WILLY: No, I see everything. I came back ten miles an hour. It
took me nearly four hours from Yonkers.
LINDA (resigned): Well, you’ll just have to take a rest, Willy, you can’t continue this way.
WILLY: I just got back from Florida.
LINDA: But you didn’t rest your mind. Your mind is overactive,
and the mind is what counts, dear.
WILLY: I’ll start out in the morning. Maybe I’ll feel better in the
morning. (She is taking off his shoes.) These goddam arch sup-
ports are killing me.
By looking at this conversation, we know that even though Willy is old, he still remains his ambition of making as much money as he can to support his family. This scenario is similar to "The Great Gatsby," in which Gatsby also has ambition to reach perfection; however, Willy and Gatsby are focusing on different accomplishments. Willy has been trying to acquire affluence not only because he wants to support his family but also because he wants to be a role model of his children; on the other hand, even though Gatsby was poor when he was young, he eventually becomes rich by dealing with illegal business, and Gatsby has been trying to get Daisy, which becomes his motivation of being rich. In conclusion, Willy is trying to reach financial perfection, while Gatsby is trying to reach sexual perfection.
LINDA (resigned): Well, you’ll just have to take a rest, Willy, you can’t continue this way.
WILLY: I just got back from Florida.
LINDA: But you didn’t rest your mind. Your mind is overactive,
and the mind is what counts, dear.
WILLY: I’ll start out in the morning. Maybe I’ll feel better in the
morning. (She is taking off his shoes.) These goddam arch sup-
ports are killing me.
By looking at this conversation, we know that even though Willy is old, he still remains his ambition of making as much money as he can to support his family. This scenario is similar to "The Great Gatsby," in which Gatsby also has ambition to reach perfection; however, Willy and Gatsby are focusing on different accomplishments. Willy has been trying to acquire affluence not only because he wants to support his family but also because he wants to be a role model of his children; on the other hand, even though Gatsby was poor when he was young, he eventually becomes rich by dealing with illegal business, and Gatsby has been trying to get Daisy, which becomes his motivation of being rich. In conclusion, Willy is trying to reach financial perfection, while Gatsby is trying to reach sexual perfection.
WILLY: Figure it out. Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You
ReplyDeletefinally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it.
LINDA: Well, dear, life is a casting off. It’s always that way.
WILLY: No, no, some people- some people accomplish something.
In Death of a Salesman, the main character feels upset and unfulfilled in his life because he hasn't really done anything great, and his wife is trying to make him look on the positive side. In The Great Gatsby, the main character feels unfulfilled because he isn't perfect, therefore, he is much more snobby and spoiled.
"They don't need me in New York. I'm the New England man. I'm vital in New England." Act 1, Part 1, pg. 4
ReplyDeleteHe sees that New York is in no need of him and he is in no need of New York. This can relate to "The Great Gatsby" in the sense that people differentiate themselves by using location just like West and East Egg.