essay topics about death of a salesman

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by Arthur Miller. It is often studied in drama and literature courses usually in high school and also in college. The areas of study can vary or are similar. Like many works of every century, there are many things to look for in Death of Salesman: imagery, foreshadowing, themes, social attitudes of the play’s time frame compared to the time frame it takes place in, and more. Topics The American Dream in Death of a Salesman. Where is Willy Loman in relation to his ideals of what the American Dream is? How does Arthur Miller interpret the American Dream in the course of the play? Death and Martyrdom. What is the role of suicide in Death of a Salesman? What was the intended outcome? What was the aftermath of the suicide in the play? The relationships among the main characters of the play. Imagery in Death of a Salesman. What significance do stocking have? What about leaves? What imagery can be picked up in the course of the play? The significance of names. Some names to focus on are Loman, Ben, and Happy. Modern innovations to American life. How have they effected Willy Loman and is his impression of them? Explain gender relationships in Death of a Salesman. How are women viewed by the characters? In what categories women placed? How is Willy Loman’s death foreshadowed in Death of a Salesman? Focus Now that you have a few topics to work with, you can address all of these or focus your essay on one topic. Tackling Many Topics Focusing on all or many topics gives you the freedom to move from one to another. The con is having pace your writing and not dwell too much one topic more than the other. You will also need to make sure the flow is not too slow and not too rushed. Focusing On One Topic If you focus on one specific topic, the con there is making sure you have plenty to write about in regards to that topic. Some topics.
Does Willy Loman die a martyr? How do Linda's and his sons' interpretations of his death differ?Answer:A strong answer will note that Willy has a noble conception of his suicide - he kills himself because he truly believes that the insurance money will allow his sons to achieve their destined greatness. But Miller does not give the audience the easy satisfaction of seeing Willy's plan come to fruition. It is highly doubtful that the Lomans would actually receive any insurance money at all. He has a record of suicide attempts, and it would be near impossible to convince the insurance company that his death was an accident.The crux of an essay should be that Willy thinks he is martyring himself, but his martyrdom is in vain. Death of a Salesman is one of the foundational texts describing the American dream. How does Miller's play differ from the more traditional Horatio Alger model? Is Miller overwhelmingly cynical on the topic?Answer:Strong answers will contrast Miller's pessimistic and cynical take on the concept of the American dream with its glorified Horatio Alger representations. Traditionally, the American dream means that any person can work his way up from the bottom of the ladder to the top. Miller's work isn't so much a direct subversion of that dream as it is an exploration of the way in which the existence of the American dream can ruin a person's expectations. Discuss the motif of women's stockings in Death of a Salesman? What are Willy and Biff's attitudes toward them? How do Linda and the woman with whom Willy is having an affair regard them?Answer:To the women, stockings serve as a symbol of what Willy can provide and as a measure of his success. To Willy, they are a symbol of his guilt over the affair. To Biff, they are a symbol of Willy's fakeness and his betrayal of Linda. Each time the stockings appear, they serve each of these three purposes for.
Willy’s obsession with making his family conform to the ideals of the American Dream seems rooted in the childhood emotional trauma of his abandonment by his father. Since his father left him with nothing, Willy feels an acute need to put his sons—especially Biff—on the right path in life. He convinces himself that he is capable of doing so, which leads to his inflated sense of self-importance (as when he tells his young sons about how well known he is in New England). Willy’s ultimate belief in the deluded prospect of Biff’s imminent success causes him to trade in his own life to leave Biff ,000. As an additional consequence of being abandoned, Willy knows little about his father and thus has to ask Ben to tell Biff and Happy about their grandfather. Willy’s fear of abandonment is probably also responsible for his obsession with being well liked. Somewhat childlike, Willy craves approval and reacts to any perceived hint of dislike by either throwing a tantrum or retreating into self-pity. When Ben visits Willy’s home, Willy proudly shows his sons to Ben, practically begging for a word of approval. When Ben notes that he has to leave to catch his train, Willy begs him to stay a little longer. Even as an adult, Willy’s relationship to Ben is fraught with this fear of abandonment. Howard abandons Willy by firing him, and after Happy and Biff abandon him in the restaurant, Willy returns home like a dejected child. After these blows, the power of Willy’s fantasies to deny unpleasant facts about his reality abandons him as well.
Below you will find four outstanding thesis statements for “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller that can be used as essay starters or paper topics. All five incorporate at least one of the themes in “Death of a Salesman” and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused clear thesis statement. These thesis statements offer a short summary of “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller in terms of different elements that could be important in an essay. You are, of course, free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them for your essay. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of important quotes from “Death of a Salesman” at the bottom of the page, you should have no trouble connecting with the text and writing an excellent essay. Thesis Statement / Essay Topic 1: The Role of Modernity in Death of a SalesmanIn “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, the main character, Willy Loman is a man living on the cusp of modern America, in the late 1940’s. As more and more new appliances and cars are being manufactured, Willy Loman is constantly trying to obtain the best things for his family. As he slowly starts to lose his mind in this materialistic world, it becomes clear that the only thing he is really concerned about is keeping up with the people around him in terms of success and possessions. Throughout the play, he constantly mentions the fact that he is running out of money and can no longer pay for their new appliances, and he mournfully regrets not going to Africa with Ben, who struck it rich. In many cases then, modernity sets the stage for the. What kind of commentary is Arthur Miller making about the race for material goods and the cost that it has to our mental health? What instances in the book back this up? Thesis Statement / Essay Topic 2: Abandonment in Death.