Death of a salesman and fences. Imperfect Protagonists of Death of a Salesman and Fences: [Essay Example], 1656 words GradesFixer 2022-10-09

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Death of a Salesman and Fences are two plays that explore the lives and relationships of two African American families in the mid-20th century. Both plays deal with themes of family, identity, and the American Dream, and both focus on the struggles of the main characters as they navigate their way through the challenges of life.

Death of a Salesman tells the story of Willy Loman, a salesman who is struggling to make ends meet and provide for his family. Willy is a deeply flawed character, and his inability to accept the reality of his own failures leads to a tragic end. Throughout the play, Willy grapples with feelings of inadequacy and the pressure to succeed, and he ultimately becomes obsessed with the idea of being a "success" in order to prove himself to his family and society.

Fences, on the other hand, centers on the character of Troy Maxson, a former baseball player who is now a garbage man. Like Willy, Troy is a complex and deeply flawed character, but unlike Willy, he is able to come to terms with his own limitations and find a sense of peace. The play follows Troy's relationships with his wife, Rose, and his son, Cory, as he struggles to provide for his family and come to terms with his own regrets and failures.

Both Death of a Salesman and Fences are poignant and powerful dramas that explore the human condition in all its complexity. Both plays deal with themes of identity and the search for meaning in life, and both grapple with the question of what it means to be a "success" in a society that often defines success in terms of material wealth and status. Both Willy and Troy are deeply flawed characters, but they are also deeply human, and their struggles and triumphs offer insight into the human experience and the universal challenges that we all face.

Death of a Salesman and Fences Essay Example

death of a salesman and fences

Is that a life? Willy Loman believed that in order to succeed he must be liked by others. Willy Loman is a white man of privilege who runs his life down the drain. Comparison can be made between the issues that face Troy Maxson in Fences and Willy Loman in Salesman. Main characters, Troy Maxson and Willy Loman, have suffered with infidelity and failing father-son relationships while in pursuit of their possibly unrealistic dreams. Although Troy …show more content… Both plays display fathers acting differently around the eldest son than their actions around the youngest. Like his father, Happy believed that success came from being popular and handsome, not from being smart.

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The American Dream in 'Death of a Salesman' and 'Fences' Analytical Essay on webapi.bu.edu

death of a salesman and fences

And even through it all she still chose to take care of the child he had with another woman, because in her eyes Troy was guilty, and not the child. Another recurrent theme in both plays is the theme of kinship. Every end justifies the means and thus, Fences appears to view humanity and death. The American dream became more than just a word, it was life to all Americans with a chance for each without being affected by social class or situation of birth. Both plays' major theme revolves around the decline of the patriarch of a single family, examine father-son dynamics, include fathers who commit adultery, and represent their characters' attempts to make sense of the elusive American dream.


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Imperfect Protagonists of Death of a Salesman and Fences: [Essay Example], 1656 words GradesFixer

death of a salesman and fences

Same as not having them. . . Troy Maxson and WillyLoman have different methods which they want their sons to follow to achieve the American Dream. Both men also face conflicts with their marriages and with their relationships with their sons. Willy always encourages his son and tries to teach him life lessons to live by. In Death Of A Salesman Willy treats his wife Linda, as though he does not appreciate her.

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Fences vs Death of Salesman: Compare & Contrast

death of a salesman and fences

I will also be talking about my American Dream and. . The main characters of each story may be similar in many ways but both authors made it a point to highlight the differences between them and the differences between the stories themselves. He has to live through the racial segregation and overcome the challenges in order to achieve his ideas of success. Troy knew there would be no American Dream for him from the start, and yet his perceived practicality only brings him further unhappiness. Three characters in three books: Oedipus in Oedipus Rex, Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie, and Willy Loman in death of a salesman In each story, the hero misunderstands himself as much as his own family disdains him. Linda, his wife, persuades him to request Howard Wagner, his boss, to transfer him to New York to avoid traveling.

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Comparing Death Of A Salesman And Fences Compare And Contrast Essay Example

death of a salesman and fences

Linda and Rose were housewives that did not obtain a chance to accomplish their dreams in the American life. Willy's son Happy constantly stands in biff's shadow while Lyons is Troy's son from a different mother who never saw Troy through his childhood due to Troy being in jail, unlike Corey, so its almost as if he stands in Corey's shadow as well though Troy nor Rose treats him any differently. According to Willy Loman, the success of the American dream can be done in specific ways by taking shortcuts. Biff lost interest in education and he began to fail in mathematics. However, it is vital to note the differences in their environments. He talks to her disrespectfully and even ignores her on occasion, and even though he does this blatantly she still stands by his side and acts as his support. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

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Fences And Death Of A Salesman Essay

death of a salesman and fences

. And their two sons Happy and Biff. Charley and Bernard are Linda's brother and nephew, unlike Willy and his boys. Both tragedies revolve around their respective protagonist Troy Maxson and Comparing Dreams In Death Of A Salesman And Fences In Death of a Salesman and Fences there are many similar things happening between the characters of both plays. . This is the constant longing that we have. Willy is unable to adapt to the changes of society, for instance the tape recorder.

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Death of a Salesman vs. Fences

death of a salesman and fences

You ain't never done nothing but hold me back. Willy let a low point in his life get to him and this drove him to damage his relationship with someone he loved. Yet, in fences the American was different. This thirst for success and prosperity is a major aspect of both the plays although the manner in which the two playwrights deal with this theme is completely different. He is very self centered and prideful, which causes his life to fall apart.

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Comparison Between Death of a Salesman & Fences

death of a salesman and fences

While it may have been towards the end of their lives, both Willy and Troy were able to make amends with the problems that once faced them and confront themselves about the deeper internal dilemmas it caused them. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. . In the play Fences, there are several parallels with Miller's play, Death of a Salesman. In the case of Willy Loman, his denial of reality led to his downfall. Denial of Reality The two male characters are faced with reality. Their families are also pushed in order to achieve or share in the dream.

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