参考Death-of-a-Salesman--ppt分析.ppt

The origin and development of American Dream The American Dream consists of a genuine and determined belief that in America, all things are possible to all men, regardless of birth or wealth; if you work hard enough you will achieve everything. It originated in the Colonial Period of America when Benjamin Franklin was famous for his success through his persistent self-improvement. His words “God helps those who help themselves” generalize the essential theme of the American Dream. It is based on the Declaration of Independence: “we believe that all men are born with these inalienable rights-life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” During the process of western exploration in “Gold Rush”, innumerable adventurers leapt to wealthy upstart overnight which stimulated the rapid growth of the “American Dream”. The ideology is deep-rooted and has far-reaching impact on the American life. After the two world wars, people became greatly disillusioned for the loss of faith and many critics began to reflect upon it and attached more importance to the negative effect of American Dream. The “American Dream” is fatal in its fantasy, when the dream is confronted by reality and broken by the harshness, disaster will come. Conclusion Death of a Salesman traced the life of a common American and narrated a loser’s poignant story. Willy’s tragedy lies in his excessive fanatic in American Dream which eroded his soul and distorted his personality. The process of his failure was the period in which American Dream disillusioned. The End Death of a Salesman《推销员之死》--- by Arthur Miller 戏剧第二组 丁楠 Arthur Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright and essayist. A prominent figure in American theatre and cinema for almost 100 years, writing a wide variety of dramas, including celebrated plays such as The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman, which are studied and performed worldwide. Arthur Miller