The Struggle for the American Dream

In Arthur Miller’s playwright Death of a Salesman (1949) Miller demonstrates the extent to which people would go to reach the American Dream in order to portray some of the emotions and sentiment of many Americans during the 1940s, where the recent stock market crash and World War 2 had just plagued the nation. Miller starts out the play by introducing and identifying the role the main characters serve in the play: Willy as the head of the household with a deadbeat job, Lilly as the wife and caretaker of the household, and their grown sons, Biff and Happy. He also begins to introduce the plot of the story- the bitter relationship between Biff and Willy over Biff’s job and career aspirations- and then further heightens the tension between their relationship through Willy’s illusions of the past, where Willy tries desperately to bask in the moments where everything seemed to be going good and also searches for past clues and mistakes that could have led to this bitter relationship. After shifting the dismal mood to that of hope when Biff gets an "appointment" for a business proposal, Miller concludes the play by shifting the tone again to that of shame and discouragement with Willy losing his job, the failed business meeting with Biff, and eventually, the tragic death of Willy. Although many themes arise from this playwright, including the cost at trying to be someone you are not and covering up one’s true self through lies and denial, Miller demonstrates the extent to which some Americans long for the American Dream in order to show the consequences that result in doing so. His audiences are the lower, middle-class American families, business workers, sellers, parents, and the jobless who might also be caught in false hopes and realities to show to them that pursuing the American Dream is one thing, but to go to the extent as to hide one self’s true identity and get caught up in lies and excuses to achieve that goal will just bring about negative consequences in the end.

Vocabulary Words

•   Simonize- to shine or polish to a high sheen
•   Bashful- one who is easily embarrassed or shy
•   Chamois-a soft type of leather made from the skin of an antelope
•   Hubcaps- a removable cover for the center of an automobile wheel
•    Ignoramus- an extremely ignorant person
•   Caliber-high degree of excellence or merit
•   Spiting- a desire to harm, ridicule, annoy, or humiliate a person
•   Contemptuous- expressing deep contempt or despise for someone or something

Tone: Distraught, Hopeful, Ashamed

Rhetorical Strategies

•  Simile: “BIFF enters the darkened kitchen… ‘Like a Young God. Hercules-something like that’” (pg. 51); “‘A star like that, magnificent, can never really fade away!’” (pg. 51)
•  Idiom: “‘Knock him dead, boy.’” (pg. 50)
•  Metaphor: “‘Yeah, but when he walks into the store the waves part in front of him. That’s fifty-two thousand dollars a year coming through the revolving door, and I got more in my pinky finger than he’s got in his head.’” (pg. 13)
•  Rhetorical Questions: “‘How can they dare refuse? Didn’t I work like coolie to meet every premium on the nose? And now they don’t pay off? ...Does it take more guts to stand here the rest of my life ringing up a zero?’” (pg. 100)
•   Foreshadowing: “BIFF reaches behind the heater and draws out a length of rubber tubing. He is horrified and turns his head toward WILLY’S room…quickly goes up the stairs” (pg. 51) 

Discussion Questions

•  How would Willy use the rubber tubing to commit suicide? (pg. 51) (Disclaimer: Not that I would do it, but I have never heard of “rubber tubing” used in these types of situations)
•  How does the use of Willy’s illusions add tension and suspense to the plot of the play?
•   Is it wrong to have high hopes or seek for the American Dream? To what extent does it become a detriment to one’s own life?

“‘Why boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out…And by God I was rich.’” (pg. 33)

Final Thoughts:

                Although I say this with nearly every book or literary piece I read, I have to say, again, this playwright was amazing! At first I was sort of confused on what the issue was and what was happening in the scene, considering that the play would jump back and forth with reality and Willy’s illusions, but I was quick to come to senses with it once I was able to understand each character and the role that they serve in the play. Furthermore, although the history books mentions the struggle of many American families, especially after the great stock market crash and World War 2, this playwright further deepened my understanding of how terrible and how much of an impact these historical events really had on some people during that time. At times I would feel a little overwhelmed because of the many themes and lessons I was able to take from the play and although the themes had some connections with each other, I found it difficult to process each one, in order to come up with one general theme that would apply to the playwright, overall, while incorporating all the other little ideas and themes. Either way, I truly enjoyed this playwright and I would highly encourage others to read it.

Death of a Salesman

The Death of a Salesman is a playwright that was written by Arthur Miller in 1949. Written just after World War 2, the Death of a Salesman reflects the great boom in literature and playwrights postwar during the Eisenhower era, which lasted from 1952-1960. The playwright also reflects how society was at the time, where everyone was so focused on living the "American Dream". I remember seeing mention of the playwright in my AP US History book and so far after reading the first couple pages, I can already see the similarities and reflections the characters in the play have so far with how people from that society were at the time. For one thing, the play opens with a man (Willy) who is having problems at work just like much of society in the 1940s-1950s, where many people also had to struggle with work. Furthermore I noticed that the patriarchal roles of men and women at the time were still reflected in the play as Willy's wife, Linda, was there to take care of Willy, while he just focused on his job. Although the time in which the book was written saw a change in womens' roles, in terms of the availability of more service and clerical jobs for women, many women still continued traditional gender roles in being the chef and maid of the household, there to serve their families and husbands. So far the book has been interesting and I have been predicting events that could possibly occur (such as maybe a change in traditional gender roles or family issues that arise), but just like with any play, it was tough for me to understand what was going on at first, considering that playwrights are just all dialogue with the exceptions of  monologues and stage notes. The jargon used throughout the play is also different considering that the play was published in the 1940s, which also makes it sort of harder to understand, but other than that I look forward to seeing how the story will unfold and getting to understand the characters in the play so far.

It's Time to Celebrate!

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

Chapter 17: "Celebration Days"

                In Chapter Seventeen, “Celebration Days” in Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (2007) Kingsolver claims that food is important in keeping family cultures together in terms of celebrations, memories, and traditions, something conventional, processed food can’t do. It is what defines and brings a family together and what creates lasting memories in the form of special recipes and funny moments in the kitchen. Kingsolver initially starts out by giving a brief update on her daughter’s, Lily, egg production business. Followed by a line break, she then begins to discuss food preparations for the Thanksgiving party she was hosting and everyone’s help in the cooking process to ultimately prepare a beautiful and delicious dinner for everyone to take pride in and enjoy. Kingsolver concludes, after a discussion on the Spanish celebration of “Day of the Dead”, by tying in this holiday with her own cultural traditions, recalling her dead ancestors and their own unique dishes and methods of cooking that Kingsolver still kept  to that day. Kingsolver brings forth the memories of her dead ancestors and cultural food, in general, in order to emphasize the importance of food in bringing a family together and creating for lasting traditions, recipes, and memories. Her audience is mainly adults and parents, in encouraging them to create their own family memories and revive their culture through food.

Vocabulary:

•          Balk: to stop and refuse to do something or proceed with something
•          Apprised: to inform or tell someone of something
•          Fanaticism: the state of being filled with great and single-minded enthusiasm
•          Feigning: pretending to be affected by something
•          Comestible: an item of food

 Tone: Proud, Cultured, Reflective

Rhetorical Strategies:

•  Simile: “…roughly the same as life without parole.” (pg. 280); “…mix the stuffing with their hands like a splendid mud pie.” (pg. 282)
•  Humor: “…and men out in the yard pretending they still have the upper body strength for lateral passes…” (pg. 281); “I reminded Lily that our family needed eggs too…I learned, for $2.50 a dozen.” (pg. 278)
•  Personification: “…Mr. Thanksgiving had been chosen while still on his feet, headed all his life for this appointment with our table.” (pg. 283)
• Metaphor: “…the Corporate Executive Officer took the situation in hand.” (pg. 280)
• Telegraphic Sentences: “This would never do.” (pg. 289); “It’s not at all spooky. It’s funny and friendly.” (pg. 290)

 Discussion Questions:

·         What does Kingsolver regard or see the American food culture to be?

·         How does Kingsolver effectively integrate her own anecdotes with outside knowledge to make her claim?

·         How does food bring a sense of culture and tradition to a family?

“Value is not made of money, but a tender balance of expectation and longing.”

The Sweet Beauty of Trust

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

Chapter 8: "Growing Trust"

                In Chapter Eight, “Growing Trust”, from Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (2007) Kingsolver claims that although organic food may seem a bit too pricey for Americans rather than the cheap, processed food found in markets everywhere, in actuality, shelling out a couple more dollars is worth it as not only is it healthier for the consumer but the money goes to the hardworking farmers rather than big-name corporations. Kingsolver initially starts out the chapter by discussing family preparations on the farm, including last minute fruit gatherings and soil composting, before taking a week off to go and travel to a friend’s house. She then follows her story by addressing the hard work that goes into farming and thus the reasoning as to why genuine organic food is more costly than the “cheap foods” society tends to purchase and consume more of. She concludes by then focusing back to her trip and using her experience to contrast the major differences between local farmers and corporate farmers, generalizing local farmers as more trustworthy, committed, and “incorruptible.” Kingsolver differentiates between processed, corporate food and organically grown local foods in order to persuade the readers in understanding the benefits of purchasing the latter, despite higher costs. Her audience are adults, local famers, corporate farmers, and organic food consumers as to knowing what truly is “organic” and why it is a better and healthier alternative.

Vocabulary:

•   Gourmand- someone who enjoys good or gourmet eating, often excessively
•   Celibacy- abstention from marriage or sexual relations
•   Tallow- the fatty tissue from animals
•    Languidly- characterized by lacking in spirit or vigor, showing weakness

 Tone: Enthusiasm, Concern, Awe

Rhetorical Strategies

•   Simile- “A thriving field of vegetables is as needy as a child…” (pg. 111)
•  Metaphor- “But you can briefly tiptoe away from the sleeping baby.” (pg.111)
•  Rhetorical Question- “How delusional are we, exactly?” (pg.116)
•  Statistical Facts- “One out of every three dollars we spend on healthcare…is paying for the damage of bad eating habits” (pg. 116); “The incidence of obesity-related diabetes has more than doubled     since 1990” (pg.116)
•  Idiom- “…it started raining cherries.” (pg. 112)

·        Discussion Questions

• What did Kingsolver mean when she said, “one of the houses is exclusively a cold frame” (pg. 119)? What is a “cold frame”?
•  How does Kingsolver structure her chapters to set up her claim?
• Why does society continue to choose “cheap, processed food” rather than organic food, knowing full well the effects of consuming these corporate products? Why are many people in our society unwilling to shell out a few more dollars for healthier and better alternatives?

 “It’s interesting that penny-pinching is an accepted defense for toxic-food habits, when frugality so rarely rules other consumer domains.” 

      

A Place "Called Home"

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver 

Chapter 1: "Called Home"

             

        In Chapter one, “Called Home” of Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (2007) Kingsolver claims that our nation’s dependence on industrial manufacturing and food consumption are leading to the gradual ignorance of agriculture and farming, obesity, and consumption of fossil fuels. Kingsolver initially starts out her chapter by providing a brief anecdote on the family’s move to the Appalachians. She then integrates detailed facts and examples (including statistics and articles) to explain the U.S. food culture, leading up to the family’s reasoning as to why they decided to rely on seasonal farming and food consumption rather than common industrial manufactured foods, and concludes by using an allusion to compare their dietary plans to “the Zorba diet.” Kingsolver’s purpose is to expose the nation’s food industry in order to persuade readers to realize where their everyday food originates from, while also getting them to understand and appreciate her alternative to industrial food consumption and farming. Her audience is mainly towards adults, as well as chefs, farmers, locavores, and starting organic eaters unaware of the basics of organic eating and farming.

Vocabulary:

•          Frugal- the characterization of one who is not wasteful ; is economically in use or          expenditure
•          Trivial- something that is ordinary and insignificant
•          Petulant- the characterization of one who is impatient and quick to be irritated
•          Chrysanthemums- the genus name of a certain variety of plants
•          Surreptitiously- something obtained or created secretively without authorization
•          Fornicate- voluntary intercourse between two unmarried individuals
•          Notorious- one who is unfavorably known for a particular trait
•          Synergies- a cooperative and combined function/action
•          Epicurean- one who is fond of luxury and sensual pleasures
•          Ubiquitously- something that exists everywhere
•          Halcyon- something or someone calm, peaceful, rich, and happy

Tone: Concerned, Disappointed, Enthusiastic

Rhetorical Strategies:

•  Anecdote: “Too tired to cook, we headed into town for supper...Our waitress was young and chatty... ‘Let’s hope it’s a good long one,’ she said…” (pg. 7-8); “As we gathered our loot onto the counter the sky darkened suddenly…This bleached-blond guardian of gas pumps and snack food was not amused…” (pg.7)
•  Articles: Oily Food- “Americans put almost as much fossil fuel into our refrigerators… (pg. 5); Hungry World- “All these heirloom eggplants and artisan cheeses…(pg.18-19)
•  Allusion: “to make a Leaves of Grass kind of culture…” (pg.4); “We were writing our Dear John letter to a roomie…” (pg. 22); “This was approximately the basis of our plan: the Zorba diet.” (pg. 22)
•  Statistical Facts: “U.S. consumption of ‘added fats’ has increased by one-third since 1975, and our HFCS [High-Fructose Corn Syrup] is up by 1000 percent.” (pg. 14-15); “This is how 70 percent of all our Midwestern agricultural land shifted gradually into single-crop corn or soybean farms…” (pg. 14)
•  Humor: “We were thinking Parmesan meant, not ‘coming from Parma,’ but ‘coming from a green shaker can.’ Did they kick us out for bad taste?” (pg. 4)

Discussion Questions:

• What type of culture does Kingsolver refer to when she makes the allusion to Walt Whitman's novel, Leaves of Grass? (pg. 4)
• What purpose does the use of brief articles throughout the novel serve towards Kingsolver’s overall message?
• How might our nation turn out if everyone were to switch to seasonal sustenance or local farming and food consumption? Would it be possible for our nation to thrive without a heavy dependence on industrial food manufacturing?

 “A food culture is not something that gets sold to people. It arises out of a place, a soil, a climate, a history, a temperament, a collection sense of belonging.”

Mr. Dimmesdale's Secret?

"So Roger Chillingworth-the man of skill, the kind and friendly physician-strove to go deep into his patient's bosom, delving among his principles, prying into his recollections, and probing every thing with a cautious touch, like a treasure-seeker in a dark cavern. Few secrets can escape an investigator, who has opportunity and license to undertake such a quest, and skill to follow it up. A man burdened with a secret should especially avoid the intimacy of his physician...then at some inevitable moment, will the soul of the sufferer be dissolved, and flow forth in a dark, but transparent stream, bringing in all its mysteries into the daylight." (p. 85 DOVER-THRIFT EDITIONS)
Passage taken from The Scarlet Letter IX. The Leech

       As the story continues to unfold we see more into the personality of Mr.Dimmesdale, the young clergyman, who we had been first introduced to in chapter three, during the hearing of Hester Prynne. This minister, who up to now has seemed to remain of slight importance to the whole Hester situation, is now being brought forth with more suspicions and mysteries, leading up to the question on who Mr.Dimmesdale really is. If you piece together some of the evidence from previous chapters, you can see that in chapter eight, Dimmesdale practically saved Hester from losing her daughter, Pearl, by defending her during a meeting with the rest of the ministry in the home of Governor Bellingham. Why would Dimmesdale defend her, though? Doesn't he realize how great of a crime Hester had committed? But wait, why did Hester mention something of a previous relationship they both shared. Obviously with that quote we understand that Hester had known Reverend Dimmesdale before the situation, but what else do we not know of this relationship? What is this "secret" Dimmesdale holds to himself-the secret that at one point will bring in "all its mysteries into the daylight" and flow from the "soul of the sufferer"? Could it be that the Reverend is suffering from another burden other than his illness? I propose that Dimmesdale, in fact, may possibly be the person who Hester had an affair with, as the quote above fits the pieces together in a way that doesn't really reveal itself yet, but rather leaves the reader with a certain thought in mind, a thought that will continue to unravel itself with the chapters to come.
       To every situation, though, there is also another side and this time we are also seeing more of the personality of Roger Chillingworth, the husband of Hester Prynne, who keep in mind, had been curious to know the man who Hester had an affair with during their interview in chapter four. At first it only made sense for Chillingworth to take care of and monitor Dimmesdale, being that he was a well-known physician and Dimmesdale, being in the ill condition that he was in, but this quote shows more than just that doctor-patient relationship they both shared. It started to also reveal more of Chillingworth's motives. Sure he was there to try and heal Dimmesdale, but judging by the deeper connection they both shared in discussing other ideas and topics besides those pertaining to Dimmesdale's health, you can see that they are starting to become more of actual friends rather than just that a doctor and patient. Did Chillingworth want to be friends, though, or is he doing this to get Dimmesdale to reveal something? The quote says it all, with mentioning Chillingworth as an "investigator", seeking to not only get to the root of his illness but to his mind and past memories, while also being careful at the same time in slowly uncovering this "secret".
       As mentioned before, what makes this quote significant is how much it reveals the motives and secrets behind some of the characters in the story without fully stating the answers. It leaves the reader to take all their evidence and knowledge from previous chapters, put it together, and come up with a guess themselves, but still leaves the reader hanging as to the true answers to this ongoing mystery. Hawthorne gives off this effect through his use of similes, "like a treasure-seeker in a dark cavern" and personification, "soul of the sufferer be dissolved, and flow forth in a...stream". In a way, Hawthorne wants the reader to make these thoughts, as the use of figurative language gives deeper meaning to the secrets these characters share and further allows readers to make inferences for themselves by looking at the valuable information given, through another view and thus make a connection.


Questions to Consider

• Why is chapter nine called, "The Leech"? Is it referring to a person? If so, who?
• How does Hawthorne create suspense in chapter eight during the argument between the clergymen and Hester over the care of Pearl?
• Based on what you know from the previous chapters, who might you think be the man Hester had an affair with? Is it to early in the book to tell?

The Other Side of Pearl

“…but in another face in the small black mirror of Pearl’s eye. It was a face, fiend-like, full of smiling malice, yet bearing the semblance of features that she had known full well, through seldom with a smile, and never with malice, in them. It was as if an evil spirit possessed the child, and had just then peeped forth in mockery. Many a time afterwards had Hester been tortured, thought less vividly, by the same illusion.” (pg.66-67 DOVER-THRIFT EDITIONS)

Passage taken from The Scarlet Letter, VI. Pearl

     As if the A embroidered on Hester's clothing wasn't enough to constantly remind and torture her of the great sin she had committed, this symbol is also reflected with Hester's child, Pearl, the product of guilt and shame. 
       You would think children are a symbol of innocence, peace, and love, yet while there is some truth in that with Hester's child, forever will there always be an underlying guilt and disgrace attributed to her from the way in which she was conceived. Of course seeing Pearl brings back those terrible memories and of course Hester will always be reminded of her great sin, but dig down deeper, not just to the symbol of Pearl as a whole, but the delicate features of Pearl, the features that contribute to this growing symbolism Pearl is associated with. Hester mentions that she sees a lot of herself in Pearl, but what about that other side-the other genetic contributor? Sure a part of Hester can be seen, but when she looks at this helpless child, she cannot help but also see the face of her partner in crime- the man whom she had an affair with, constantly there to mock her- mocking her of the fact that she had to suffer the consequences of the sin, while he got to live out in secrecy, and mocking her in tempting her to reveal his name. With all these reminders (the scarlet A on her clothing, Pearl, and now the features of Pearl) you would think that she would just break down and go crazy, yet although she remains faithful in her decision to not reveal the name of the man she had an affair with, it makes you wonder how the story is going to unfold. Will Hester ever reveal the man's name? If so, how and when will she do so? Furthermore what consequences will she face as a result of doing so? I bring forth the last question because Hester seems to hold back on revealing the name not just to remain trustworthy and faithful as she had since shattered those traits in being unfaithful to her husband, but a reason going in much deeper than that. I wouldn't want to go so left field in this thought, but would it be possible that Hester is unwilling to reveal the name because she is scared, scared of the man she had an affair with and scared of the consequences she would receive in revealing his name? If you think about it, why else would she see the other side of Pearl, when noticing her looks, with associations to evil and malice? Could there be a deeper meaning to these symbols rather than just as a reminder of the sin Hester had engaged in?
       The way in which Hawthorne details this symbol provides deeper understanding as to Pearl and how Hester feels about her. You can tell that Hester loves her daughter but at the same time is scared of her, "as if an evil spirit possessed the child". Using similies (the quote above) and examples ("fiend-like, full of smiling malice"), Hawthorne effectively describes these other features of Pearl in comparing them to heavily negative connotative ideas of darkness and evil, on the verge of demonic. By doing so Hawthorne brings forth a deeper understanding as to the actual meaning of these symbols- can what we, on the surface, only see as symbols of the sinful incident, be something much deeper than that? In consideration of this thought, why else would Hawthorne use these comparisons?


Questions to consider:

• What did Hester mean when she told Pearl in chapter 7, "Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!"?
• What purpose did Hawthorne have in using a whole chapter (chapter 7) to describe Hester and Pearl's experience to and at the Governor's Hall, before the conversation with the clergymen in chapter 8?
• Is there a deeper meaning in Hester's reasoning to not reveal the name of the man she had an affair with? Could it be that she wants to get society to still see her as someone faithful or can it be something more than that?