miller and Fitzgeralds essays

miller and Fitzgeralds essays The great Gatsby and Death of a salesman Miller and Fitzgerald have presented two modern day tragic figures in Death of a Salesman and The Great Gatsby. They document superbly the downfall of two men who followed the great American dream- the assumption that anyone can make their way to the top through hard work. Willy (in Death of a salesman), believes that his dream to be a success in life has been realised and in doing so lives a lie. He was rarely able to tell the truth to himself or others. Jay Gatsby (in The Great Gatsby) on the other hand believes that if he can achieve his dream i.e.: to win Daisy back, then he can wipe out the past and live again as if the past never happened. The main difference between these two characters is that at the end of Gatsbys life, he realizes his dream was flawed and that he couldnt wipe out everything from the past where as Willy never completely recognized his failings and certainly didnt attempt to overcome them. Miller chose to show Willys life in the form of a play. Miller uses multiple settings along with a mix of lighting and sound to allow Willys thoughts to transfer from the objective to the subjective views. Miller does this to show Willys reflections on significant events in his past that he would probably prefer to forget. These reflections, along with Willys ramblings leave the audience wondering about Willys state of mind and leaves them with no doubt that Willys life has been full of lies and deception. In Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby, time is also used to create an effect. Nick Carraway retells the story of Jay Gatsby two years after the event. Even though Fitzgerald doesnt introduce Jay until chapter 5, Nick Carraways narration leaves the audience feeling that they know him well already. Fitzgerald encourages ...