Literature Analysis Number 2:

Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller


The basic plot overview of the play is about a man struggling through economic and family troubles. He debates between what's right and being well liked. He ultimately compromises his morals to achieve what he believes to be the American Dream. 


The theme of the play is the pursuit of the American Dream. The main character believes the best way to achieve this dream is through economic and social success. Because of this belief, he betrays and abandons many people in his life including his own family. 


The tone of the play is very descriptive. It is crucial for the story to be extremely detailed because it is a play and stage descriptions and directions are very important to understand the events.
Examples:
1. He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine . . . A salesman is got to dream, boy.
2.  I saw the things that I love in this world. The work and the food and the time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and I thought, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be . . . when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am.
3.  The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he’s rich! The world is an oyster, but you don’t crack it open on a mattress!


Three important literary themes that helped me understand the play were:


1. Characterization
The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he’s rich! The world is an oyster, but you don’t crack it open on a mattress!


2. Metaphor
Never fight fair with a stranger, boy. You’ll never get out of the jungle that way.


3. Diction
He don’t put a bolt to a nut, he don’t tell you the law or give you medicine. He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine… A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory. 

Tools That change The Way We Think

I strongly believe that the internet has a huge affect on the way we think today. The internet has made our lives much more fast pace and causes us to want the quickest and easiest answer. Take writing a research paper for example; just decades ago students would make daily trips back and forth to the library, spending hours quoting books and searching through encyclopedias. These days, a decent research paper can be knocked out in a couple of hours with the click of a few buttons. This has dramatically changed the way we think. While in most ways modern technologies like the internet have benefited us, I believe in other ways they have made us unappreciative and lazy. We no longer appreciate and gift the same way because it was most likely ordered and shipped with the click of a button. The internet has changed the way we think in a thousand different ways and some of them are negative.

In Search Of

I never knew that the internet tailored what I search depending on my previous history. Honestly, I didn't even know that the internet kept a history of everything I searched even after I thought I deleted it. This fact is very unsettling and even a little creepy. I learned that I need to research and know how to use the internet in a safe and smart way. I also realized that I need to start using more reliable search engines because even Google has created a secret profile of me and alters my results. In conclusion, after hearing what Dr. Preston revealed about the internet that most of us don't know, I believe it is very important for children and students to learn how to correctly use the internet. They need to learn how to properly and accurately search for information and stay safe while doing so. 

Notes On Hamlet

At the beginning of the play I felt that all of the characters were pretentious liars in thirst for power. While I still know that is true, I have learned what lengths they will go to achieve these goals. Claudius for example killed his own brother, and Gertrude not only betrayed her dead husband, but also her own son. I don't blame Hamlet for going crazy. Every single person in his life has betrayed him. I'm not really sure if I believe that Hamlet actually sees his father's ghost. It is possible that he has just gone crazy, which is completely understandable. 

Who Was Shakespeare?

Because much of Shakespeare's life was a mystery, there are many theories stating he didn't write his famous plays. Shakespeare grew up poor and unprivileged.

"To Facebook Or Not To Facebook"

I have lots of very mixed feelings about Facebook. I do have a Facebook myself, but ponder the importance and safety of it everyday. Facebook can be a very helpful resource to relocate old friends from the past. It allows people to stay connected with distant relatives and friends and check up on what's new in there lives. While in some social aspects Facebook can be a good resource, it can also be bad in others. Facebook is the main source of cyber bullying where vulnerable teenagers are taunted and sometimes even pushed to suicide. It is also a way for teenagers to practically stalk each other. The person with the most posts is the coolest. Most teenagers keep watchful tabs on each other, recounting which were the coolest parties and who got the most drunk at the football game. While this may raise your social status now, it is creating a negative internet profile for your future. Every negative post or picture made by you or about you can be viewed by important people in your future like colleges or employers. 


This all sounds very negative, but I do see the positives in Facebook. It's a nice way to stay connected with friends and family. I know that after I go off to college Facebook will probably be one of the main ways I will keep in contact with people back at home. Moving on from the social aspect of Facebook, I never realized the business side of it. After reading the article, I learned that Facebook keeps it's own tab on you and creates an advertising profile for you that you aren't even aware of. Facebook filters which friends show up on your feed and which advertisements show up in your side margins. This is very unsettling. People need to realize that Facebook can control you if your not careful. While there are many negatives to Facebook, I believe it can be a positive if you know how to use it correctly. 

(Don't Be Hamlet)

In his speech, Hamlet is debating whether or not to commit suicide. He has lost his father and has been betrayed by his mother and uncle. Hamlet discusses the hardships of life and wonders if they are worth bearing. He thinks of death as a peaceful time for eternal sleep. While eternal sleep does sound very appealing, Hamlet realizes that death could possibly be worse than life. He describes the possibility that the devil we face in death could be worse than the devil we face in life. "Thus conscience makes cowards of us all." Here Hamlet explains that the fears of the undiscovered life after death has made a coward of him and he is now too afraid to commit suicide but still ponders the possibility.


While life can get extremely hard to bear at times, I don't think suicide is ever a reasonable solution. Life is so short and death is eternal. Therefore, we should live our lives as long as we possibly can. Even if times get hard, a change of setting and people can make things better. I think the smartest thing for Hamlet to do is to change his surroundings. He should move to England and start fresh and meet new people. Sadly, all of the people in his life now have betrayed him, but there are always more people out there. He should abandon the unhealthy situation he is in and start fresh somewhere else. 


The beauty of Earth is that there are almost limitless places to go. There is always going to be a new place with new people that won't know you. This provides for a fresh new life to reinvent yourself and surround yourself with better people. In conclusion, suicide should never be an option because life is so short that it should never be ended early.