Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Death Of A Salesman

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 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

He expresses a deep interest in the married Daisy Buchanan. Greed is a frequent theme in American literature. Greed is further supported by Gatsby’s want of Daisy. Gatsby is willing to risk everything he owns in order to be with Daisy. This proposition could be viewed as affectionate or destructive. It is affectionate in a sense that it is all done for love and destructive in a way that it could eradicate a marriage. Willy Loman struggles to live the American dream and isolates his ideals and values in the attempt. Willy, an aging unsuccessful salesman, is identified as the lower-working class and only dreams of becoming higher. He does not believe in hard work and effort; he depends on being well liked by society in order to get the things he desires such as a job. “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want” (Miller). Willy abandons his wife and coerces his son Biff to achieve what he needs in search of the American dream. Willy’s dreams are unattainable, thus supporting that the American dream can be indomitable and perilous. His display of dishonesty and immorality prove that the American Dream can often diminish any respectable values an individual may have. Willy places great importance on materialistic things such as money and presence, which begins to create an avaricious world where success and prosperity

American literature illustrates the weaknesses of woman and their ambitions. Although The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman do not incorporate the American dream of the women, their ambitions are apparent and righteous. The gender role of women is demonstrated in both texts. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy is controlled by her husband, Tom. She is an adherent compared to Tom because she is scared of him. She married him for the security and money he provided. The marriage was based on materialism, not love. Daisy is shown inferior during the conversation between Gatsby and Tom. The two men were fighting over Daisy herself, but Daisy did not appear to have an opinion on the matter. The lack of her voice illustrates a woman’s role in a situation that involves men. The same concept is also shown in Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman’s wife, Linda displays the same absence of voice. She does not interfere in the conversation between Willy and their son Biff. In American literature, the man is known to contain the most power in the family, because he is the provider. On one hand, Linda is an archetype of an American mother. She cooks, takes care of her children and her husband, attempts to keep the family together. On the other hand, Daisy is the opposite of Linda. She does not take care of her only daughter and pretends to live life like she is a teenager, not a mother. However, both of