... contradict commonplace traditional American values as in this steadfast hope. In fact, through the experiences of characters in The Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Great Gatsby, a steadfast hope ultimately results in an inevitable death. In the first piece, The Death of a Salesman, there is a ubiquitous representation of hope and the resulting success, or rather lack thereof. Willy Loman has several hopes, ... for Jay in order to dissolution him of his futile and persistent hope in Daisy. Sadly, Jay was not enlightened with this idea and his stubborn, hopeful, and ...

• Word Count: 1424
• Approx Pages: 6

... to want to have or be something that they are not. In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Miller's Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman and Gatsby are characters dominated by an American dream that destroyed them. Their dreams come from an illusionary past and were also based outside of their own self. Gatsby tried to repeat his past, while Willy attempted to create a satisfactory past. The ... a satisfactory past for himself is his funeral. Willy commits suicide in an attempt to win "diamonds" in the form of insurance money for his family. Before he dies, however, he dreamily talks about the...

• Word Count: 1593
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... is sick and could not work. In this regard, Minnie and Hanson wasted no time in kicking Carrie out of their house because she no longer was profitable to them. Instead of returning back to Wisconsin, Carrie moved in with Drouet, the traveling salesman that she had met on the train that brought her to Chicago. Not too long after she had moved ... around him. The passing public who normally shunned giving arms to individual beggars on many days, do not hesitate donating money for Captain's cause on behalf of the beggars because he puts up an interesting performance. Likened to the success...

• Word Count: 7760
• Approx Pages: 31
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... ). Elliot portrays a world, morally falling apart with no principle to hold it together (Lehan "Sugar Lumps- 95). Fitzgerald incorporates his personal background, peers and close friends, to form the personalities of the various characters in The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota (Michael Reynolds 2360). His mother's father was a self made Irish immigrant millionaire, and his father was ... a salesman who married above his social class and squandered the family fortune (Reynolds 2360). Fitzgerald enlisted in the army and fell for the southern belle, Zelda ...

• Word Count: 1494
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

"Dreams are the touchstones of our characters". This quote by Thoreau is proved to be true in the play The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Miller uses the literary element of characterization to convey the idea that a person's dreams are the blueprints for his or her life. Fitzgerald, however, uses the theme of time to portray the same ... shape a persons being. They give a person something to hope and strive for in their life. Without dreams, life is meaningless. In Death of a Salesman, the readers (or viewers) are introduced to Wil...

• Word Count: 579
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... not know that it was already behind him."" (Fitzgerald 189). Then, John Steinbeck illustrates the impossibility of the American dream in his novel Of Mice and Men, through the lives of his central characters. Set during the Great Depression era the characters have dreams typically American of this era: dreams for untarnished happiness and for the freedom or opportunity to follow their own desires. ... The two central characters, George and Lennie are homeless and continuously migrating workers. They relentlessly work, never reaping the benefits of their work. They dream of living "off t...

• Word Count: 2761
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School

... . I"ll pay you every penny back." Shows that he has been working all his life, but sill needs to borrow money. Whilst striving to attain the dream the central characters of the texts exhibit different emotions; exhaustion and energy. Gatsby is a vision of pure yearning and energy; " He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way." This image is one ... ; "[Willy breaks off, staring at the light, which occupies the chair, animating it.] Frank, Frank, don't you remember what you told me that time?" In "Death of A Salesman," we see Willy's imagination as pitiful. There is a...

• Word Count: 3225
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in Minnesota on September the 24th, 1896 to Edward Fitzgerald, a failed furniture salesman and Mary McQuilan. Fitzgerald was raised a catholic in an upper middle class environment. Fitzgerald started writing from a young age and had several stories published in his high school newspaper. He ... Fitzgerald's mind, he died a failure as he had never achieved the credibility and recognition of today until years after his death. INSPIRATIONS Many of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels are semi - autobiographical and he uses his own lifestyle and experiences to shape the plot...

• Word Count: 1242
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... and is seen as valued by many. However, to be considered as such it would have to meet the criteria of being able to explore and deal with important philosophical and moral topics of importance such as: love, class, wealth or death. These are but a few examples of what is considered 'valuable literature' would contain. I believe that Fitzgerald's novel does meet the criteria ... dream in this novel such as Nick Carraway, the narrator throughout the novel, who moves to New York to become a bond salesman in hopes of making his own fortune. Nick is also arguably the most innocent amon...

• Word Count: 1093
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the same time the story was published. F Scott Fitzgerald uses his own life in the great Gatsby and he directly relates to the characters In the story. Through an examination of themes and plot summary F Scott Fitzgerald reveals how his life directly relates to the story. In the Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald ... extraordinary but simple " and with this Idea came the Great Gatsby. In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway moved to West Egg to work as a bonds salesman. He was invited by his cousin to have dinner at her house even though they haven't seen each other in years. Nick kicks it off ...

• Word Count: 1021
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... ash dump near, which are the garage and home of George and Myrtle Wilson. Significantly all the characters pass through this " valley of ashes, " a symbol of the unfertile wasteland they inhabit. It is here too, that the terrible climax of the novel occurs. Upon this gloomy setting stares the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, a billboard advertisement placed in front of the ash dump. These eyes stare unfeelingly at ... in World War I and getting an education at Yale, Nick begins work as a bond salesman. Settled in West Egg, he renews his relationship with his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom...

• Word Count: 555
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... lifestyle and recaptures an appreciation for Midwestern life. Carraway's upbringing and morals shrewdly contradict the reckless lifestyles of the characters of the East Egg. In the midst of alcohol, week-long parties and carelessness, Carraway's prudence, temperance and tolerance compel the reader to adopt his analysis of events. The belief of self-reliance, moral attitude and hard work in this age has become in the words ... natures to me" (5). In order to create an objective account, personal judgments cannot be displayed by the narrator. In contrast to Nick's East Egg companions, he ...

• Word Count: 575
• Approx Pages: 2