Dysfunctional american dream reflected in arthur miller’s death of a salesman
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Published:
Nov 5, 2021
Keywords:
Dysfunctional, American Dream, Capitalism
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(1) * Ivana Nabilah Qoriroh Mujahidah
English Language Education Department, University of Muhammadiyah Malang
Indonesia
(2) Agista Nidya Wardani
English Language Education Department, University of Muhammadiyah Malang
Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
The research aims to find the dysfunctional American Dreams; the causes of dysfunctional American Dreams and the effects of dysfunctional American Dreams experienced by the main character, Willy Lowman, as a representation of American society.This paper is examined by applying descriptive qualitative research paradigm which is naturally interpretative. Thus, the key instrument is the researcher herself who has the authority in managing and analyzing the data, and certainly producing meaning in the process of discussion and interpretations. Moreover, to facilitate her in collecting and identifying the data, she used supporting instrument in the form of table. This study, theoretically, applied the mimetic theory as the research approach.The researcher found that Arthur Miller uses the character of Willy Loman to represent the failure of the American Dream. Willy’s quest for the American Dream leads to his failure because throughout his life he pursues the illusion of the American Dream and not the reality of it. The unachievable part of Willy’s view of the American Dream is perfection. He has subordinated by the capitalism in which Willy belongs to the proletariat where his dream is a utopia.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The character of Willy Lowman represented the failure of American Dream because throughout his life he pursues the illusion of American Dream.
- Some misperceptions of American Dream have made Willy living in utopia and committing a suicide.
- The study represented that not all Americans or immigrants have the same perception of the American Dreams and not all of them can reach the dreams
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How to Cite
Mujahidah, I. N. Q., & Wardani, A. N. (2021). Dysfunctional american dream reflected in arthur miller’s death of a salesman. JEES (Journal of English Educators Society), 6(2). https://doi.org/10.21070/jees.v6i2.1077
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Copyright (c) 2021 Ivana Nabilah Qoriroh Mujahidah, Agista Nidya Wardani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Albrow, Martin. (1999). Sociology: the Basics. Routledge.
Bressler, Charles E. (1999). Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Prentice-Hall.
Castle, Gregory. (2007). The Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory. Blackwell Publishing.
Delblanco, Andrew. (1999). The Real American Dream: a Meditation on Hope. Harvard University Press.
Datesman, Crandal, and Kearny. (2014). American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture. Pearson Education ESL.
Draper & Froese. (2011). The Values and Beliefs in American Public.Waco, Office of Media Communication.
Eagleton, Terry. (1991). Significance of Theory. Wiley Black Well P.
Elhawa, Hidayat A. (2018). Desire and American Dream in The Deat of a Salesman. Angloamericanae Journal, 3(1). pp. 18-28. http://aaj.ielas.org
Fiedler, Jansen, & Norman-Risch. (2000). America in Close-up. Pearson Education Limited.
Grace, William J. (1965). Response to Literature. McGraw Hill Book Company.
Harvey, D. (1999). The Limits to Capital. Verso.
Hayman, Ronald. (1970). Contemporary Plawrights Arthur Miller. Heinemann Educational Book Ltd.
Juan, Zhao. (2010). Corruption of the “American Dream” in Death of a Salesman: A Thematic Analysis of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Cross-Cultural Communication. 6(3). pp. 122-126. www.cscanada.org
Ilegbinosa, Anthony Imoisi. (2012). “An Analysis of Karl Max’s Theory of Value on the Contemporary Capitalist Economy,” Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, ISSN 2222-1700 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2855 3(5). www.iiste.org.
Kohls, L. Robert. (1978). Values American Live by. Great Contemporary Issues. 6.
Kumar, Arum V. (2017). Crucial Role of Literary Theory in Literature in International Journal of English Language. Literature in Humanities, 5(7).
Kumar, Ranjit. (2011). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step guide for Beginners. SAGE Publications
Lethbridge, Stefanie & Jamila Mildorf. (2004). Basics of English Studies: An Introductory Course for Students of Literary Studies in English. Version 03/04 Drama. Developed at the English departments of the Universities of Tübingen, Stuttgart and Freiburg.
Martin, Alex and Robert Hill. (1996). Modern Novels: Introduction to Modern English Literature for Students of English. Prentice Hall International.
Miller, Arthur. (1977). Death of a Salesman. Penguin Books
Mgamis, Majid Salem. (2017). “Death of A Salesman: Critique of The American Dream.” International Journal of Language and Literature June 2017, Vol. 5, No. 1. American Research Institute for Policy Development.
Murmen, Rena (ed). (2010). Death of A Salesman: WPTC Teacher's Workshop and the School Matinee and Touring Production.Vermont Humanities Council.
Mujahid, Zainul. (2013). A Dissertation: Langston Huges’ Harlem and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in The Sun: An Intertextual Analysis. Unpublished Dissertation: Universitas Negeri Surabaya.
Nzisi, Perpetua M. (2017). Willie Loman’s Perception of the American Dream in Arthur Miller’s Play Death of a Salesman. International Journal of African and Asian Studies.39. pp. 85-91. www.iiste.org
Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. (2000). Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Gadjah Mada University Press.
Nussbaum, Stan. (1998). The A, B, C of American Culture. Global Mapping International.
Perry, Bill. (2000). A Look Inside America: Exploring America’s Cultural Values and Holidays. Multi-Language Media, Inc.
Potter, W. James. (2016). Introduction to Media Literacy. SAGE Publication.
Regan, Paul. (2012). Hans-Georg Gadarmer’s philosophical hermeneutics: Concepts of reading, understanding and interpretation. University of Central Lancashire: Meta Journal: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, and Practical Philosophy. Vol IV, No. 2/ December 2012: 286-303, ISSN 2067 – 3655.
Roberts, V Edgar & Henry E. Jacobs. (1987). Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Rutherford, Samuel. (2009). Lex Rex. Portage Publications
Selden, Raman; Widdowson, Peter; and Brooker, Peter. (1997). A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. PrenticeHall
Regan, Paul. (2012). Hans-Georg Gadarmer’s philosophical hermeneutics: Concepts of reading, understanding and interpretation. University of Central Lancashire: Meta Journal: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, and Practical Philosophy. Vol IV, No. 2/ December 2012: 286-303, ISSN 2067 – 3655.
Rose, Peter I. (1997). They and We: Racial, Ethnic, Relations in the United States.
The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.
Sugiyono. (2010). Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif Kualitatif & RnD. Alfabeta.
Tamuno, S. O. (1999). A Synoptic View of Economic Theorists. African Heritage Publications
Teeuw, A. (1984). Sastra dan Ilmu Sastra, Pengantar Teori Sastra. Pustaka Jaya.
Tocqueville, Alexis De. (1945). Democracy in America. Vintage Books/Random House.
Warner, W. L., Meeker, M., & Eells, K. (1949). Social class in America: A manual of procedure for the measurement of social status. Science Research Associates, Inc.
Weber, M. (1947). The theory of social and economic organization (T. Parsons, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
Wellek, Rene & Autin Warren. (1949). Theory of Literature. Brace & Company.
Wright, E. O. & Shin, K. Y. (1988). Temporality and class analysis. Sociological theory, 6. pp. 58–84.
Yin, Robert K. (2011). Qualitative Research from Start to Finish. The Guilford Press.
Yuxian, Zhang. (2013). The Embodiment of Individualistic Values in American Nationality. Studies in Sociology of Science, 4(3). pp. 36-42.