Death of a SalesmanDeath of a Salesman

By Arthur MillerBy Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller BiographyArthur Miller Biography

““I think the job of the I think the job of the artist . . . is to remind artist . . . is to remind people of what they people of what they have chosen to forget.”have chosen to forget.”

- Arthur - Arthur Miller Miller

Arthur Miller BiographyArthur Miller Biography

1915 – 20051915 – 2005 father owned a women's father owned a women's

clothes/coat-clothes/coat-manufacturing business, manufacturing business, which failed in the Wall which failed in the Wall Street Crash of 1929Street Crash of 1929

After the Crash, they After the Crash, they moved to a modest moved to a modest house in Brooklyn.house in Brooklyn.

College LifeCollege Life

Went to college at Went to college at Michigan.Michigan.

Majored in journalismMajored in journalism Changed his major to Changed his major to

English after having the English after having the play play No VillainNo Villain published.published.

I hate MichiganI hate Michigan

Personal LifePersonal Life

Was married to Marilyn Was married to Marilyn MonroeMonroe

House of Un-American House of Un-American Activities Committee Activities Committee investigates Miller.investigates Miller.

Personal LifePersonal Life

He is arrested and He is arrested and thrown in jail for thrown in jail for contempt of court.contempt of court.

He is eventually He is eventually released from prison released from prison and acquitted of his and acquitted of his charges.charges.

His WorksHis Works

1953 – He writes 1953 – He writes The The CrucibleCrucible, an , an allegorical play in which Miller play in which Miller likened the situation likened the situation with the House Un-with the House Un-American Activities American Activities Committee to the witch-Committee to the witch-hunt in Salem hunt in Salem

His WorksHis Works

1949 – He wrote Death 1949 – He wrote Death of a Salesman, which of a Salesman, which was viewed by many as was viewed by many as an attack on the an attack on the American Dream of American Dream of achieving wealth and achieving wealth and success without regard success without regard for principle. for principle.

TermsTerms

Capitalism - An Capitalism - An economic system in economic system in which private owners which private owners control a country’s control a country’s industry.industry.

TermsTerms

CommunismCommunism - - system system of government in which of government in which the state plans and the state plans and controls the economy and controls the economy and a single, authoritarian a single, authoritarian party holds power, party holds power, claiming to make claiming to make progress toward a higher progress toward a higher social order in which all social order in which all goods are equally shared goods are equally shared by the people. by the people.

TermsTerms

American Dream - American Dream - set of ideals in which set of ideals in which freedom includes the freedom includes the opportunity for opportunity for prosperity and prosperity and success, and an success, and an upward social upward social mobility achieved mobility achieved through hard workthrough hard work

Historical ContextHistorical Context

During the postwar boom of 1948, most During the postwar boom of 1948, most Americans were optimistic about a renewed Americans were optimistic about a renewed version of the American Dream: striking it rich version of the American Dream: striking it rich in some commercial venture, then moving to a in some commercial venture, then moving to a house with a yard in a peaceful suburban house with a yard in a peaceful suburban neighborhood where they could raise children neighborhood where they could raise children and commute to work in their new automobile. and commute to work in their new automobile.

Historical ContextHistorical Context

The difference between this and the The difference between this and the nineteenth-century version of the same dream, nineteenth-century version of the same dream, in which a family or a single adventurer went in which a family or a single adventurer went into America's wilderness frontier and tried to into America's wilderness frontier and tried to make their fortune from the land itself, make their fortune from the land itself, reflected the country's economic shift from reflected the country's economic shift from agriculture to urban industry, and then from agriculture to urban industry, and then from manufacturing into service and sales. manufacturing into service and sales.

TermsTerms

Flashback – A scene Flashback – A scene that is set in a time that that is set in a time that came before the main came before the main story.story.

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