The American dream as described by Fabrizio Moreira, an Ecuadorian politician, and businessman, is as follows “The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite his or her background, can improve their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work.” The American Dream is based on the concept of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” but what really counts is the matter of a person’s ambition and trust in themselves to achieve it. In each play Fences, Death Of A Salesman, and A Raisin in the Sun, every character struggles to achieve their American dream because of their lack of ambition and trust in themselves.
In the play Fences, the primary protagonist, Troy, lives on a line between two antagonistic ideas, half-full of optimism and disappointment and frustration. He was formerly at the top of an impressive career as a ball-player that tragically plunged into a menial job of a garbage man. Throughout the play A Raisin in the Sun, Walter struggles to achieve the American dream because he wants to get rich immediately but fails multiple times.
WALTER. Me, the boy, the way we live-this beat-up hole-everything.(Act 1.1.31).
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He believes money will resolve all of their dilemmas, but he is infrequently prosperous with money. He remains the prominent man of the family who strives to support them financially. The economic difficulties and barriers that hinder his and his family’s progress to achieve the American dream constantly disheartens Walter. The Death of a Salesman, however, the primary character, Willy, believes profoundly in the American dream, but dismally never achieves it. He believes a “well-liked” and “personally attractive” man in business will deservedly and without a doubt obtain the comforts offered by modern American life.
WILLY. because personality always wins the day. (Act 1. 1. 40-41).
He believes that attractiveness and charismatic personality remain the elements of the prosperity towards the American dream life. Their un-ability to achieve the American dream causes conflicts between them and their families.
Troy’s previous history in Fences forces a dividing line between him and his sons, Lyons and Cory who grew up believing they could achieve their dreams without prejudicial restraint. One of the immense sources of disappointment in Troy’s life is the fact that he wasn’t permitted to play pro baseball because of racial discrimination. Troy continuously disallows to let his son play football, arguing he doesn’t desire Cory to undergo the same sort of racial discrimination and disappointment he went through. Everyone around Troy tries to push him to see that times have changed and that Cory will obtain an exceedingly more realistic chance.
ROSE. They got lots of colored boys playing ball now. Baseball and football (Act1.1.22).
Troy can’t accept times have changed and instead of bowing down and accepting of what everyone around him says, he determines his own course of action, based on his own fallacies. In Death of a Salesman, Willy possesses much potential, but he suffers from a colossal case of sophistry paired with erroneous life goals.
WILLY. I’m vital in New England (Act 1.1.24-25).
Willy is a self-conscious that attempts to rectify himself by lying to himself and others. He refuses to admit he is a failure which is his hamartia or fatal flaw. Willy lives vicariously through his son, Biff. Biff is an unwilling “host” so to speak. When Biff discovers about the affair, Willy chooses to estrange him from his son rather than face reality which will propel him in a depression and maniac state and separate Willy from his family. In A Raisin in the Sun, Walter fails to understand he can’t support the family just by money. He doesn’t seem to perceive that he must pay attention to his family members’ concerns to support them. Once he begins listening to his families needs, he realizes that buying the house will accomplish more than attempting to get rich fast.
Willy in Death of a Salesman refuses to admit he is a failure which is his hamartia or fatal flaw.
WILLY. Isn’t that a remarkable thing?Ben, he’ll worship me for it! (Act 1.1. 24-25).
His pursuit of the reality of the American dream is conflicting with his delusions. He will live his life deceiving himself which will be the factor that stops Will from achieving his American Dream. However, Troy in Fences hamartia is he fails to accept times have changed. His American dream is distorted because he receives many more opportunities that he fails to see because of the events he endured in his past. Yet in A Raisin in the Sun, Walter’s fatal flaw is his incompetence to obtain that his family’s concerns and needs should come first. Money isn’t what will obtain and secure happiness, his family’s welfare is.
WALTER. Well, what I mean is that we come from people who had a lot of pride (Act 3. 3.24-25).
Walter becomes a man when he absolves to Mr. Lindner and refused the money that Mr. Lindner offers the family to not occupy the house in the Caucasian neighborhood.
When achieving the American dream, one must trust themselves and have the ambition and perseverance to achieve that dream. Accomplishing the dream though is a persistent and complicated path. The primary characters of each play struggle to possess confidence in themselves to pursue the American dream because of the barriers and obstacles they had to face. In the words of the amazing singer, Bruce Springsteen, “I have spent my life judging the distance between American reality and the American dream.”
Works Cited
- ‘Bruce Springsteen Quotes.'(n.d.). BrainyQuote.com.BrainyMedia Inc, 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018, from BrainyQuote.com Website: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/bruce_springsteen_460855
- ‘Fabrizio Moreira Quotes.'(n.d.).BrainyQuote.com. BrainyMedia Inc, 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018, from From BrainyQuote.com Website: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/fabrizio_moreira_797985
- Mays, Kelly, editor. The Nortons Introduction To Literature. 12th ed., W.W. Norton & Company,2016
- Hansberry, Lorraine. “A Raisin in the Sun.” Mays, pp. 1780-1844
- Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” Mays, pp. 2033-2100
- Wilson, August. “Fences.” Mays, pp 1423-1473
