Violence is portrayed in the story of Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller which coincides with the American Dream. The idea that any person can rise from humble beginnings to greatness is the basis of the American Dream. Arthur Miller paints a harsh picture of this ideal in the drama Death of a Salesman. The main character, Willy Loman, is a complex and tragic figure. He is a man striving to hold onto what dignity he has left in a world that no longer values the beliefs he grew up with. While society can be blamed for much of Willy's misfortune, he must also be blamed for his bad judgement, disloyalty and his foolish pride.
The American Dream has long turned sour for Willy. At the beginning of his life, he remembers travelling in a wagon going westward. His parents conquered the new frontier and succeed
Willy gradually realizes that his selling career is over. He foolishly believes it is below his dignity to work any other job. Willy decides to commit suicide, so that his family may get the money from his life insurance. He does not consider his family's love, but prefers to look at what is the best business move. Willy believes that this final act will give the family a chance financially. As well as salvage his own delusion of lost dignity when they see the "masses" that attend his funeral. Willy's final act of suicide was the ultimate delusion: bad judgement, violence to himself as well as family and foolish pride.
ed. His brother Ben, "Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he's rich". For a while, the American Dream was alive in Willy too. However, now Willy is forced to work on comm
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