Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The Plot in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay

Plot, characterization, and dialogue are the elements of drama that I’ve chosen to analyze for Death of a Salesmen. Willy seems to be in conflict with himself and everyone else in his life. Conflict is what drives the plot and will be the main element of drama that’s analyzed in this essay. In Death of a Salesman Willy is the protagonist and his son Biff is the antagonist, he provokes Willy’s anger by not holding a steady job and measuring up to what his father feels he should be. The plot in Death of a Salesman is dialogue driven and the theme of the play is the death of Willy’s career and his inability to become successful in life. He also has hopes of Biff doing something more with his life other than working as a farmhand. Death†¦show more content†¦Corrupted or brainwashed by the system, Willy is blind to its destructiveness and is obsessed by his plans for Biff. Biff, however, has begun to rebel against his father’s ideas and to feel his way towards different standards, meaning those that Miller associates with the socialist society. Unlike his brother Happy, he has â€Å"allowed himself to turn his face toward defeat† (Charters and Charters 1692). When Biff was younger it seems as though he and Willy were close. During one of Willy’s hallucinations from the past when Biff and Happy were kids, Biff says to Willy, â€Å"Where’d you go this time, Dad? Gee we were lonesome for you. Missed you every minute. Gee, I’d love to go with you sometime, Dad.† (Miller 30-31) This shows happier times between Willy and Biff. Throughout the play there seems to be resentment on Biff’s end. The reason for this isn’t revealed until later on in the play. When Willy goes to pay his neighbor and only friend Charley a visit it is revealed why Biff feels the way he does for his father. During a conversation with Charley’s son Bernard and Biff’s childhood friend Willy states nothing good ever happened to Biff from the age of seventeen. Bernard tells Willy all Biff had to do was go to summer school to make up math and asks him if he told Biff not to go. Willy says, â€Å"Me? I begged him to go. I ordered him to go!† Bernard asks, â€Å"Then why didn’t heShow MoreRelatedArthur Miller Criticism913 Words   |  4 Pages Arthur Miller is a highly distinguished author. He is considered by many to be one of Americas greatest writers. As distinguished a writer he is, Miller deserves to be selected for a spot in the prestigious American Author Hall of Fame. His works meet the criteria for the American Authors Hall of Fame since they have themes important to society, are unique, and have universal appeal . 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