Willie Loman is an ordinary man who embodies traditional American values of success. ... ("Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller 1949 Drama") The "American Dream" is "the belief that through the pioneer virtues of hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, and fortitude, one might find happiness through wealth" ("Death of a Salesman"). ... The concept of the American Dream shown in the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is believed by Harold Clurman to be divided into two meanings; the historical dream and the business success dream. ... Willy Loman had ...

• Word Count: 2201
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"Death of a Salesman may center on personal and family breakdown but it also involves contradictions in national American ideals." ... On the surface, Arthur Miller's groundbreaking play, Death of a Salesman, does seem firmly rooted in the "familial arena". ... This seems to represent a very male-orientated version of the "American Dream", and Miller explores this further through some of his male characters. ... Ben is idolized by Willy as being "success incarnate", he is strongly masculine and aggressive, and seems to be the personification of the pioneering "American Dream". ... The ide...

• Word Count: 1911
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"Death of a Salesman" The play death of a salesman can be easily explained as a literary way of detailing the psychological deterioration of the classic middle class working American man. ... Willie's main purpose in the play is to fulfill the American Dream. The problem with this is that Willie's perception of the American dream had been distorted, and he believes that the American dream is to achieve as many modern comforts as one can, and as long as they are a popular and rounded person than this will be obtained. Completely missing from Willies perception of the American dre...

• Word Count: 1662
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate