Compare And Contrast Fences And Death Of A Salesman

When it comes to comparing and contrasting two different cultures and morals the differences can be night and day. In Death Of A Salesman and Fences, these stories follow two middle-class families around the same time period (late 1940-1950’s), who are both facing problems within their own household’s. From marital issues to failing father/son relationships, both of these stories paint a picture to the audience of what life in an urban family living in that time setting was like through the author’s eyes. And even yet with all the things between these two plays that make them alike, there are also many things that make them very different.

Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, and Fences, written by August Wilson, are two plays are very different in terms of their plot; both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds each affecting the respective protagonist differently. Looking beyond the plot into the themes and symbolisms used, the audience learns that the plays are more similar than they are different as they share a common universal truth regarding the American Dream. They are both tragic heroes who fail in trying to achieve the American dream. Despite their differing cultural backgrounds, both characters’ drastic downfalls occur by similar means as demonstrated by their occupational failures as well as their familial relationships. The American dream is an important factor in many American’s lives as it is to Willy Loman, the white protagonist of Death of a Salesman and to Troy Maxson, the black protagonist of Fences. Willy and Troy both fail to achieve the American Dream due to the distorted ways with which they define success and go about attaining it.

Fences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller are two plays that could be considered very different in terms of their plot. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. If the reader or audience looks past the plot into the theme and symbolisms used they can see that the plays are more similar than they are different. In spite of the different cultural backgrounds of each protagonist they both are tragic heroes that are trying to achieve the American dream as it relates to each character; both of which fail in drastic yet similar ways. The American dream has always been an important factor in many American’s lives as it is to Troy

Willy’s biggest issue with his son is that he let him down by not being any more successful than him. He feels like Biff is failing on purpose just to make him look bad. Although, he has no decent job and is single; Biff has become disoriented about life. Earlier in the play Biff tells Happy, “I tell ya Hap, I don't know what the future is. I don't know - what I'm supposed to want” (Miller266). Biff once looked up to his father as a role model, but lost all faith in him once finding out that he was having an affair. Ever since he has rejected Willy’s commitment of being a husband and also a father. To add to his ruins are Willy’s ideas of how Biff should get ahead in life. Willy taught Biff that popularity was the right way to get to the top, rather than hard-work and dedication. Trying to live by his dad’s standards caused Biff to fail high school and become unable to put forth the effort to become

“That’s why it's called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.” This quote was picked because many people don't believe in the American Dream because it’s more of an idea not a reality. In the plays Death of a Salesman and Fences they tell the same story. These stories are the same because they both have the same plot line, a husband, wife and 2 sons which in both plays are doing and acting the same. In Death of a Salesman the main characters are Willy Loman, Linda Loman, and Biff and Happy Loman. In Fences the main characters are Troy Maxson, Rose Maxson and Cory Maxson. All these characters relate because they both have a similar idea of the American Dream.

The fathers in the two plays are comparable because they both have conflicts with their sons as a result of living in the past, and they die in the end. Willy, in Death of a Salesman, is never respected for his occupational status, so he

“Playwright August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 27, 1945. His mother, Daisy Wilson, was of African-American heritage. His father was a German immigrant named Frederick Kittel” (August Wilson Biography). Wilson did not see his parents together while growing up but was mainly raised by his mom in Pittsburgh hill district. When August kittle turned 20 he became known as august Wilson because he wanted no affiliation to his father even by name. His intention were to be more related to his mother than his father. August Wilson’s fences was inspired by his life experiences and his style helped bring out his purpose.

"Fences" by August Wilson tells the story of a black family in the 1950’s and the dramatic events they have had to overcome as a result of racism. The theme of racism shapes each character in the play, aiding each of the characters in becoming who they are. The main character, Troy, is portrayed as a stereotypical black man during that time. The way he behaves is a reaction of the harsh racism of the era, racism that has negatively impacted the people he cares the most about. He was in his early 50s at the beginning of the play and had already gone through a lifetime suffering which gave him an unpleasant demeanor. He had the attitude of a bitter black man, who believed he could control every aspect of his life, including his family. Troy is made out to be a villain, but, for the most part, only had his family’s best interests at heart. He wanted the best for his son Corey and his wife Rose, but his harsh personality caused him to only be able to show it through tough love.

It is said that father-son relationship is an influential part of any boy’s development to becoming a man this relationship is the most eternal bond with a partner in society. The father-son relationships has been a recurring theme since the growth of literature and has immersed itself in American literature largely through playwrights to embody general themes such as the American Dream. In the Pulitzer awarded tragedies “Fences” by August Wilson and “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller the Father-son relationship is a vital piece to these remarkable classics that has defined family values in the post-depression era. Both tragedies revolve around their respective protagonist Troy Maxson and Willy Loman. They are unhappy, unsuccessful men who want the best for their families but fail to attain the American Dream because they live far from the notion. Their philosophy has deluded their reality throughout the plays then in turn effecting their family relationship especially with their sons.

The two remarkable plays, Fences, by August Wilson, and Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller are two world renowned Pulitzer Prize winning plays. Both written a mere three years apart set in times periods that were not too far apart. Between these two plays there are an abundance of correlations. Especially amongst the overall themes of each play. Fences and Death of a Salesman both have an overlying theme that one can want the American dream but in reality, there are so many obstacles in life you might never reach those dreams no matter how hard you work for it. Fences and Death of a Salesman both experience this harsh realistic theme in their own way and affecting their own kind of characters.

Fences by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller are two plays that are very similar to each other. They are different in terms of plot, but they are both stories about family conflicts and relationships between family members. In both plays, sport plays a big role in the life of the characters as both sons of the main characters wish to play sports in school. Also, the women in both plays have an unfortunate marriage as their husbands both had an affair and betrayed their marriage. In addition to these similarities, death is also a strong concept; as both stories end with the main character’s funeral. Although there are many similarities in both plays such as sports, marriage, and death; there are also many differences in these same themes.

This is what Willy has been trying to emulate his entire life. Willy's need to feel well-liked is so strong that he often makes up lies about his popularity and success. At times, Willy even believes these lies himself. At one point in the play, Willy tells his family of how well-liked he is in all of his towns and how vital he is to New England. Later, however, he tells Linda that no one remembers him and that the people laugh at him behind his back. As this demonstrates, Willy's need to feel well-liked also causes him to become intensely paranoid. When his son, Biff, for example, is trying to explain why he cannot become successful, Willy believes that Biff is just trying to spite him. Unfortunately, Willy never realizes that his values are flawed. As Biff points out at the end of the play, "he had the wrong dreams."

All the negativity of Willy Loman’s life begins right as he is caught having an affair by his son, everything starts going down hill from that point in Willy’s life. His son loses respect for him and is responsible for Biff’s inability to live up to the potential he had shown in high school. The problems with his son don’t stop there as even adulthood, Biff has no respect for his father and he and Willy get into constant fights. Willy also has trouble with changing times, especially when change happens in his neighborhood “They should have arrested the builder for cutting those (the trees) down. They massacred the neighborhood. Lost: More and more I think of those days, Linda.” In fact, Willy thinks nothing is as good as it used to be and constantly

Is the play about Willy or Biff? The play is about Willy because through the whole play it focuses on Willy going through a mental breakdown not knowing what is real or not by going back and forth between the past and the present which ultimately gets worse throughout the play but for example one of the scenes in the play when Willy and Charley are playing cards Willy starts having illusion that his brother Ben is there “…I’m getting awfully tired, Ben. Good keep playing…did you call me Ben…for a second there you remind me of my brother Ben.” (983). And in this scene and others throughout the play Willy reminiscing the past of all the wrong decisions that he made but the one that he regrets the most is not going with his brother Ben in Alaska

Sadly, his overzealous attempts serve only to reinforce his son's inadequacy and lack of identity. Willy realizes toward the end of the play that he doesn't need to sell himself to his family, who loves him despite his failings. His suicide, an act of defiance of the system, which until now has defeated him, is also a tragic attempt to salvage something of his dream. Willys readiness to lay down his life to secure his dream that makes Willy a tragic yet heroic figure and one to whom in Linda's words, "attention must be paid finally." According to Miller, "the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready t put his life aside, if necessary, to secure one thing, his sense of personal dignity" (Para 3, Miller). He is saying in this quotation that even the common man can even be tragic because occasionally the one thing that he prizes the most, his sense of self dignity can be so jaded that he would rather die than except his failure. "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life" (Para 4, Miller). Perhaps Miller is correct, the reader sympathisizes with Willy because he is so passionate about his self preservation and pride. Willy was ready to throw his life away to be a well -liked man and successful being. He did not want to accept the fact that he failed in his occupation, so he refused to ever acknowledge his dying career. In the end his fate was that