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Arthur Miller 's Life And Worst Times

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Arthur Miller lived through some of the best and worst times in United States history. Born in the middle of World War 1, the American economy was booming and the standard of living had increased throughout The United States. “Arthur Asher Miller was born on 17 October 1915, in New York City; the second child of Augusta and Isidore Miller” (Abbotson 1). Miller had two siblings, composed of an older brother and a younger sister. Miller’s mother was a teacher at a public school and his father was a manufacture of women’s coats in New York (Nelson 13). Growing up Miller had little responsibility and spent many summers surfing or fishing with his friends. However, he did have one source of responsibility, which resided in the form of a job …show more content…

He focused mainly on sports, specifically football, as well as spending as much time as he could with his friends. The year before he entered high school, 1929, the great depression hit The United States in full force. Miller slowly recognized the changes that were occurring in The United States as the depression seeped its roots deeper and deeper into the American government, economy, and people. Shortly Miller could see the depression affecting his own family. “As the family finances tightened, they were forced to move to smaller premises. Augusta Miller sold or pawned all of her jewelry, lost her piano, and began to resent her husband…”(Abbotson 3). After graduating high school Miller applied to both Cornell University and The University of Michigan. Unfortunately neither of them accepted Miller due to his poor performance in high school. He applied one more time to Michigan and they offered him reconsideration, if Miller could acquire statements from his high school teacher. These affirmations had to show that in Miller’s senior year he showed some progress as a student. Miller realized that the odds would not be in his favor and that his teachers were not going to write good things about his academic achievement in his last year of high school. So Miller began working at his father’s garment company. However, Miller soon loathed working there. After a few months Miller stopped

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