of a Salesman and The American Dream   Ã‚  Ã‚   In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman and Edward Albee’s The American Dream, Willy Lowman and Mommy possess the trait of superficiality. Their priorities are to look good and be liked, and this contributes to their misguided paths to reach success. This attribute is one of many societal criticisms pointed out by both authors. Arthur Miller criticizes society for perceiving success as being liked and having good looks. He illustratesRead More Willy Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman946 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman  Ã‚      Willy Loman, the central character in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is a man whose fall from the top of the capitalistic totem pole results in a resounding crash, both literally and metaphorically. As a man immersed in the memories of the past and controlled by his fears of the future, Willy Loman views himself as a victim of bad luck, bearing little blame for his interminable pitfalls. However, it was not an ill-fatedRead More Comparing the American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun3400 Words   |  14 PagesComparing the Destructive American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun America is a land of dreamers. From the time of the Spanish conquistadors coming in search of gold and everlasting youth, there has been a mystique about the land to which Amerigo Vespucci gave his name. To the Puritans who settled its northeast, it was to be the site of their â€Å"city upon a hill† (Winthrop 2). They gave their home the name New England, to signify their hope for aRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1870 Words   |  8 PagesTewari2 In Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman, the major theme as well as the main source of conflict is Willy s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family, a world in which he and his sons are great men who have what it takes to make it in the context of business and free enterprise. In reality, none of them can achieve greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion. An illusion is some event or objectRead MoreWilly Loman : the Tragedy of the American Dream2717 Words   |  11 PagesWilly Loman : The Tragedy of the American Dream Prosperity, job security, hard work and family union are some of the concepts that involve the American Dream, generally speaking. Some people think this dream is something automatically granted; or in contrast, as in the story Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller, as something that has to be achieved in order to be successful in life. The play takes issues with those in America who place too much stress on material gain, instead ofRead More Oppression and Depression: The Effects of White Masculinity2725 Words   |  11 Pagescompletely failed, and according to society’s and their own standards, they are not worthy to be considered real men. White masculinity is the ideal design of an adult male. It is a model for every man in America from birth up until the moment of death. This ideal dictates preferences in society for both men and women. John F. Kasson claims that a man is â€Å"valued solely for his beauty, his body openly admired and aggressively pursued by [women] (as well as courted by his own sex)† (Kasson 27). Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream... For many, the â€Å"American Dream† is the hope for a future filled with success and fortune. Although many may share the idea of the American Dream, each person has a different perception of what is necessary to achieve this goal. Willy Loman, the lead character of Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, believes that popularity and physical appearance are the keys that unlock the door to the â€Å"American Dream†. We are first introduced to the importance of popularity and physical appearance when Willy is speaking to his wife, Linda, about their son Biff. â€Å"Biff Loman is lost,† says Willy. â€Å"In the greatest country in the world, a young man with such personal attractiveness gets lost.† In this quote, not only is Willy confused†¦show more content†¦The boys ask their father if his business will be like their Uncle Charley’s. Willy responds by saying that he’ll be, â€Å"Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not- liked. He’s liked, but he’s not- well liked.† From this example, it becomes evident that Willy thinks being â€Å"well liked† can make you successful. The most significant example, however, is also one that takes place in one of Willy’s flashbacks. Again, he is speaking to his sons about becoming successful. He tells them, â€Å"...the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me...I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. ‘Willy Loman is here!’ That’s all they have to know, and I go right through.† From these examples, it becomes very apparent that appearance and popularity are unusually important to Willy when it comes to being successful in the business world. As we can see from Willy’s ideas of personal attractiveness, he doesn’t seem to rely on hard work very much, particularly when it comes down to achieving the American Dream. In actuality, it is the lack of hard work that attracted Willy to become a salesman in the first place. In a conversation with Howard, his boss,Show MoreRelated Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman823 Words   |  4 PagesPopularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman For most, the American Dream is a sure fire shot at true happiness.   It represents hope for a successful, fortune-filled future.   Though most agree on the meaning of the American Dream, few follow the same path to achieving it.   For struggling salesman Willy Loman, achieving this dream would mean a completely fulfilled existence.   Unfortunately, Willys simplistic ideas on how to accomplish his goal are what ultimatelyRead More Myths of the American Dream Exposed in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman828 Words   |  4 Pagesthe American Dream Exposed in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman    Willy Loman, the lead character of Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, believes in the myths of the capitalistic society(DiYanni 412). This essay will examine the impact of the capitalistic myths on Willy Lowman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy believes in the myth that popularity and physical appearance are the keys that unlock the door to the â€Å"American Dream†. We are first introduced to the importance of popularity and physical appearanceRead More The American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman The American Dream ~ for many, it is the unlocked door that leads to happiness.   It is the hope for a future filled with success and fortune.   Although most people have a similar idea of what the American Dream is, they may have different ideas on how to achieve it.   For Willy Loman, a struggling salesman, achieving this dream would be a major accomplishment.   Unfortunately, his unusual ideas of how this dream can be achieved preventRead MoreThe Destruction of Willy Lowmans American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman626 Words   |  3 Pages In Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman readers are introduced to Willy, an ambitious salesman who just cant seem to get a break despite his drive. Willys life is marked by failure, and an almost stubborn attachment to the idea of striking it big. Willys life is ended by his own hands, the result of a broken dream that lead to a broken spirit. In many senses Willy represents the idea of the everyman, the average working cla ss man trying to get ahead, this is reflected in his attachment toRead More Comparing Death of a Salesman and The American Dream Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Death of a Salesman and The American Dream   Ã‚  Ã‚   In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman and Edward Albee’s The American Dream, Willy Lowman and Mommy possess the trait of superficiality. Their priorities are to look good and be liked, and this contributes to their misguided paths to reach success. This attribute is one of many societal criticisms pointed out by both authors. Arthur Miller criticizes society for perceiving success as being liked and having good looks. He illustratesRead More Willy Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman946 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman  Ã‚      Willy Loman, the central character in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is a man whose fall from the top of the capitalistic totem pole results in a resounding crash, both literally and metaphorically. As a man immersed in the memories of the past and controlled by his fears of the future, Willy Loman views himself as a victim of bad luck, bearing little blame for his interminable pitfalls. However, it was not an ill-fatedRead More Comparing the American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun3400 Words   |  14 PagesComparing the Destructive American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun America is a land of dreamers. From the time of the Spanish conquistadors coming in search of gold and everlasting youth, there has been a mystique about the land to which Amerigo Vespucci gave his name. To the Puritans who settled its northeast, it was to be the site of their â€Å"city upon a hill† (Winthrop 2). They gave their home the name New England, to signify their hope for aRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1870 Words   |  8 PagesTewari2 In Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman, the major theme as well as the main source of conflict is Willy s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family, a world in which he and his sons are great men who have what it takes to make it in the context of business and free enterprise. In reality, none of them can achieve greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion. An illusion is some event or objectRead MoreWilly Loman : the Tragedy of the American Dream2717 Words   |  11 PagesWilly Loman : The Tragedy of the American Dream Prosperity, job security, hard work and family union are some of the concepts that involve the American Dream, generally speaking. Some people think this dream is something automatically granted; or in contrast, as in the story Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller, as something that has to be achieved in order to be successful in life. The play takes issues with those in America who place too much stress on material gain, instead ofRead More Oppression and Depression: The Effects of White Masculinity2725 Words   |  11 Pagescompletely failed, and according to society’s and their own standards, they are not worthy to be considered real men. White masculinity is the ideal design of an adult male. It is a model for every man in America from birth up until the moment of death. This ideal dictates preferences in society for both men and women. John F. Kasson claims that a man is â€Å"valued solely for his beauty, his body openly admired and aggressively pursued by [women] (as well as courted by his own sex)† (Kasson 27).