Death of a Salesman Essay Example for Free

Death of a Salesman Essay What techniques does Arthur Miller use to highlight the conflict between past and present in Death of a Salesman? How do these techniques also demonstrate his main themes? Death of a Salesman is set in a time when the capitalist system is changing. It is set in the late 1940s, not long after the Wall Street crash in 1929. Willy Loman is unable to adjust to these changes and therefore, there is conflict between the past, where his dreams were achievable, and the present, where he has fallen foul of the capitalist system and is no longer any use to the firm. These conflicts are personified in Willy, and Arthur Miller uses a number of techniques to highlight this. The techniques Miller uses represent Willys mind and they distinguish between past and present. These theatrical methods also help to demonstrate the main themes in Death of a Salesman. These theatrical methods include music, lighting, wall-lines, scenery, the use of leaves and also use of costumes. In my essay I plan to explain what each method conveys to the audience and show how Miller uses these methods effectively to highlight the conflicts. Music is used to highlight significant points and themes in the play. Also, the type of music sets the mood for a scene. It creates atmosphere and conveys to the audience the emotions of the characters. Also, silence can highlight a particular scene. The absence of music means that the audience focuses entirely on the conversation taking place. In Death of a Salesman, flute music is heard constantly throughout the duration of the play. It bridges the play, as it is heard both at the beginning and the end. The flute music evokes a faraway, idyllic world, representing the past. It also represents a contrast between Willy and his father. Willys father was a pioneer; he made flutes and sold his own products. Willy, on the other hand, has to sell other peoples goods to make a living. A good example of music being used to set the scene is at the beginning of the restaurant scene. The lights have blacked out signifying the end of the previous scene Suddenly rollicking music is heard. This is setting the mood of the scene for the audience. It shows that the atmosphere is happy and lively. This is to show the mood of the present time. It is a contrast to the past. By having rollicking music, Miller is highlighting this contrast. This links to the theme of Happy and shows more of an insight into his character. Happy has chosen this restaurant and it shows the kind of life he lives, and this is a contrast to Willy.

Finding Meaning and Purpose in Mitch Albom’s, The Five People You Meet

â€Å"The Five People You Meet In Heaven† written by Mitch Albom tells about a man named Eddie and his experiences in life and in heaven. During his journey in heaven he meet five people. He learns how he has impacted the five lives while on earth. Eddie finds that his life did have true meaning and purpose. Prior to meeting the five people that he meets in heaven, he feels as if his life is worthless and has no meaning. Physically he is not in good shape, â€Å"His left knee, wounded in the war, was ruined by arthritis. He used a cane to get around†(2, paragraph 1). He feels stuck at a place with a job that he absolutely hates, â€Å"He cursed his father for dying and for trapping him in the very life he’d been trying to escape: a life that, as he heard the old man laughing from the grave, apparently now was good enough for him†(128, paragraph 1). The one and only love of his life has died, â€Å"I lost everything. I lost the only woman I ever loved†(173, paragraph 9). The triumphs bring Eddie down and make him feel as if his life did not go as he had planned. Although Eddie meets five people in heaven that try to help him to understand his life, one of these people stand out above the rest. When Eddie meets Ruby, he has no idea who she is but she tries to help him try to understand and forgive his father for the years of neglect and abuse. â€Å"Once Eddie tried to stand next to his father and look at his cards, but the old man put down his cigar and erupted like thunder, smacking Eddie’s face with the back of his hand. â€Å"Stop breathing on me,† he said, â€Å"Eddie never got that close again†(105, paragraph 2). As Eddie grows older, their nonexistent relationship does not change for the better! Ruby helps Eddie with this struggle by showing him that... ... mundane things Eddie had done in his life, the accidents he had prevented, the rides he had kept safe, the unnoticed turns he had affected everyday. And while their lips did not move, Eddie heard their voices, more voices than he could have imagined, and a peace came upon him that he had never known before†(193, paragraph 3). Now Eddie knew, He finally knew the meaning and purpose of his life. Although it takes a long time, Eddie finds everything that he has been looking for to understand and be happy with his life. The Five People You Meet In Heaven shows readers how every life has a plan. The plan might not be realized until death, its possible that life’s experiences will be explained. Once the five people are met and differences are resolved, then comes peace. Works Cited Albom, Mitch. The Five People You Meet In Heaven. New York: Hyperion, 2003.

Diskobolos vs. Ramesses Ii

Diskobolos vs. Ramesses II There are many unique qualities in art that depict the different time periods. One can decipher specific eras based on the attributes of the painting or sculpture. Ancient Egypt sculptures are completely different from Ancient Greece sculptures by way of body position, facial expressions and materials used. Understanding backgrounds, time periods, and history of the sculptures are important when analyzing the works of art. Ramesses II is located at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology. The statue was found at the Heracleopolis, Temple of Harsaphes, in Egypt â€Å"(Ramesses II). Archaeologists believe that the sculpture was made somewhere between 1897 and 1834 B. C during the time of the Middle Kingdom. The facial expression and body language illustrates his desire to be timeless. The sculpture is positioned in such a way that the body looks like it could stand the test of time. Made out of Quartzite stone, this sculpture is designed to pres erve the Pharaoh’s power and immortality. The Pharaoh is seated with both hands and feet placed purposely close to his body to signify success, reign and power. He sits upright in a tranquil manner reflecting power and kingship †(Ramesses II). Every inch of his body is made to perfection. His proportions are impeccable and is represents that of a god. The face of Ramesses is much, like all of the other Ancient Egyptian rulers during this tie period. The face has no personal qualities. â€Å"The same characteristics appear on almost all of his statues: a receding forehead with prominent brows; thoughtful, slightly downcast eyes; an aquiline nose with a broad bridge and rounded tip and a narrow mouth â€Å"(Ramasses II). The statue of Ramesses II is rather similar to the statue of Khafra. Ramesses II is seated in the exact same position as Khafra. Their hands and feet are close to the body while their faces have no personal attributes that give them their own identity. Both Statues were made to signify power and control. They wanted to be timeless and appear motionless. (See Figure 1) Figure 1. Statue of Ramesses II. The Ancient Greece era occurred after the Ancient Egyptian era and they had a very different design ascetic. In the classical period the Greeks created sculptures that were more life like. The sculptures actually looked like they were moving. Limbs were away from the body unlike that of Egyptian sculptures. The statues were asymmetrical and were positioned in a non-conventional way. A sculpture that has these characteristics is Diskobolos, It was originally created in bronze around 460-450 B. C. The statue is of a man about to throw a disk. He is bent at the waist with one arm out to the side. The potential energy expressed in this sculpture's tightly-wound pose, expressing the moment of stasis just before the release, is an example of the advancement of Classical sculpture from the Egyptian period†(Diskobolos). This position demonstrates harmony and balance because every inch of his body is working together to create a smooth movement and throw. Each movement is essential to establish the position. â€Å" The working left arm balances the engaged right leg in the forward position an d the relaxed right arm balances the free left leg†(Janson, 124). The facial features are much more realistic. In this sculpture his face looks like he is working hard and focusing on the game. Emotions were thought out at this time period when creating art. If someone was happy they looked like it and if some was in pain they had the look of extreme discomfort. Also the idea of movement is really predominant in this time period. All the statues look like they are going to take a step or throw something in order to create movement. (See figure 2) figure 2. Statue of Diskobolus Both Greek and Egypt Sculptures have considerable differences but they also have some similarities. Both cultures valued the idea of a perfect muscular body yet one valued movement over timelessness. Each culture is unique with the artwork and sculptures that they left behind for us to study. They each donated something special to us and each art style had a profound effect on how we look and judge art. Works Cited â€Å"Discobolus. † Sir Thomas Browne. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. . Janson, H. W. Janson's history of art the western tradition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2007. Print. â€Å"Ramesses II. † Grove Art Onine. Oxford university press. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. .

Lord Of The Flies Morality Analysis - 1667 Words

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of moral is: â€Å"a :of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior b :expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior. Morality falls into two the â€Å"safety† level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The safety tier comes directly after physiological needs like breathing and food. There has to be morality in a society for anyone to be safe. The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, tells the story of a group of young boys stranded by a plane crash on an island with no adults and their discovery of human instinct and the extent of their morality as they form a society of their own. The story mainly revolves around four boys Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon who each symbolize a different†¦show more content†¦This act of kindness shows how Simon’s moral values place the needs of others over his own desires to find peace. To get to the fruit, Simon has to go through loud and possibly dangerous bees. He does it without question for the little boys. Another instance of Simon doing a kind, selfless action is when Jack and his hunters kill a pig and have a feast and he will not share meat with Piggy. Simon does not think this is right: â€Å"Simon, sitting between the twins and Piggy, wiped his mouth and shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy, who grabbed it. The twins giggled and Simon lowered his face in shame† (74). Simon knew that the other boys did not favor Piggy and that there could be social consequences for sympathizing with him and giving him his meat, but he still knew that it was wrong to not let Piggy have meat. He made a selfless decision to share his meat with Piggy which could have ended really badly for him. He could have been sent away by Jack or also begin to get the same treatment that Piggy does from the other boys. Another example this is when Simon goes off by himself in the forest and comes across the Lord of the Flies. It communicate s with him without actually speaking: â€Å"‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!’ said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. ‘You knew, didn’t you? I’m partShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies : Kohlberg s Morality Theory958 Words   |  4 PagesGianne Garcia Ms. Zachas English 10 Honors 8 November 2015 Lord of the Flies Through Kohlberg’s Morality Theory â€Å"Maybe there is a beast†¦ maybe it s only us.†good hook This quotation is taken from The Lord of the Flies, a novel that surrounds around young survivors of a plane crash that thrive on a deserted island. This particular quote paraphrases the unexpected behaviors that the characters model. 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William Golding is well known for his novel Lord of the Flies. In the story, a group of six to twelve-year-olds were put on the Pacific island, where they were left to figure out life on their own. To keep their new society in orderRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Lord of the Flies by William Golding1475 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Lord of the Flies by William Golding William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a sordid tale about a group of kids who are stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. The story is set during the Atomic War and plenty of references are made to the fact. However, the real key to the story lies in the role of Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies. Beelzebub has a central role in the story as he represents the Beast, or evil, that dwells within all humans. The Beast cannot be hunted andRead MoreEssay On Emily Dickinson1348 Words   |  6 Pagesher death, her art is now praised with its impact on society. 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In Lord of the Flies, Golding establishes a psychological meaning through the use of symbolism to personify Piggy, Jack, Ralph and Roger as the specific traitsRead MoreThe Nature of Man in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding577 Words   |  2 Pagesstill been lost. It was a glimpse into the true horror that men were capable of. Amidst bloodshed and suffering it is u nderstandable that William Golding would have great difficulty viewing men as naturally good. He argues in his novel, â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† that men need rules and society to keep peace and that if they were to leave that they would fall into chaos, but his arguments are only proven through characters he has constructed. In this debate as old as time itself, there have been others