Comparing Dreams In Death Of A Salesman And Fences

Toward the end of the story, Willy realizes that his life is falling apart: Biff does not have a stable job or family, is making only commissions for his job, his refrigerator and car are in despair, and he talks to himself. Willy just cannot figure out what has gone wrong, especially with Biff who to him seemed so promising because of his good looks and his charm with others. When Biff comes home again, Willy gets real nervous and starts talking to himself (Act I. Scene I). He is stressed out that Biff has done nothing with his life so he starts seeing visions of the past. When Willy talks out loud while seeing visions, he is trying to discover where he went wrong as a person and father. To find where he went wrong he begins to ask anyone in visions or in person. One character that he frequently asks for advice throughout the drama is his older brother Biff (Gross, 319-321).

While the play primarily focuses on Willy’s dream, Death of a Salesman also observes Biff and his American Dream, which may be construed as the “right” one. Compared to his father’s, Biff’s dream is a simple one: own a ranch and labor in the countryside close to nature, happy and content. And yet as his father increasingly pressures him to pursue a dream more aligned to his own, Biff experiences an identity crisis of sorts, desperately seeking to please Willy by taking a job in business but always failing in his efforts. Eventually, he realizes that he cannot be his father, and, at Willy’s funeral, contrasts his earlier statement regarding Willy’s state of mind with one regarding his own person: “I know who I am, kid” (Miller 111). Though at the start of the play it was Willy who thought Biff lost, it is now the reverse. Willy, with his aspirations for renown and major success, found himself perpetually adrift in the world, struggling to make ends meet and maintain his family ties. And yet while Willy suffered at the hands of his American Dream, Biff prospered (although not monetarily) in his “proper” American Dream, experiencing true contentment in his craft. While Willy faced constant confusion and an almost bipolar personality disorder owing to his erroneous endeavors, Biff’s main insecurities and difficulties were those brought on by his father’s notion of success. In other words, Willy’s American Dream caused nothing but suffering for him and those he loved, while Biff’s American Dream would have allowed him peace of mind had it not been for his

Biff Loman is portrayed as the root of Willy’s mental illness and instability. He is also the only member of his family who acknowledges his own failures in life. On the whole, Biff Loman stands out as the most intriguing and strong character in “Death of a Salesman. He is not a successful man and never will be, he is however able to admit this, even in a harsh society as the one of the 1960s America. Biff knows he is a “nothing” and tries to make his father see that he is “no good. I am a dime a dozen, Pop, and so are you.” He begs for Willy to communicate with him and accept him for who he is. Although Willy is forced by Biff to see some of his own failures, he never

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.

Moving forward to another conflict in this play, there are the generational clashes between Troy and both of his sons. Troy holds onto the past and clearly lets that influence how he raises his sons, with Lyon for example. Troy being in jail for fifteen years of Lyon’s life meant that he was not there in the very influential time for a young boy. It is safe to assume that this is a contributing fact as to why their relationship is so rocky. We can also see the generational clash between the two of them with how Troy reacts to the career path that Lyon has chosen for himself.

The central theme of a father and son relationship is similar in both plays. William and Troy both have specific dreams for their sons. William wants his son Biff to be a football star he is interested in the money he can make instead of good grades. Troy on the other hand wants his son Cory to concentrate on his academics instead of pursuing his dream of being a football player. He is afraid Cory will not appreciate the ethics of hard work when money is thrown at him. He wants Cory to work at an A&P store, Willy Loman starts on a mission of self destruction and looks for pleasure in the arms of another woman the affair is similar to that of Troy Maxson in the play Fences where his affair produces a child. Willy Loman, the man who believes in honesty now is trying very hard to keep his affair a secret, when his son Biff found out about the affair he lost all respect for his father Troy Maxson also had an affair which produces a child. Both Children loose complete respect for their fathers

Biff does not want what he wants. Now that Biff is back from the West,

Although the play is mainly concerned with money, whether it’s owning it, paying it or earning it; Wilson uses vivid language to develop different themes. Some of the themes he uses to develop commerce are the desire to escape, and betrayal. The next few paragraphs will discuss these themes and how Wilson uses language to develop them.

Troy took care of his family as a man should. He took care of his sons with all that he had, but the love for his family was not evident in his character, especially with what he did to Rose. Cheating on Rose was a very selfish, and disrespectful act that showed no love towards his family. Troy’s behavior does not derive from racism, but stems from the relationship he had with his father when he was a teenager. Without him knowing, Troy was very similar to his father. His father “stayed right here with his family. But he was just as evil as he could be” (Wilson 905). Troy’s description of his father was the same person he was. In his conversation with Cory he says to him: “like you? I go out of here every morning…bust my butt…putting gup with them crackers

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

The members of the family that makes the most effort to keep the family level is Troy?s wife, Rose. The narrator tells us that Rose is a gentle woman. She cares a great deal for her family and her husband, despite the challenge of making her home a positive environment under the strains of a man with such impossible qualities. The author explains her reasons for enduring Troy by saying that ? her devotion to him stems from her recognition of the possibilities of her life without him: a succession of abusive men and their babies, a life of partying and running the streets, the Church, or aloneness with its attendant pain and frustration? (526; I, 1). In light of the fact that Troy is a good man and provides for their family in a way of his duty, Rose loves and supports him and ?either ignores or forgives his faults, only some of which she recognizes? (526; I, 1). Despite his love and respect for his wife, Troy acts extremely disrespectfully towards Rose. Due to the lack of love and respect that Troy was shown as a boy, he does not know feelings to his family. He talks down to his wife as if she were a child, while at the same time he declares his love for her to his friend, Bono. Troy?s fault, however, in declaring his love for his wife and family. He says, ?I love Rose? (555; II, 1), but when the time comes for him to show his love, he only disrespects her. When Rose asks Troy what he and Bono are talking about one

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson have similar themes of conflicts between fathers and sons, conflicts between husbands and wives, and the need to focus on a small unit of space in order to achieve success. In the process of developing these themes throughout the two plays, three similar symbolic elements are used including the insecure father figure, the "other woman," and the garden.

In Death of a Salesman, Willy knows he has reached rock bottom when he decides there is no reason for him to live anymore. When Biff reveals that he actually has loved Willy his entire life, Willy realizes that Biff “Loves [Willy]. Always loved [Willy]. Isn’t that a remarkable thing? Ben, [Biff] [will] worship [Willy] for it!” (Miller, 135). Willy knows deep in his heart that he has hit bottom. But he decides to kill himself not because he thinks he will be hated forever, but because he would be worshipped forever.

Acceptance is displayed throughout “Fences” from Rose Maxson and in “Death of A Salesman” from Linda Loman. Rose accepts the way her husband, Troy, acts when he gets around his friend and how he talks to her in a rude manner. In both plays their husbands have affairs, except in “Fences,” Rose’s husband gets another woman pregnant. Rose is able to accept the fact that Troy was disloyal to their marriage after 18 years. She even raise his child after the mother dies while in labor. Linda does the same with accepting the way Willy disrespect her opinions and inputs when they have conversations with their sons. Willy often pother and vociferate at Linda when she speaks. For instance, when Willy and Biff are talking, Linda voices her opinion and

August Wilson’s play “Fences” utilizes strong metaphors in relaying the deeper meaning of the actual story. The main theme that provides the key to understanding the multiply imagery in this play has to do with how one's past affects their future, importance of family, the American Dream and personal/cultural history. Throughout August Wilson’s play “Fences”, it is clearly shown how much Troy, the father of an African-American family, is pulled economically by all of the characters surrounding him. Taking on the role of the breadwinner to his wife and children reminds Troy how his father hated doing the same thing and did so with antipathy. The influence of economics along with past experiences in Troy’s life makes him resentful towards his