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Death of a Salesman Essay

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Death of a Salesman Essay
Death of a Salesman Essay

Sometimes the books we read, the movies we watch and the experiences we have show us that underneath the surface we are all very similar. In the play Death of a Salesman, author Arthur Miller shows us ___________________________. One aspect that leads to the downfall of American Families today is bad parenting. Another damaging aspect is poor morals and ethics. Finally, another damaging aspect is chasing the American Dream. Bad parenting often comes from contradicting ones self. Many times throughout the play Willy contradicts the things he says. At one point in the play Willy calls Biff “a lazy bum” (16). Three lines later he contradicts himself saying, “there is one thing about Biff – he’s not lazy” (16). Willy’s contradictions are confusing at the beginning of the play but soon become a trademark of his character. Throughout the play Willy’s behavior is riddled with inconstancies. Willy swears to Linda, his wife that the “Chevrolet is the greatest car ever built” (20). But then three pages later he changes his point of view and angrily exclaims “that goddamn Chevrolet they ought to prohibit the manufacture of that car: (23). With Biff and Happy exposed to willys contradicting behavior it is no wonder why they are how they are. Willy’s inconsistent behavior is a result of his in ability to accept reality and his tendencies to recreate the past in attempt to escape the present. Unfortunately, living that out inversely affects Biff. Willy is confronted with this reality when Bernard asks Willy about “ what happened in Boston” regarding willys affair (78). Willy pushes away this reality and continues to pretend nothing ever happed, making him a walking contradiction. Familys across America, like the Loman family, struggle to instill good moral ethical values. Willy as a parent failed in providing Happy and Biff with good moral value. When Willy asks Biff where he got his new football and discovered it was stolen from the locker

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