Jaden Stevenson
Mrs. Disher
AP Literature pd. 3
2/8/18
Reader-Response: Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller’s play titled Death of a Salesman follows the life of a man named Willy along
with his two sons Biff and Happy and also his wife Linda. Willy is and has been
a salesman for most of his life, he chose this life because he believed it
would bring him closer to obtaining the “American Dream” type of life. However,
after all this time, Willy has finally realized that this path he chose to go
down has brought him no closer to his dream. As explained by Willy, “After all
the highways, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead
than alive” (act 2). I believe that the point Arthur wants to make to his
audience when they read this story is that the “American Dream” that so many
people fantasizes about and strive for is not all that great. Through this
story Miller demonstrates that even with years of hard work spent on making a
better life for yourself can leave you unsatisfied and empty. It is in this
state that we originally find Willy in at the start of the play and it is this
state of mind that eventually leads Willy to take his own life.
We see this hopelessness manifest in not only Willy, but
also in his son Biff. Biff exclaims to his father, “I realized what a
ridiculous lie my whole life has been” (act 2). Another quote to ponder, “Why
am I trying to become what I don’t want to be…when all I want is out there, waiting
for me the minute I say I know who I am” (act 2). Both of these statements
cause me to wonder, does Miller believe that there is any hope in pursuing the
American Dream? A quick glance through the novel might lead one to believe that
there is no actual hope, however I see it as you must find what you hope for. In
other words the American Dream cannot be a universal ideal. The American Dream
must become YOUR American Dream, set goals and work hard to accomplish them. If
the path you have chosen to achieve these goals fails to meet your
expectations, then forge a new path!
I would go deeper into how you can use the reader response lends to find the deeper meaning. The point about finding your own American dream is strong but why does Miller want us to choose our own American dream and is there ever an incorrect dream?
ReplyDeleteVery clear outline of Miller's meaning of the work as a whole, the necessity of finding one's own dream. In terms of lens usage, it would be useful to further identify what aspects of the play (not "novel") have these affects (of hopelessness/hope) on the reader. RR theory really focuses on why certain moments impact readers emotionally and therefore go to MOWAW. Thanks.
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