Death Of A Salesman American Dream Analysis

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The Dying Middle Class of America due to a Lack of Economic Mobility The American Dream is the belief that through hard work and determination anyone can become successful in America. Throughout American history, the American Dream has been a key aspect to the American mentality. The American society is built on the notion that everyone has the ability to rise to the top (Jason Deparle, www.nytimes.com). Studies have shown that more so than citizens of any other country, Americans are very likely to believe in the American Dream. However, Americans with worse economic conditions are much less likely to believe in the American Dream than Americans who are economically stable. In America the number of citizens that believe that, through hard …show more content…

Throughout the play, Willy’s economic position only worsens. The aforementioned point that mobility is reliant on the education and economic position of one’s parent is seen in the play through the depiction of Biff Loman. Willy, unaware of this reality, is very critical of Biff for not having a stable job. In reality, Biff’s economic troubles are rooted with his father’s economic troubles. In the play both Biff and Willy try to escape their economic realities and fail. Biff asks and old employer for a loan and is rejected, while Willy asks his boss for relocation and is instead fired. On the other hand, Bernard, Willy’s neighbor, is depicted as smart and successful. Bernard is able to prosper because his father, Charley, is economically stable. Willy ultimately realizes that he is stunting his son’s economic mobility with his own economic position. Willy therefore elects to take his own life in order to receive the benefits of life insurance. Willy hoped that Biff would receive enough money from life insurance to be able move up the economic ladder. Willy still believed that the American Dream was attainable for Biff despite his family’s economic position. However, Biff rejects the money, electing to move to the romanticized West, rejecting the capitalist realities of America. The case of Biff and Willy depicts the lack of social mobility in America and how the economic status of the first generation greatly impacts the economic status of the second

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