Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman Essay example

Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman Alienation and loneliness are two of the frequently explored themes in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Yet they can also cause other effects which are just as harmful, if not more so. In Death of a Salesman, two of these other results are dehumanization and a loss of individual freedom. This is a very complex web of emotions, but as Miller said, â€Å"Death of a Salesman is not, of course, in the realistic tradition, having broken out into quite a new synthesis of psychological and social dimensions† (Eight vii). It did indeed â€Å"break out† in the modernist direction. It is a wonderful example of the way modernist writers expressed their beliefs. They believed that the industrialization†¦show more content†¦Willy was not strong enough to do what he wanted to, or even to admit to himself what that might be. Yet neither was he cutthroat enough to be able to plunge into the business world of people like his brother Ben and push all thoughts o f family and keeping people happy aside. Willy gets caught in the middle of a personal dilemma, and his feelings of self-worth because he is a human being and his own individual freedom are the cost. Riding the fence and trying to keep everyone satisfied still did not save him from becoming a victim of his society. Most modernist writers would say that no one can escape being a victim of society in one way or another. The question instead becomes what does one do with this knowledge that life is hopeless? Miller is no exception to this belief. He tries to present his audience with the figure of a man who did not heed what was going on around him and happening to him. Perhaps Miller hopes that in painting this picture he will somehow make people realize that they need to be aware of what the effects of living in a modern society can be. This still seems to be the case. In a recent interview, he was asked to share his feelings about the audience: Of Broadway theatergoers forty, forty-five years ago he said, ‘When I started out, they were liberal about their feelings. They cared a hell of a lot about what was happening to the world, to the country, to the city. It wasn’tShow MoreRelated Death of a Modernist Salesman Essay3513 Words   |  15 PagesDeath of a Modernist Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The modernist movement in writing was characterized by a lack of faith in the traditional ways of explaining life and its meaning.   Religion, nationalism, and family were no longer seen as being infallible.   For the modernist writers, a sense of security could no longer be found.   They could not find any meaning or order in the old ways.   Despair was a common reaction for them.   The dilemma they ran into was what to do with this knowledge.   Poet Robert FrostRead More Existentialism in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis and The Hunger Artist1401 Words   |  6 Pagesinto his novels and short stories that they became a trademark of his writing. Two of his stories are good examples of this philosophy: The Metamorphosis and The Hunger Artist.    In The Metamorphosis, Gregor, the protagonist, works as a salesman. He doesnt like his job but works very hard, making his job his life. When he wakes up one morning having turned into a dung beetle (or perhaps a cockroach?) during the night, he thinks only about how he is going to get to work, not how it happenedRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1614 Words   |  7 Pagesform, or appearance, or as a change in form from one stage to the next in an organism’s life. In Franz Kafka’s novella, â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, change is a major theme. The theme of change is significant as the main character, Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, undergoes a metamorphosis of his own as he experiences changes living as a giant insect. However, Gregor’s journey through his new life is not subjective, as his transformation provokes significant changes in his family’s dynamics. In fact, Gregor’sRead MoreLife is Fractured by Class Struggle in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosi1263 Words   |  6 PagesGregor’s boss represents the bourgeoisie, which by Marxist definition means the social class that controls the means of production, the property values, and the preservation of capital in order to protect their economic status. Gregor is a travelling salesman and describes the lack of fulfillment from his job: â€Å"The upset of doing business is much worse than the actual business in the home office, and, besides, I’ve got the torture of travelling, worrying about changing trains, eating miserable food atRead MoreThe Metamorphosis Is About A Traveling Salesman Gregor Samsa1056 Words   |  5 PagesTaylor Scott Mr. Flora December 16, 2015 Mid-Term The Metamorphosis The Metamorphosis is about a traveling salesman Gregor Samsa who was the money provider to his family, and was metaphorically transformed. When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vernin (Kafka 538).The transformation that happens to Gregor affects everyone else he is connected with in one way or another, and brings his family into configurations withRead MoreFranz Kafkas Novella, The Metamorphosis Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pagesanalyzing the representations of Gregor, we can gain insight into many of the ideas the writer is trying to convey. Within the first few pages of the novella, we as readers, quickly discover the proletariat in the story. He labors as a traveling salesman, while trying to support his family and pay off his fathers debt due to a failed business venture. While lying in bed, he comments on his life as a traveling sales man â€Å"Day in, day out-- on the road...Ive got the torture of traveling worrying aboutRead MoreThe Relationship Between Gregor and Samsa Essay1670 Words   |  7 Pagesthe parallel to Franz Kafka which is evident through the portrayal of their similar paternal relationships, ties to existentialism, and their inability to exist without the interference of others. The main character, Gregor Samsa is a traveling salesman, who supports his family entirely on his wages from work. He holds a sense of pride because he had the capability to support his family and provide a comfortable lifestyle for them. Gregor is both the protagonist and the victim in this novella. OneRead MoreSocial criticism in The Great Gatsby and Great Expectations2248 Words   |  9 Pagesstory by the unanimity of all present (save Joe) around the dinner table at Christmas. This universal malice against Pip for being a young child who is dependent for the basic necessities of life establishes and carries the novels theme of the dehumanization of children in Britain. In fact Pip is eventually legally bound to Joe as forced labor in his blacksmith shop. The paradigm of Victorian child mistreatment is further established as one realizes that Pips indentures are a favorable alternativeRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 3979 Words   |  16 Pagesto find himsel f transformed into a vermin which completely estranges him from the world even more than he already was. The plot of the novel reveals the effects this transformation has on Gregor’s life and his family, which ultimately lead to his death. One of the major themes portrayed in the book is alienation, which is demonstrated through Gregor’s life and relationship with his family both before and after his transformation. A close examination of the book shows how the story, and the characters