The Link between Sports and Success in Death of a Salesman and Fences
Sports have become one of the most dominant elements in society. Today sports are an integral part of lifestyle, entertainment and leisure. Sports have become an outlet for success and prestige. The recurring emphasis on sports appears in both Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and August Wilson’s Fences. While Death of a Salesman portrays sports as a means to popularity and subsequent success, Fences portrays sports negatively, discouraging sports, in spite of an unmistakable talent.
Miller’s Death of a Salesman is the tragic account of the demise of a meager salesman, Willy Loman. Willy
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Later, Willy and Biff proceed to laugh at Bernard because Willy deems athleticism and popularity to be more fundamental to success, than knowledge or intellect:
“Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re built like Adonises. Because the man who makes and 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 33)
Willy and Biff take no heed of these valuable warnings from Bernard, and Biff eventually flunks math, squandering his prospect of playing college football. Although it appeared as if sports would guide Biff to success, his father neglected certain facets along the way, and his dreams for Biff never materialized.
In Wilson’s Fences, sports are depicted in a negative manner. The protagonist, Troy Maxson is a strong and stubborn black man attempting to recover from his deceitful past. After being detained for theft and homicide, Troy learned to play baseball in jail, and conceded he was quite talented. He seems preoccupied with his lost hopes of playing baseball in the major leagues. Troy feels racial discrimination was the reason why he was never given a chance to play major league baseball, therefore he regards sports pessimistically. He regularly uses the baseball motif when referring to death:
In addition, "Baseball as History and Myth in August Wilson's Fences," this article focuses on the dramatization of "fences," by August Wilson . Wilson uses both history and mythology of baseball to challenge the legitimacy of the American dream. "Fences" takes place at time where baseball has finally become integrated. Wilson focus on the history of African American baseball that began in America during the decades following the civil war and continued in various form until 1947. In addition, Wilson uses Troy skills in the Negro Leagues to indicate that the American dream stays out of reach for people of African ancestry. Moreover, Troy points out an
Baseball is America’s pastime. The sport of baseball goes back all the way to civil war era, 1839. August Wilson saw the potential this sport had to send a message, and incorporated it into his play Fences. His collection of ten plays portrays the hardships of African Americans for every decade of the twentieth century (Wilson 961). Fences, in particular portrays the nineteen fifties (Wilson 961). When one reads Fences, yes it is about the struggle of African Americans in the time period, but it also incorporates baseball as multiple plot elements, and a metaphor for life.
In this unit we read a play written as a book, called “Fences”. Fences is about racism written in the 1986. The play is based around the main characters Troy and Rose, and their son Cory. Troy has stated that he has felt the need to provide a life for Cory but doesn't need love him. Troy is wanting Cory to stop playing football and get a real job at the A&P so he can provide for himself. Rose has been trapped in between all of this. All in all, the play Fences written by August Wilson uses the narrative element of characterization of Troy and Rose, the metaphor of sports, and conflict that Troy creates to show tension.
August Wilson’s play, “Fences”, is a play about a father who is trying to make do to support his family as well as come to terms with his boisterous upbringing and the collapse of his Major League Baseball career. The Father, Troy Maxson, resents his son’s painless childhood and chances to pursue a college level football career. In multiple excerpts from the play, Troy brutally lectures his son Cory about life and adulthood. He uses short and incomplete sentences, rhetorical questions, repetition, connections from his past, and current examples to support his claim: life is not about being liked, but being treated with righteousness.
Abstract: Society is affected every day by many different kinds of sports. These sports often govern society's way of life. People all over the nation turn their TVs to sporting events, such as golf, during the weekends. Scott Stossel states that "more than six million Americans enjoy watching golf on the weekends." Parents use sports as a teaching tool for their children. Kids learn teamwork and discipline from team sports programs and sports have also helped many students with their grades. Kids who want to compete in school sports are taught to keep their grades up or they won't be able to play, but the greedy coaches and schools often look around grades to keep their "star athletes" in the games. Adults have
August Wilson uses baseball ideology to construct the mindset of his protagonist, Troy Maxson, in “Fences”; however, Wilson also uses Troy to embody black America in the 50s. The metaphorical and literal significance of baseball is the driving force Troy’s subjectivity and ideology. Whether it be comparing death to baseball pitch, warning his son to not strikeout, or complaining about being stuck on first base, Troy uses baseball to explain life to those around him. Ironically, it is baseball that actually leads to Troy’s psychic castration. Although Troy was older when he was released from prison and playing in the Negro leagues, racism held younger players from competing with white Americans and there is no doubt that Troy saw this as what held him back as well. Unable to play in the major leagues bitters Troy’s attitude towards life and affects his relationship with his son, Cory, and wife, Rose. While on a micro level, the rules and mechanics of baseball have a negative impact on Troy’s mentality, on a macro level Troy’s loyalty to the game can be seen as an empowering force for black America in the 50s. The idea of not striking out, and the fetish of the home-run is meant to represent the black community’s resistance against society’s racism during this time. Although the ideology of baseball consumes Troy to the point of his own personal strikeouts, the ideology itself, and who Troy represents, is suppose to represent black America’s fight against a racist
At one point in the play, Willy says, “Biff is a lazy bum”(16). Moments later in the same conversation with Linda, Willy adds, “There’s one thing about Biff, he’s not lazy”(16). Even when confronted by his boys, Willy is unable to deal with the truth, that his sons won’t amount to very much at all. He ignores reality very well, and instead of pointing out that Biff hasn’t established himself yet, Willy tells Biff, “You’re well liked, Biff….And I’m telling you, Biff, and babe you want…”(26). The boys are clearly aware of their status and the status of their father, and Happy is found putting Willy’s personality in a nutshell, “Well, let’s face it: he’s [Willy] no hot-shot selling man. Except that sometimes, you have to admit he’s a sweet personality”(66). Obviously, Willie’s failure to bring up his children effectively, and his delusional thinking including denial of reality helps fortify his depleting condition and confusion.
Willy tried to instill in his sons, that the main success in life is to reputable. Willy strongly believes that success is strictly aligned with the impression a man makes and whether he is adored, and reputable; Willy’s numerous discussions with his sons, particularly with Biff, clarifies the value of self-image is important. Willy believed that if you became popular and were liked by many people, you would have prominent achievements. His perception of success is equated to dumb luck; He thinks men just randomly achieve
The story ‘Death of a Salesman’ written by Miller focuses on a man doing all he can to allow him and his family to live the American dream. Throughout the story it is shown how the Loman’s struggle with finding happiness and also with becoming successful. Throughout their entire lives many problems come their way resulting in a devastating death caused by foolishness and the drive to be successful. Ever since he and his wife, Linda, met she has been living a sad and miserable life, because she has been trying support his unachievable goals. Also by him being naïve put his children’s lives in jeopardy and also made them lose sight of who they really were. Miller uses the Loman family to show how feeling the need to appear a certain way to the public and trying to live a life that is not really yours can turn into an American nightmare.
Fences, a play written by August Wilson, is about how life was for African Americans in the late 1950’s. The play talks about how their race determined how people would treat them, where they could live, what kind of job they could have, and what kind of activities they could participate in. There is a character in the play, named Troy Maxson, who was a pervious baseball player in the Negro League Baseball, because of his race; he was not allowed to play in the Major League Baseball. Since Troy didn’t play baseball, he became a garbage handler in Pittsburg. He met his wife, Rose, and they had a child together. Troy ends up having an affair with a woman named, Roberta, and they conceived a child together. One of his sons, Cory, wants to play football when he attends college, but his father ruins that chance and turns down the offer before he could even make the decision. Troy worked hard to provide his family and did what he needed to make sure they survived, he thought by not allowing his son to play college football and making the decision for him would be best, and he also thought cheating on his wife would make him feel better. Troy did all of this because he felt like it was the correct thing to do in his circumstances.
In Fences, August Wilson tells a story that includes baseball as a major part of the play. Even though baseball is a huge part of the play, the game itself is not actually played. Troy, who is the main character of the play, is the main source of all the conflicts that occur in the story. Whenever a conflict occurs in the story, Troy uses baseball analogies to explain his reasoning. Baseball also plays a historical part of the play to create the setting and the characters. In the play, baseball echoes the history of America and the racial discrimination that occurred to African Americans.
A major theme and source of conflict throughout Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, is the Loman family's inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. This is particularly evident in the father, Willy Loman. Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family. In this world, he and his sons are men of greatness that "have what it takes" to make it in the business environment. In reality, none of them can achieve greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion.
Alan Nadel argues that the object of the fence in August Wilson’s play, “Fences” symbolizes a great struggle between the literal and figurative definitions of humanity and blackness. The author summarizes the play and uses the character Troy to explain the characterization of black abilities, such as Troy’s baseball talents, as “metaphoric,” which does not enable Troy to play in the white leagues as the period is set during segregation (Nadel 92). The author is trying to use the characters from the play as examples of black people during the segregation years to show how people of that time considered black people not as literal entities and more like figurative caricatures. Stating that these individuals were considered to be in a
Furthermore, Biff, along with Happy tries to conjure up a crazy idea of putting on a sporting goods exhibition. The problem with Willy is that he never grows up and deals with his obstacle; and he has taught this life strategy to his sons.
Failures in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Arthur Miller develops a number of significant and central themes throughout the play using techniques such as characterization, setting and language. The best explored theme in the play is the theme of failure and disappointments. ' Death of a Salesman' is a modern day play about a salesman, Willy Loman, his life and his failures in a success driven society and world. He is a victim of "The American Dream" destroyed by false promises and ideals. As the play unravels we realize that he more than just a financial failure but also socially, personally and morally.