open prompt 11/13/11

1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

The society and environment that an author places his characters in says much about either the characters, the society, or both. In Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller places Willy Lowman in the middle of New York City, where the people are always beating ceaselessly into the future, giving little thought to nostalgia or the “olden days” this creates a fundamental problem for Willy Lowman, a man who spends most of his time preoccupied and confused by the past, while simultaneously blindly dreaming of a better future. In Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller creates a discrepancy between Willy Lowman and his surroundings to show the shift in American Values, and the deep character flaws within Willy.

            Willy spends a significant amount of the play caught up in day dreams of his happier past. Even in these daydreams, Willy is preoccupied with the past, imploring his brother Ben to tell him stories of his father and family history. Miller indicates a flute melody to be played many times during the play, which seems to act as the instrument of a pied piper, drawing Willy into the past. This trait of Willy’s is at sharp odds with his society. His boss seems to be obsessed with his new recorder, an instrument of the future, which Willy is terrified of. Biff, Willy’s son, eventually realizes the meaningless of his former high school football glory in a world where it has done him no good. Willy is baffled and amazed by the past, never able to understand or come to grips with the facts.

            Willy’s separation from his society shows the flaws deep within himself, and thus, in aspects of the American Dream. Willy is obsessed with his past, yet doesn’t understand it. He constantly mistakes how much money he used to make, or fails to see problems, such as Biff’s kleptomania. This is like the current state of America: we jump at the chance to wax poetic about the American heroes of WWII, but mention Hiroshima and we seem to gloss over things a bit. The union army emancipated the slaves from the evil south and saved America, yet the north was full people just as racist in the south. Willy Lowman, like America, is a deeply flawed and imperfect individual, but he also has a dream in his heart.