Death of a Salesman, by Athur Miller and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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“A half century after it was written, Death of a Salesman remains a powerful drama. Its indictment of fundamental American values and the American Dream of material success may seem somewhat tame in today’s age of constant national and individual self-analysis and criticism, but its challenge was quite radical for its time” –SparkNotes

American Literature has been said to be timeless and relatable with its use of “American values and the American Dream of material success.” American Literature reflects the differences between respect between the upper and lower class. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman contribute to the meaning of American literature, with the incorporation of the American dream and female characters. In the desperate chase for the American dream, one can become corrupted and egocentric. The aspects of the novel The Great Gatsby and the play Death of a Salesman demonstrate the slow emotional and social downfall of the protagonists Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman with reference to the American dream and female characters such as Daisy Buchanan and Linda Loman. Both protagonists illustrate the notion of individual sacrifice in order to pursue the American dream.

In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby works to obtain the luxurious components of life. To Gatsby, the American dream consists of financial success and an upper position in society. He spends most of his life trying to achieve the significant, upper social class. He has an outstanding house, a magnificent car, and the best parties in the town. Americans tend to respect the upper class the most because of their high education, luxurious assets, and wealth. Gatsby gained respect after he became rich and prominent in soci...

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...lities of the women.

Although some may claim that American Literature is based on the audience and setting, those two elements do not transition between times. The setting and audience of present time has evolved in a sense that there are certain expectations. It is mainly based on the future and development. The setting has changed as well in terms of geography and people. The cultural allusions of the past may be unknown to today’s audience, therefore it would not pertain significance. American literature should reproduce timeless elements such as themes and gender roles.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. Print.

Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. Print.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Death of a Salesman.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 4 Feb. 2011.

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