Essay on Death of a Salesman - Happy Lowman - 593 Words

Harold Loman (Miller 79), or Happy as one may know him, never truly saw the epiphany of the ‘American Dream.’ He was just â€Å"blown full of hot air,† he never knew what was reality and what wasn’t (105). From the day that Happy was born, to the day his father died, and most likely till the day he would die, he never once saw the truth behind his ‘phony’ of a father. Happy, not only being portrayed as a static character, but also somewhat of a stock character, would end up just like his father, dying the â€Å"Death of a Salesman† (111) As a young lad Happy was the younger of the sons, just like his father. His older brother Biff Loman, was prototype of today’s ignorant jock; he was handsome, well built and athletic, exceptionally popular with†¦show more content†¦In a whole, the entire Loman family and their surrounding community, is one huge stereotype: the rural suburbs that turn into ghetto-like apartment district; the ‘grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence neighbor; the loving wife and mother as well as the lowly housewife; the older, more handsome, more popular, more athletic brother; the anemic, know-it-all, that helps the ‘cool’ kids for popularity; and of course the ‘backbone’ of the family, the one who puts the ‘bread’ on the table, the supportive all-knowing father; in a nutshell the infamous label of the ‘American Dream.’ Yet if one cracks open this nutshell, they will see the truth that lies beneath this faà §ade, and r ealize the daunting fact that there is no dream, just an unrealistic hope of perfection. Willy has passed this ‘dream’ to Happy. Throughout his life, he never is able to comprehend his father’s misleading notions. When he is young, he fantasizes about becoming the man his father says he is. Then when at father’s burial site he lets the world know that his father did not die in vain, and that he would leave off where his father had left, and win one for him, to come up on top and to be number one as his father wanted to be. No, this basic ‘playboy*’ male, who viewed his successes as his money ‘earned,’ and girls ‘ruined,’ didn’t fall too far from the family tree. He lived in as much denial as his father did and kept his same ‘deadly faults.’ Maybe it was that Happy lived in soShow MoreRelatedMarxism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman1465 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Lowman sought to attain the American Dream, but his distorted view of Marxist control ultimately provoked his physical, material, and mental destruction. Lowman, a middle-class salesman, husband, and father of two shared the ideology of many American’s, an ideology that hard work, dedication, and likeability was attainable regardless of social class, or life circumstances. Yet, the multiple distortions Willy associated with this dream combinedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Death Of A Salesman 1041 Words   |  5 PagesR esearch paper for â€Å"Death of a Salesman† In the play â€Å"death of a salesman† by author miller, the dramatist focuses on the theme of â€Å"the American dream†. Lowman, a botched salesman, is the protagonist of the play. Willy is certain that society only has room for winners. In support of this, the play’s theme demonstrates how a victim of â€Å"the American dream† can be destroyed by fabricated promises that will impact not only â€Å"business life but will conflict with personal relationships as well† (ElwellRead MoreDeath of a Salesman1278 Words   |  6 PagesThere is a complete descent into madness evident in Miller’s â€Å"Death of a Salesman.† The struggle Willy Lowman has come to endure during a life of lies and false hope is portrayed very well by Miller’s use of dialogue, stage comments, prologue, and time and perhaps best shown by the use of dialogue and character interaction. By putting all of these elements to good use Miller paints a perfect picture as our main character Willy Lowman quickly fails to see the distinction between the fantasy he hasRead MoreEssay on Comparing Death of a Salesman and Fences795 Words   |  4 PagesWhen it comes to comparing and contrasting two different cultures and morals the differences can be night and day. In Death Of A Salesman and Fences, these stories follow two middle-class families around the same time period (late 1940-1950’s), who are both facing problems within their own household’s. From marital issues to failing father/son relationships, both of these stories paint a picture to the audience of what life in an urban family living in that time setting was like through the author’sRead More Illusion Versus Reality in Death of a Salesman Essay1532 Words   |  7 PagesIllusion Versus Reality in Death of a Salesman  Ã‚   A major theme and source of conflict throughout Millers play, Death of a Salesman, is the Loman familys inability to distinguish between reality and illusion.   This is particularly evident in the father, Willy Loman.   Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family.   In this world, he and his sons are men of greatness that have what it takes to make it in the business environment.   In reality, none of them can achieve greatnessRead More Dangers Behavior Exposed in Death of a Salesman Essay example1341 Words   |  6 PagesDangers Behavior Exposed in Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Everyone has personal problems that they must face. In the play, Death of a Salesman, the author, Arthur Miller, explores the ways in which some people deal with these problems. Miller reveals Willy Lowman’s tendency to ignore problems as long as possible.   Willy never really does anything to help his situation; he just uses flashbacks to escape into the past.  Ã‚   Through his flashbacks he returns to happier times when problems were scarceRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman Analysis914 Words   |  4 PagesLies of a Salesman (Movie Analysis of Death of a Salesman produced by Robert F. Colesberry) To be dysfunctional is to not operate accordly to normal in a negative way. Death of a Salesman produced by Robert F. Colesberry is a movie based on a play Death of a salesman written by Arthur Miller. The Loman family in the movie is a dysfunctional family, which is clearly show in many scenes,The mother and the father Willy and Linda Lowman. Willy a salesman in the field for over 30 years. The have kidsRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller Essay2538 Words   |  11 PagesSurname 1 McCain Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course: Date: Death of a Salesman Death of a salesman is a literature play written by American author Arthur Miller. The play was first published in the year 1949 and premiered on Broadway in the same year. Since then, it has had several performances. It has also received a lot of accordances and won numerous awards for its literature merit including the coveted Pulitzer for drama. The play is regarded by many critics as the perfectRead MoreIdentifying The Key Demands Of The Question1503 Words   |  7 Pagesthe dramatist to explore his theme. Below (in red) are the paragraphs of a sample essay which tries to answer the above question. Introductory paragraph: In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the playwright focuses on the theme of failure in a success oriented society. Willy Lowman, a failed salesman, is the central character whose crime , if it can be called that, is believing the propaganda of a society which only has room for winners. Movingly, the play s theme demonstratesRead MoreDeath of a Salesman: An Ending More Familiar Than Strange Essays1643 Words   |  7 PagesMiller (1915-2005) born in Manhattan, but lived in Brooklyn when he was a teenager. He lived with his father during, the depression. This play â€Å" Death of a salesman† makes me think that growing up in such an eventful time has a lot to do with how the elements of his drama revolves around life. His drama portrays the gloom and the sadness with some happy moments. Life brings out the elements, where the author stages the event and the characters play them out. The drama of this