Betrayed or Betrayer? Discuss theses two aspects of Willy Loman's character and comment on how they affect both Willy himself and the other characters' relationships with him.
Betrayed or Betrayer? Discuss theses two aspects of Willy Loman's character and comment on how they affect both Willy himself and the other characters' relationships with him. 'Death of a Salesman' is a play written by Arthur Miller and first produced on stage in 1949. This play is Miller's most famous work. The play shows a conflict within one family but on a deeper level does much more than that. This play deals with larger issues regarding American national values. Miller examines the American peoples ideas and beliefs. This play looks at the life of the Loman family in particular Willy Loman who is the central character in this play. Willy Loman is 'past sixty years of age', a husband, and father who is exhausted and coming towards the end of his life. This play follows his last 24 hours. In order to understand the conflicts leading up to boiling point in the Loman household and the reason why Willy eventually takes his own life, Miller uses 'flashbacks'. Each flashback somehow relates to the present. They also offer essential background knowledge. The main relationship throughout the play is Willy's and his eldest son, Biff. Both characters believe that the other has betrayed them; in fact, this is quite true. The theme of betrayal runs throughout this play. The aim of this assignment is to look at the different points of Willy Loman s character asking was he betrayed
How are the themes brought up in "A death of a salesman" releveant to the presant day.
My essay looks at a sales man called willy who trys to cope with the stresses of his work and family life, and how in the present day thing like this are easy to relate to. Q:How are the themes brought up in "A death of a salesman" releveant to presant day There are many things in this play that are relevant to the lives of people today. The modern world is full of stress, whether it is work related, financial worries or problems in the family. Most people suffer at some time from anxiety or even depression, and suicides driven by a sense of failure to achieve are not uncommon. Particularly in the USA the belief in the 'American Dream' is strong, this belief is that any one no matter who they are can achieve what ever they want and nothing can stop them. In Arthur Miller's play, even though it was written over 50 years ago the problems associated with modern city living and pressured life styles were already apparent, particularly in the USA where this play is set. In my following paragraphs I am going to cover the topics which I think are very important to the break down of Willy and the relevance it has today. I am going to include, family life, as it is almost exactly the same as today. Then I am going to study the American dream, and finally The pressures of his job and his financial worries. 'The American Dream consists of a belief that in America, all things are
Death of a Salesman
Death Of A Salesman In the beginning of the play, the main character, Willy Lowman, has just returned home after finding himself unable to concentrate on driving. His wife, Linda, suggests that he ask for a job in New York so that he won't have to drive so much. Willy insists, however, that it is vital to his company that he work in New England. Willy asks Linda about his son, Biff, who has just come home after being away for several years. He can't understand why Biff is unable to get a good job. Soon Willy begins thinking about when Biff was a senior in high school. He remembers how Biff was the star of the football team and how he was offered scholarships from several colleges. After Willy's daydream ends, Charley comes in to play cards with him. While they are playing cards Charley offers Willy a job, but Willy refuses. As they are talking, Willy's brother, Ben, appears to him in an illusion. Willy tries to talk to both of them at once and Charley can't Understand. Willy and Charley get into an argument and Charley leaves. Willy then turns his attention to Ben and asks him how he became so Successful. Ben tells Willy that he went into the jungle when he was Seventeen and when he came out at twenty-one he was rich. After Biff overhears Willy talking to himself, he asks Linda what's wrong with him. Linda explains that Willy is exhausted
Death of the Salesman - Discuss the importance of the scene in which Howard fires Willy.
Death of the Salesman! Essay title: Discuss the importance of the scene in which Howard fires Willy. 'Death of the salesman' was written by Arthur Miller and was first published in 1949. The Times described it as ' "The first play that questioned the American consumer dream." ' The play is about the story of a man named Willy Loman who is a failed and elderly salesman; we see what subsequently be the last few days of his life. Even though the play is set around the last days of his life, we can see through flash backs, the acts and memories he has of his life. He re-lives this as if it was real. This play has a underlying theme running all the way through; this is the fact that Willy is too stubborn and unwilling to accept that the fact that he and his sons are failures in the business world. Willy says; " I am not a dine a dozen! I am Willy Loman, go to Filenes's, go to the Hub, go to Slattery's, Bosta, Call out the name Willy Loman and see what happens." Willy starts of as a 'normal' salesman but he slowly starts to degenerate into a gibbering wreck. We are told at the beginning that, "His exhaustion is apparent". He believes the American dream that anyone can be successful as it's the land of opportunity and land of the free. Also that if you're well liked you can be very successful. Willy lives in New York as he has moved their after
performance measurement
This essay explains the meaning of performance measures, importance of performance measurement in organizations within the public and private sector. Performance measurement is the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of action. It is the periodic measurement of progress toward explicit short and long run objectives and the reporting of the results to the decision makers in an attempt to improve program performance (Neely et al, 1995). Global competition and technological developments have combined forces to destabilize the environment, resulting in many threats as well as opportunities. To prosper in this environment companies have to be innovative, fast, effective and efficient to give these changes a chance to succeed, management has to develop a set of effective performance measurement that will guide and monitor the progress of the company. By finding out what has actually been happening, managers can determine with considerably certainty which direction the company heading towards. Performance management systems should help employees understand their responsibilities and how their day-to-day work contributes toward meeting their agency's strategic goals as well as providing a mechanism for giving employees candid, specific feedback on how well they are meeting their rater's expectations. The development of an effective measurement system is a
Willy Loman - Villain, Victim or hero. What is your view?
GCSE: ENGLISH LITERATURE Unit 3: Coursework Arthur Miller (1915- ) Death Of A Salesman Willy Loman - Villain, Victim or hero. What is your view? Willy is a common man. He isn't anything special, nor ever was he. He chose to follow the American dream and he chose to lead the life it gave him. Willy made the American dream his culture, and the American dream made Willy its victim. The American dream is the belief that through sheer hard work alone, any man can gain professional success and thus receive personal gain (wealth, name goods etc.). Failure to fulfil the American dream, is failure in life. Willy Loman is stuck in a vicious cycle brought on by the American dream. He cannot bring himself to admit that he has failed as a salesman due to his self-pride; therefore he must keep trying to succeed. The problem is, that he will never succeed as a businessman, as he doesn't understand how business works. Willy Loman believes that in order to be a successful man in the business world, you need contacts: "Be liked and you will never want." Dave Singleman was a man who Willy met when he was young. Dave Singleman was the man who inspired Willy to become a salesman. Dave was eighty-four when Willy met him, and he was still working, but from a hotel where he was staying. Dave would ring up the friends that he had made in his time, and arrange business deals and meetings. This
Death Of A Salesman - Willy Loman - Villain, Victim or hero. What is your view?
GCSE: ENGLISH LITERATURE Unit 3: Coursework Arthur Miller (1915- ) Death Of A Salesman Willy Loman - Villain, Victim or hero. What is your view? Willy is a common man. He isn't anything special, nor ever was he. He chose to follow the American dream and he chose to lead the life it gave him. Willy made the American dream his culture, and the American dream made Willy its victim. The American dream is the belief that through sheer hard work alone, any man can gain professional success and thus receive personal gain (wealth, name goods etc.). Failure to fulfil the American dream, is failure in life. Willy Loman is stuck in a vicious cycle brought on by the American dream. He cannot bring himself to admit that he has failed as a salesman due to his self-pride; therefore he must keep trying to succeed. The problem is, that he will never succeed as a businessman, as he doesn't understand how business works. Willy Loman believes that in order to be a successful man in the business world, you need contacts: "Be liked and you will never want." Dave Singleman was a man who Willy met when he was young. Dave Singleman was the man who inspired Willy to become a salesman. Dave was eighty-four when Willy met him, and he was still working, but from a hotel where he was staying. Dave would ring up the friends that he had made in his time, and arrange business deals and meetings. This
Examine the presentation of Linda in this part of the play.Extract -Page 38, Linda: No. You can't just come to see me Page 41, Linda: Shallowness of the water that saved him.
Examine the presentation of Linda in this part of the play. Extract -Page 38, Linda: No. You can't just come to see me Page 41, Linda: Shallowness of the water that saved him. When we first meet Linda, she appears to be a 'jovial' woman; content with her husband and accepting of his faults and behaviour. She is described as a doting, loving wife with little confidence and self esteem, which she requires to follow through with her own ambitions. Yet, she is adequately happy to live through Willy. It is this first impression that makes Linda's behaviour in the given extract so shocking, but touching. She is standing up for herself, having her voice heard on Willy's behalf, as if she is in debt to him because she has lived her life through him. She is acting completely out of character and is very open. This is the complete opposite to what we expect from Linda; normally a very quiet, caring, withdrawn woman. At this point, she is still showing total devotion to Willy, acting out and opening up for his sake. She is extremely loyal to him throughout the extract, even though he has wronged her in the past and failed to provide the American Dream for them both. This indicates a very focused, mentally strong and capable woman, acting with total altruism. It is obvious from Linda's unexpected outburst and attitude that she is desperately worried for Willy because of his state of
Death of a Salesman - plot summary
Death of a salesman Willy a sixty something year old successful man, or that is what he thinks. Willy starts of as a 'normal' salesman but he slowly starts to degenerate into a gibbering wreck. We are told, "his exhaustion is apparent" Willy lives in New York as he has moved their after rejecting the offer to go to Alaska, instead he became a New York salesman, to follow the 'American dream' So he had hoped he could go into New York with nothing and leave 'rich' This formed part of the 'phoney American dream' Biff is an unemployed, thirty-four year old failure, but that is not what his father Willy thinks. Willy feels very proud of biff, and that he has achieved a lot in his life. But really he has achieved very little. Biff also lacks self-assurance because of the uncertainty about his father's attitude towards him, and his doubts about his own life and future. As Biff says "Why does dad mock me all the time?" Linda is very caring for Willy and "she more than loves him" and she is very loyal and supportive of him. She doesn't understand what is going on between Willy and Biff and why there is tension, Happy is like Willy and he is lost in his own life, but he cannot come to face towards defeat. He is very attention seeking "I'm gonna get married, Mom. I wanted to tell you" but this is not the truth and he is just trying to get attention. He also was incapable of
The Death Of a Salesman.
7th February 2002 The Death Of a Salesman. The Cast. Hugh Fraser will play Willy Loman. Belinda Lang will play Linda Loman. Characters. Willy is a very contradictorary character; he finds it very hard to come to terms with reality. He lives in his dreams and takes all his pleasures from the past, which he distorts in order to feel happy and continue living a self-delusion. His role models are the great salesmen of an old age when their personalities came first and their goods second. These people don't however have a place in the modern business world where only ruthless aggression gets any results. He realises this when he says, "After all the highways, and the trains, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive." However, he doesn't do anything to change his methods of business. Pride is extremely important to Willy, whether it be pride in being (or pretending to be) a successful salesman, pride in his sons (especially Biff) or pride in being independent - he refuses Charley 's help at the very time when he needs it most. Despite never being able to reach his goals and his life being a huge self-deception in which he still keeps hope. Even as he is contemplating death he still maintains hope in the fact that his insurance monies will be, enough to give Biff the much-needed start he needs. Linda is Willy 's wife and exceedingly loyal to his hopes and ideas.