Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Gemeinschaft is a fraternal social bonding based on reciprocal relationships; whereas, in Gesellschaft, mutual affirmation is replaced by a mechanical construction existing in the mind. The author points out that this contrast is most vividly seen in the character of Willy Loman. The paper relates that the Gesellschaft justifies to Willy the end of his frantic pursuit of the American dream of material wealth, spliting him away from himself and from his family. The author believes that Happy is losing himself in the betrayal of the ideal of Gemeinschaft, which is one of the major themes of the play. The paper includes many quotations.

From the Paper:

"That is what Gesellschaft means, there is no one home; like Willy, people are all out selling something, and being sold out. There is no greater contrast than this between the daily, supportive personal relations of a Gemeinschaft family and the Gesellschaft society of "business and profit". In that same last scene, Biff clearly observes of his father that "he had the wrong dreams". Charley's famous retort that "A salesman has got to dream, boy" misses the point of Willy's anguished life entirely."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Feuer, Lewis S. (1959). Marx and Engels: Basic Works on Politics and Philosophy. New York: Doubleday.
• Griffin, Ricky W. (2002). Business, Fourth Canadian Edition. Prentice Hall Publishers.
• Harris, Jose. (2001). Community and Civil Society. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
• The Significance of a Line from Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman. Retrieved Novemeber 21, 2006, from http://library.thinkquest.org/2847/drama/salesmf3.htm
• Tucker, Robert C. (1978). The Marx-Engels Reader. 2nd Edition. Norton Publishers.

More papers on Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman":

• Comparison Essay # 147487 : "Miller's "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible"
• Analytical Essay # 120692 : "Is "Death of a Salesman" a Tragedy?"
• Analytical Essay # 148958 : "Willy in "Death of a Salesman"
• Analytical Essay # 134620 : "False Materialism in "Death of a Salesman"

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