Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Death Of A Salesman

Even though the play Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller and the book The Great Gatsby are completely different, these two also share a lot of common similarities. Both of the characters in these two literary works, Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby, are both trying to achieve something in their life even though it can seem as illogical or amoral. Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby told lies, exhibited betrayal and are both trying to achieve their versions of “The American Dream”. Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby both lie about their careers and their status to their family and friends. Willy Loman continually lies about how he is successful in his job and he is constantly working. “He drives seven hundred miles, and we he gets there no one knows him

Willy and Jay both have betrayed someone in these two stories. Willy betrayed his wife by having an affair with another woman. According to “An overview of Death of a Salesman” by L. M. Domina, “What had happened, of course, as Willy subsequently remembers and as he has probably remembered frequently during the intervening years, was that Biff had discovered Willy in the midst of an extramarital affair. In contrast to Linda, who frequently appears with stockings that need mending, this other woman receives gifts of expensive stockings from Willy. The existence of this woman (and perhaps others like her) is one factor contributing to the financial strain of the Loman family. Biff understands this instantly, and he also understands the depth of Willy 's betrayal of Linda—and the family as a whole.” During this part of the play, Willy has a flashback about the time he had an affair and his son caught him. One thing that Biff notices right away are the stockings that Willy gives the woman. While Linda has to mend her stockings, this lady gets lavish gifts and stockings. Also, back in that time period stockings were expensive, so it is shameful that he buys a random woman a pair than his wife that he “loves”. The guilt is eating him alive and can’t deal with it anymore. Not only does he betray his wife but also his son Biff. Biff idolized his father as a child, but when he caught his father with the woman, he finally saw the truth about his hero. In this play, Biff yells “you fake! You phony little fake! You fake!” to his father thus making him feel even guiltier (Miller 194). In The Great Gatsby, betrayal is a recurring theme that happens quite often between all characters such as Daisy and Tom, and Daisy and Gatsby. Jay Gatsby ends up betraying someone that probably is not ideal. He ends up betraying himself. According to "The Et Tu Brute Complex" compulsive self betrayal by Robert Lawrence Antus,