Death of a Salesman (Penguin Plays)
by Arthur Miller
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Book Reviews of Death of a Salesman (Penguin Plays)
Book Review: Death of a Salesman: Rebecca Belote
Summary: 4 Stars
Death of a Salesman is a very positive play in the fact that it can be applied to any person reading it. The writer of this play, Arthur Miller, did not specify what Willy Lowman, the salesman, sells so the audience can imagine Willy to be selling whatever they want. Not only is this part of the play applicable to any member of the audience, but the rest of the play is that way as well. There are many lessons to be learned throughout the play, and a particular person could be struck by one lesson, while a different person a different lesson. This play is very positive in that it shows the life of an ordinary person who has struggles. No one wants to hear about the rich and famous, we hear about that all the time. We as people want to hear about the people who have tough lives. We want to learn from them, live with them, cry with them. I think the main reason people like to read about the local yokels, is that we are them! This play does not end on a positive note, but it is positive in the fact that the story is so applicable to us and our daily lives.
Arthur Miller is a very thoughtful writer in that he hides bits of information in the very least of things. Little life lessons can be pulled simply from the way two characters react towards one another , or by what props are used on stage. I think Arthur Miller's main purpose in writing Death of a Salesman was to show the readers that the American Dream is not all it's cracked up to be. The life of Willy Lowman shows that. He travels hours and hours to a city to sells his merchandise and drives hours and hours back home to his family. In the middle of the play Willy isn't making much, which is a tragedy to a salesman, because he no longer "brings home the bacon." The American Dream for the Lowman family was for Biff to be great at football, for Willy to be able to support his family, for Linda to be the perfect wife who always does housework and for Happy to win the favor of his father. But at the end of their lives, Willy is lying to his family because he doesn't bring home enough money to pay rent and Biff works out on a farm which isn't what Willy wants and Linda tries to cover up offenses instead of settle them and Happy still dreams like a kid! All their dreams have gone to waste. Or maybe they just had the wrong dream. Society tends to paint the picture for us of how we should live our lives. Arthur Miller's purpose in writing was to tell us that society can be wrong sometimes and that we need to make our own dreams come true, not societies dreams.
I have learned a very important lesson from Death of a Salesman. I am a Junior getting ready to go to college and I need to decide what I want to do. I really want to go to Bible college and learn as much about God's Word as I can so I can apply it to my life. Other people want me to go to a different college for something else. Nursing, Forensics, Drama, Biology, anything! One person thinks that by just majoring in "God's Word" it will not make me enough money to live on. I tend to disagree. If God wants me to Follow Him and be in His Word, than that's what I'm going to do and He will provide me with what I need to live. The reason that I bring up this important lesson that I learned is because Biff and Willy go through the same struggle. Biff wants to be free in his career. All he wants to be is "outdoors with his shirt off." He wants to do whatever opportunity puts at his front door. He wants to be able to move from one job to another and not have to worry about anything. Willy on the other hand, wants Biff to be like him. He wants him to have a steady job selling merchandise and to raise his status in life. So what does Biff do? He decides to be free. I think that is such an important lesson, doing what you want. It's your life and you have to live it. Make the most of it!
I would highly recommend this play. So many plays end up like a fairytale, but this play does not. There are many lessons that can be applied, and we can all use a few good life lessons. For the inspiring dramatist: Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is not to be missed on your list of must-reads. His play mingles depression, dreams, fears, hopes, and life all into one powerful gut-wrenching book that will make you take a second look into the life that you are now living.
Book Review: An American Dream That Became An American Nightmare
Summary: 5 Stars
Arthur Miller's poignant drama, Death of A Salesman proves to be a great American tragedy. His crafted storyline has resounded throughout the generations while resting strongly on America today.
The Loman family depicts a piece of every family today as they struggle through a world of hard businessmen, changing suburbia, and the danger of being drowned in your own selfishness. We experience the desire for self-worth and self-gain tear down a family, and amidst the rubble leave a cracked and worn out foundation.
Miller's main character, Willy Loman the tragic incompetent businessman and father, revels in his tragedy even to his end. To afraid to let even his sons know who he really is sets the theme that begins to tear their family apart. Choices made by Willy in his past and present ultimately affect and hinder his sons. Willy's wife Linda allows her self to be pushed over and neglected. Even when problems arise Linda's lets her own love blind her from her reality. Willy and Linda's broken relationship shows a never-ending need for each other, which is never realized throughout the play.
Willy and Linda's two sons Biff and Happy also carry this tragedy through their choices and actions. Biff, the family jock that sometimes seems to speak his mind too much at times, never really allows his father into his life. Happy, the younger son, seems to be an exact opposite, wanting just that from his father- acceptance. The family neglect and anger boils over through each family member only to bring a crashing end to their falling lives.
Arthur Miller spoke directly to America through the pages of Death of A Salesman, revealing the risk and reality of chasing the American Dream. America's desire for the best and the most hasn't changed much since the birth of this drama in 1949. We also feel the trap so many family's fall into of neglecting those closest to them. Arthur Miller wanted people to stare these problems right in the face because everyone knows that they deal with them, whether in their own lives or in their family's lives.
As one character said about Willy, "...a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back that's an earthquake." Miller wanted America to see than many people go through life wanting only what others can give them, not wanting to give to others. People in America often place value on trivial things that won't last longer than a few weeks or years, pushing aside things such as family and friends that can change your life as well as, walk through it with you. If anything, Miller wanted people to evaluate their lives and see what has taken hold of them, the American Dream or their own?
Reading Death of A Salesman has put an entirely new perspective on my outlook of the American Dream. As I am about to graduate high school and go to college I've had to think a lot about what it is I want to do with my life. Having to choose between what I want to be doing instead of doing what I feel I have to do. I think that I have also taken away the importance of really connecting with my family. Your family should be the people that know the real you not the people that you hide the real you from. As Willy strived so hard to be successful in business he lost the family he once had. He gave up the best thing in his life for something he would never gain. As we see throughout the play Willy's American Dream soon became his American Nightmare.
Arthur Miller's voice echoes through these pages. It is a play I would recommend and even insist you read. Anyone today would find the relevance and raw storyline something to be cherished. I truly enjoyed this reading and will hold on closely to its message.
Book Review: death of a salesman
Summary: 4 Stars
I would have to say that this book wasn't very positive you see this family who isn't very functional. I mean they don't get along, Happy is neglected, and Biff doesn't get to show who he really is because Willy is always pushing him to be something he is not. Biff also gets treated as if he were some god. Linda knows that Willy isn't doing well but doesn't change anything about it; she doesn't want the truth to come out which is hindering the family. They don't at all communicate with each other. A lot of times they're harboring angry from one another, they all have their dirty little secrets. Willy is trying to have this American dream where he wants to be well liked and have a success but he starts having failures and he just tries to kill himself. Willy wants to show Biff that he is well liked by killing himself and saying you just watch all these people from all these different states will be at the funeral and it turns out no one is there except Charlie, Biff, Happy, and Linda.
Arthur Miller was trying to show us that the American Dream could get to us when we want success so bad, but sometimes in order to get there you are going to have a few failures. That communication is important because if you want to change something and you never speak out about it you wont cause change. A family also needs communication because if you don't be honest with each other you may end up like the Loman's who never were able to show who they really were. You shouldn't push people to do the things they don't want to do because then you will cause them to hate you and also they wont people able to show who they are because you have made them into something they weren't. Willy was always pushing Biff into they things Biff didn't want and here all Biff wanted was to leave on a farm and be successful, But Willy wanted him to do other things. You see Biff towards the end be like I don't like you but I don't want you to kill yourself I don't care about you. Linda loves Willy but, doesn't want to make him upset so she does all things and telling Biff not to talk the way he does about his father, when he was telling the truth. She didn't change anything when she would take the pipe away that Willy used on the gas but then she would put it back. Willy wanted the American Dream it became a hold on him that it lead him to suicide because he saw himself as a failure. I have learned through this Book that you shouldn't lean so much on the American Dream because soon that becomes your life. You will always be trying to impress or please people and people may just reject that. Also that you will have failures learn from them, see what you did wrong and pick yourself up and keep going don't just stop when you feel so down. No one wants to be around someone who is down all the time because then they are going to feel down. You shouldn't care what other people think and be honest with people.
Willy was always trying to impress people and he just gave up when he could have looked back on all of his mistakes instead of giving up. He could have kept going but he didn't and it leads him to his death. Biff learns to be who he is and he is seen as the bad guy but he was being so honest.
I would recommend this play because everyone should know that no matter what you should always perserve. Also that you shouldn't care what people think because life is to short to be pleasing other people and they won't be alive for a long time once they go then you just wouldn't be pleasing no one. Learn from the mistakes you make because they will lead you to a great success.Be honest with people because if you never share what you feel then what good are you really doing.
Book Review: Death of a Salesman Critique
Summary: 4 Stars
Death of a salesman was a very well written play. It really makes you think a lot about life and the American Dream. I very much enjoyed this script. It was a lot different then both Antigone and Much Ado About Nothing. I could connect more with the characters because the play was written in more modern times. It reminded me of my own family. I have two twin brothers, Dustin and Dallas, and they are in the same fourth grade class. Their teacher always complements Dallas and then asked Dustin why he can't do work as good as him. It hurts Dustin and it reminds me of Happy the one who tries so hard but gets complemented.
I think that Arthur Miller's main point in writing is that people are chasing around trying to reach the American Dream, because that what everybody wants for them, but they can never really quite get it. It's like dogs running around trying to bite their tail but they can never get it. Willy set the standards for Biff. He wanted Biff to be better than Willy ever was. I think that Arthur Miller wanted people to see they can only be happy when they do what they want to do, if they want to do the American Dream then they will be happy while trying to get it, but if they don't then they won't be happy. For example, Willy set the standards and held Biff too them, but Biff didn't want that so he was never happy to do what his father wanted him too do.
I think another one of his points is that America mistreats the older. For example, Willy was old and losing his mind and what he needed the most at that time was a good job to hold down the fort, but what he got was Willy's boss fired him. Also Willy's boss was a younger man, but he kept calling him kid and treating him like an annoying little kid. I felt so bad for him. He should be getting respect but instead people only half his age are totally disrespecting him. It makes me sad because that's what America is coming too.
I have learned that all people should be able to make their own decisions. Sometimes I have certain standards for people and expect them too hold up too that. But now I know I should let people make their own decisions. Also I would want people to make my own decisions too. Another thing I learned is that I should respect my parents a lot more. They work so hard to put food on our table and keep us warm.
I felt like Biff and Happy did not really have any respect for their father. Although I can kind of see where they're coming from, since their father lied to them practically their whole life. But they should still respect them and maybe think that their father made those lies because he wanted their respect so much. I now know how hard my parent's work just to make me happy and it makes me feel good. They love me so much that they sacrificed some of their happiness just to make me happy.
I would most definitely recommend this play for people to read. It is very well written and it is something that actually makes you think. A lot of books and plays today are very good but don't make you think as much. It is a breath of fresh air to have something that makes you think and have discussions like we do in drama. Plus it shows how our country handled things after the war. It's sad too think that the war was so devastating that all people wanted to watch and read was sad things. But it is also pleasing to hear the war had such and effect on everybody's lives that they started to really think about death and topics like that. I think of what might happen if our nation had a war as devastating as that if we would actually start to think instead of wasting our lives away watching TV and other frivolous items like that.
Book Review: Great Play!
Summary: 4 Stars
Summary:
"Death of a Salesman" is a play by Arthur Miller about an aging man named Willy Loman and his broken dreams. Willy is in his sixties, and had just been demoted from his once fruitful job as a traveling salesman. Because of his growing depression and his frequent car accidents, he had his salary taken away, and has been put on commission.
Throughout the play, Willy recalls his life in a series of flashbacks, while we see what he has become in the present. He went from having an illustrious career where everyone loved him and he brought home a large salary, to a depressing home life and earning money off the occasional sale. His two sons Biff and Happy, were once successful athletes. Now Biff is 34 years old with no job and no high school diploma. Happy appears to be following in his fathers footsteps, making many of the same mistakes that he did. Willy can't stand to be around his wife, Linda, anymore because of his overwhelming guilt over an extramarital affair that happened several decades ago, that his son found out about.
Near the end of the play, Willy fantasizes that he is talking to his dead brother Ben, who had been an inspiration to him since he struck it rich in Alaska. Willy attempts suicide several times, once by hooking an exhaust pipe to the gas heater, and several times by purposefully driving recklessly.
When he tries to get his original job back, he gets fired by a man young enough to be his son. He tells this man, Howard Wagner, how he expected his life to turn out, and how he was let down:
"...Oh, yeah, my father lived many years in Alaska. He was an adventurous man. We've got quite a little streak of self-reliance in our family. I thought I'd go out with my older brother and try to locate him, and maybe settle in the North with the old man. And I was almost decided to go, when I met a salesman in the Parker House. His name was Dave Singleman. And he was eighty-four years old, and he'd drummed merchandise in thirty-one states. And old Dave, he'd go up to his room, y'understand, put on his green velvet slippers - I'll never forget - and pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, he made his living. And when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. `Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people? Do you know? When he died - and by the way, he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker of the New York, New Haven and Hartford, going into Boston - when he dies, hundreds of salesmen and buyers were at his funeral. Things were sad on a lotta trains for months after that. In those days there was personality in it, Howard. There was respect, and comradeship, and gratitude in it. Today, it's all cut and dried, and there's no chance for bringing friendship to bear - or personality. You see what I mean? They don't know me any more."
Later, he finds out that his son, Biff, doesn't get the job he was counting on. After a failed attempt to plant a vegetable garden, he decides that he couldn't live anymore and drives his car off a bridge.
My rating: 4/5
Commentary:
This was a good book. It had good character development and an intriguing plot. However, since I wasn't seeing the actual play, it was hard to tell what happened in some of the scenes. Anyone who likes period pieces will probably want to read this.