Analysis Of 'Death Of A Salesman' And 'Great Gatsby'
Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller in 1949, is a novel that focuses on the family life and how they have been affected by the society as far as destiny of an individual is in this case concerned. On the other hand Great Gatsby is the name of the novel that was authored by Fitzgerald during the year 1925 and it focuses greatly on the western society that was in this case capitalistic and the dominant one concerning the manner in which they changed the lifestyles. However, The Great Gatsby focuses more on the different dominant class groups while focusing on the economic classes as far as the individual control of destiny is in this case put into consideration. Both of the novels are an indication that people will be pushed to certain lengths with the intent of achieving a rich stereotypical life with the intent of being rich and successful which is the definition of the American Dream.
Death of a Salesman is an illustration that people will stop at nothing in order to achieve this thing that they refer to as the American Dream and one that can be in this case referred to as the destiny. However, according to Miller, no one is in control of their own destiny. For instance, one of the characters outlined in the novel ,Willy, has, at times, dreamed of his success his whole life and the ‘American Dream’ and will do nothing rather than achieving it. This is despite the fact that Willy is finally not in a position of achieving his dream goal or rather the destiny that they have been referring to as the American Dream.
On the other hand, Gatsby had gotten rich on his own through hard work unlike Daisy and Tom where one must be born into money in order to reap the benefits. Gatsby set out to earn enough money to win Daisy over rather than thinking about achieving the American Dream as Willy does in Death of a Salesman. According to Gatsby, the real American Dream meant that one had to have a Rolls Royce, mansion and extravagant partier in each and every weekend with an infinite number of friends. This seems to be a wrong choice of destiny in regard to what. They have all viewed to be the ‘American Dream’. For example, Willy’s plan tends to backfire in what he thought to be his destiny and leaves hid and his family in a desolate manner for not being in a position to achieve what he really wished for.
Within the Great Gatsby, the civilisation of the jazz was ethically broke as perceived by Fitzgerald and it was morally bankrupt, as a result, it was frequently afflicted by a calamity of personality. And yet Gatsby fights to be a portion of this domain, he remains stubbornly a stranger. His life is an outstanding satire that’s a falsification of the 20’s - style pretension.
Nick Caraway, another character in the Great Gatsby novel, reveals that Gatsby’s strength of mind, proud goals and most prominently, the charisma of his ideas set him above his uncouth associates, he was indeed a man that wan not in a position to control his own destiny as he was able to follow Daisy everywhere because of the love for her. By praising the catastrophic diminish of visionaries; Fitzgerald condems the 1920’s in America as an age of thoughtlessness and ravenousness, and age aggressive to work of visualising (Fitzgerald 2995). In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows the remains of his peer group.
As an alternative, Fitzgerald proposes that the collective vice that. Triumphed in the 20’s was exceptionally hostile to dreamers and that people were wrong about their destinies despite the efforts to shape them (Miller 1996). It was these men who managed the utmost unsuccessful lives of all. The character of Dan Cody from Great Gatsby novel, demonstrates the sufferings encountered by the visionary. Another indication of the deterioration of the American culture is its incapability to satisfy its dreamer’s wishes. At his tender age, Gatsby’s dreams of prosperity and triumph, eager to turn out to be a part of the societal best.
In the Death of a Salesman, Willy’s life appears to be gradually worsening. It is clear that Willy’s dilemma is of his responsibility and that his silly conceit to his ruin in regard to what the society define’s to be one’s destiny. It is clear that Willy’s difficultness is his own doing and that his own silly pride and arrogance led to his own downfall and his failure to efficiently make a living and in so doing, disappointment to attain his goals and visions.
In conclusion, the failure by many characters both in Death of a Salesman and the Great Gatsby, such as Willy Loman, Jay Gatsby and many others are an indication that their perceptions were wrong about their destinies since no one is in control of such and are not aware of it. These characters as portrayed in both of the novels tend to fail terribly in achieving their destines that they thought were the American Dream and source of happiness that each and everyone should be seeking for. For example, both Willy and Jay seem to be perfect tragic characters and this is an implication that one can be led nowhere with what they refer to as the American Dream and the perfect life to live.
