Poor Willy!

I interpreted the quote “the only thing you got in the world is what you can sell” from Death of a Salesman to mean that emotions and relationships do not necessarily mean anything, because in the end, they are not worth anything. It is not something you can “take to the bank.” In the business world, everything must be concrete, not circumstantial, or it does not mean anything at all. Circumstantial things can be altered or manipulated, while concrete items or facts are something that will always remain the same, and stand for something. I believe that the relationship between the statement remains relatively the same for the 1940’s and current times. If anything, the statement has become even truer today, as you can no longer take a person on just their word alone, it must be contracted to remain true and honest. Furthermore, you cannot make money on something that is not physically there, so how could a person “sell” the fact that you named someone, etc.?  A person can claim to be like a family member, but when it comes to business, that relationship cannot and will not matter, for the sake of a successful company. If a manager was to only hire or advance those employees that he or she had some type of relationship with, or was somehow tied to, regardless of that person’s contribution to the company, the odds of having a successful business are not very high. I believe this story takes place at the time when business views were beginning to change, and were no longer revolving around what a person could do for another, but rather how successful a person could become. I believe Willy, as a character, was unwilling to believe the changes that had occurred around him, thus further aiding the unraveling of his mind. It is hard to cope with changes, but even harder if a person is unwilling to accept the change.

Scribbles

Lately I have felt the need to write. Nothing in particular, just little notes and scribbles. My stress level has been completely through the roof, and the only thing that truly has given me any piece of mind at late, is to mindlessly do nothing. I do not need to publish my writings anywhere; I have just needed to type. Never before have I had such an urge; this is completely new to me!

It seems as if my life goes in a complete downward turn as soon as a semester starts. This one was no exception. I started out this spring with a $2200.00 bill to replace my transmission in my vehicle; followed close behind with the never ending issues my son has with school. I am desperately looking for the end of his school year; I am not sure exactly how much chaos I can take from them! At this point it seems like they are nit-picking every little thing that he does. Not to mention I had to find a new pediatrician to take him to, as my husband decided it would be a wonderful idea to scream at the doctor’s office, so in turn they refused to treat my son anymore.

 My best friend moved to Georgia from Ohio last week, and until they close on their new house they are staying with us. I knew it would be extremely stressful, but I did not think it would be as bad as what it is! Not only is it her and her husband, but it is their two dogs and obnoxiously large cat. The humans I can deal with… not so much with the animals. I cannot stand the dog smell, and I have issues with cats on my kitchen table and counters. To me it seems pointless to even wash your hands after using the bathroom if you are going to let your cat roll around on your table after using the litter box. Obviously, I am not an animal activist. At all! I am desperately looking forward to spring break, as my house guests will be moving, and I so need a break from life. Here’s to hoping I can make it until March 5^th!!

Death of a Salesman

I have a difficult time reading a play, as my mind does not want to include the names of the characters that are currently speaking, but after reading a few pages of this particular play, I was engrossed. I could not put it down. There is truth to this story; it is definitely a play that could turn into a great movie. As for my particular character choices, I do not know actors. Half the time I cannot even recall the name of the movie I watched! But I can describe the type of actors I would use to portray each character. For Willy, I envision an older man, late 60’s. Little to no hair, and extra plump. I also see him as the type to have glasses that are too small for his face, with bushy eyebrows. He seems like he would be an average height, but both of his sons are taller than him. For Happy, I see him tall and lanky, well dressed, and has an air of business sense around him. He seems capable, but not sure what is truly going to make him happy in life. Biff fits the bill of a 30 something that used to be a high school star, but now cannot find his true place in life. He should have an unsettled look about him. I see Linda as a woman like my grandmother. Able to handle anything that comes her way, but showing age around her eyes. A woman of wisdom and of pain that can be seen simultaneously. For Ben, I see someone tall, dark, and has a condescending look. He should be very well dressed, and I see him with a pocket watch constantly in his hand, like he must always go. All of the characters within the play are so different, but they must in some ways also be alike. I see them to all have the same light in their eyes, with the exception of Willy, his should shine dull and distant. Ideally, the actors that I would select would fit this bill, but I am clueless to actual actors to fit the parts!

The Dream

To understand my view of the American Dream, I must include a brief history lesson. The American Dream is a concept that was created during the American Enlightenment period circa late seventeenth and early eighteenth century.  John Locke was a British philosopher who wrote a novel in 1690 that essentially inspired all current political concepts. Locke believed in what he called natural rights, rights that no government should be allowed to take away from any man. These rights included life, liberty, and property. Almost 100 years after the publication of Locke’s novel, Thomas Jefferson would integrate Locke’s views into the Declaration of Independence, changing the words to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

There are not many people within the United States that have not heard that phrase; it is imbedded into our brains from early education, used like a building block for future history lessons. But to me the American Dream was flawed from the beginning. Our Founding Fathers were very explicit with their definition of who the dream was for. It was not for me, or anyone that I may know. The dream of freedom and security within this country, from the beginning, has always been intended for the elite. Quite honestly, I am grateful the US has evolved enough away from those original beliefs so that I can attend college, and work towards a career. Based on the foundations of this country, I am not entitled to the American Dream; I am not the right gender!

If I was to think about the Dream in only current day, I would define it as the possibly to be anything you set your mind to. I do not think anything should be handed to anyone, but I believe opportunities should be available to anyone and everyone willing to put in the effort. I believe that many would describe the Dream today as just being able to obtain employment and provide for his or her children. To know that there will be a warm bed and food on the table is currently a nagging worry for entirely too many Americans. There have been many Americans throughout history that have had dreams. As a country, I believe we have made tremendous progress towards fulfilling the dreams of those men, but I think we still have a long way to go before truly making them a reality. I still have hope!