American Dream - Coursework Example

The American Dream; Miller, Arthur (1949) Death of a Salesman I would define the American dream as beliefs in freedom meant to all citizens or residents in the United States to attain their goals in their lives through hard work and get to enjoy it for the rest of their lives. It can also be described that the American dream is in reference to the idea that an individual’s prosperity is solely dependent on their abilities or hard work and not the rigid structure of classes, this meaning that been in constant change through history.

It can be taken as an opportunity to acquire a prosperous life contrary to what would not have been acquire in the home countries and an opportunity for the offspring to grow with a career and education opportunities. This is living a life short of imposed constraints from class, race, caste or ethnicity (Miller, 2010). The play’s protagonist, Willie Loman, would define the American Dream from a traditional perspective from referring to his childhood after observing the failures of his father.

Willie Loman would describe the American dream as an understanding that it predicated upon continual acquisition and wealth of money is doomed as failure. He believed that money was incapable of availing happiness to individuals. On the contrary, Willie’s sons would define the American Dream as a self set path to success that does not necessarily depend on past failures. Willie seems to instill the values of continuity from the past occurrences and at the same time positively emphasizing the need for hard work.

What Willie failed in is advising his sons to start with big success rather than telling them to start from something small and grow it into an empire (Miller, 2010). The dramatist Miller could be referring the American dream and values as an ability to prosper from mere charisma. He believes that personality, not innovation and hard work are the key to success. In reaction to the play I believe that the dramatist wanted to show that one is open to choose the path that will lead them to their version of American dream.

In reference to the act, “WILLY: Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such—personal attractiveness, gets lost. And such a hard worker. There’s one thing about Biff—he’s not lazy (Miller, 2010)." Miller attempts to discourage laziness. He is also in reference with the character’s past by saying, “Remember how they used to follow him around in high school? When he smiled at one of them their faces lit up. When he walked down the street…( Miller, 2010).

”ReferenceMiller, A., & Brater, E. (2010). Death of a salesman (Methuen Drama student ed.). London: Methuen Drama.