Death of a Salesman

Biff Loman is considered a disgrace. At the age of thirty- four, Biff has been unable to procure steady employment; he remains confused, conflicted, and lost. Yet, Arthur Miller chooses to portray Biff Loman as the manifestation of the true American Dream. Distinct from society, Biff Loman's American Dream diverges from the corporate world and is found in the utter freedom of farming. His dream is defined by a passion for the outdoors, for the beauty of nature, and for adventure. Furthermore, Biff's dream is considered a pure and traditional component of American society- it is capitulated by restlessness and a thirst for adventure. Perhaps Biff's dream is revealed most clearly in his observation of the sky, he states "I saw the things that I love in this world." (124) Nature instills within Biff a kind frenzied reverence. However, Biff's relationship to his dream remained complex and puzzling until the end of the play. He struggles to ignore his love for farming and instead attempts to replace it with the corporate business world and the idea of 'success'. Biff fears the consequences of attaining his dream and thereby the retreat from the approval of society and his parents. Likewise, his dream is not financially reliable and this also increases the discouragement of Biff. The complex relationship Biff forms with his American Dream serves as the definition of his strengths and weaknesses. As Biff comes to understand his dream, in turn the audience comes to comprehend Biff's motivation for his dream. Not only does the dream incorporate physical labor and the outdoors- which appeals to the character of Biff, but it speaks of freedom and adventure. More importantly, the American Dream of Biff is a direct contrast to that of his father's; Willy's infidelity and subsequent actions portray the traditional American Dream of financial stability as false and shallow. Therefore, Biff's inspiration for his unique American Dream stem from an awareness of the dissatisfaction of Willy's dream and also a love for the outdoors. Unfortunately, Biff is discouraged from his dream by his parents who represent the typical response of American society. His mother cries "Biff, you can't look around all of you life, can you?" and Willy shouts "Biff is a lazy bum" (24). Biff responds to the accusations of his parents and therefore realizes "I suddenly get the feeling, my God, I'm not gettin' anywhere! What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty- eight dollars a week!" (31). Sadly, Biff is blinded by the pressures of society to be financially successful and secure a prominent job; he demeans himself and declares his dream foolish. Biff reduces his dream to money and ignores the passions of his heart. Luckily, Biff realizes the lies and deceit surrounding the voice of society and the truth and humbleness found within his own American dream.

Due to the complexities surrounding Biff's American dream, Arthur Miller brilliantly reveals his main theme through the character of Biff. Basically, Arthur Miller attempts to reveal the shallowness and falseness of the preconceived idea concerning what the American Dream should be. Biff stands as the redeemer of the American Dream. Through Biff, Miller reveals the importance of happiness over financial security, of truth of lies, and the journey over the end result. Even more so, Miller does not disgrace the occupation of a salesman or a businessman; he merely suggests that a dream cannot be dependent upon the views of others. A dream must bring individual happiness and cannot be based upon laziness or the idea of status. Because of Biff, Arthur Miller redefines the American Dream and changes it into a manifestation of personal happiness and hope. Biff serves as a foil to Willy and therefore casts Willy's aspirations as the corruption of the American Dream- Miller spits on the lie of success insuring happiness. Through Biff's questioning and searching, Miller develops the theme that a dream is not automatically known or promised. Instead, Miller suggests a dream is part of a progress as Biff cries "I tell ya, Hap, I don't know what the future is. I don't know- what I'm supposed to want" (30). Miller reveals the warped perception that American has instilled within itself and Biff describes the necessary uncertainty of finding a dream. Moreover, Miller promotes the inward journey and self-discovery involved in the aspects of a dream. Finally, Biff's ultimate realization concerning his dream climaxes as he shouts "Why am I trying to become what I don't want to be? What am I doing in office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am! Why can't I say that, Willy?" (124). These inspiring words speak volumes as Arthur Miller drives his point home; the American dream is defying the definition of a dream. A dream reflects the innate being of a person and the American dream is forcing people into lives they despise. In conclusion, Arthur Miller portrays the deeper meaning of a dream and the importance of searching for it through the character of Biff.

My 'American Dream': In a word, my dream is different. A constantly changing and evolving idea that prompts hope and encouragement for my future. The very best aspect of my dream is that it is the essence of unknown and for me, this is the greatest gift. There is no pressure, no standards, and no timeline. It is merely an idea. My dream is to live a life defined by compassion, adventure, and passion. It is not a career or a lifestyle, but simply a desire to live fully and freely. As a Christian, I believe my dream speaks of the love of God and the blessings of humanity. God granted me the gift of life and I intend to honor that. This may sound cliched or repetitive- but that is the beauty of my dream: it really does not matter. I intend to pursue my passions regardless of the boundaries set in place by society and ignore the stigmas attached to my dreams. Perhaps I will be a mom or maybe a world- renowned Archaeologist, but most importantly my dream is to live a life filled with hope and joy. Hope and joy that do not depend on the trivial circumstances, but on the grace and glory of God. Basically, my dream is uncertain and I truly love that part of my dream. A couple of things I do dream on doing 1). Traveling, a ton 2). Finding a job I could go to for a million years 3). Get married 4). Dye my hair a weird color 5). Keep old friendships and make new ones 6). Most importantly: Shine God's love and mercy. Ok, so maybe I do have a few set goals. However, right now I simply want to dream!

Walkin' Around Issaquah

I put on my tennis shoes and reached for my hat. I was ready to go, ready to dive into the past and produce wonderfully profound revelations for the future, instead I realized I lost my camera. My frenzied search produced nothing but frustration and the necessity to take off my jacket. Eventually, I found my camera hidden in an obscure drawer, but nonetheless the camera provided my first realization. Life does not behave according to my desires and because I tend to live with a strict schedule and attainable goals, I easily become annoyed by anomalies. And as I stepped out of my door, I looked at my life, my attitude, my character and I realized I was not proud of the person I was becoming. It was a sobering thought and I struggled to discover why I was so disappointed in myself. I looked at the past year and mulled over what I had done or learn- it yielded some surprising and silly thoughts. 1) I adore quotes (especially cliched ones) 2). C. S. Lewis is my main man 3). I am not a party person 4). My greatest enjoyment is talking with friends for hours 5). I hate physics 6). I have begun to question my dream to become a doctor 7). This year was not at all what I expected 8). I tend to cowardice 9). I have a thing for staircases 10). I have strayed from God. Upon my last realization  I uncovered the source of my despondency, in the midst of school, friends, and sports I had neglected God. I then proceeded to rationalize my actions, repeating meaningless excuses that serve no purpose, but soon I let the weight of this statement hit me. It was saddening and discouraging to fully view my sinful nature; but then it was almost as if God spoke to me. He whispered I am not finished with you yet. In this moment, I found hope and came to the most important revelation God doesn't ask that I fix myself. He merely desires to heal me, be with me, and love me. I try so hard to make myself into a good Christian girl and quickly become disenchanted with the impossible task I've set before myself. I so often decide that reading my Bible and saying a nighttime prayer determines my status as a 'good Christian' and forget about God altogether. Instead of allowing God to work within me, I section His power off, limiting His plans to small portions of my life. I believe this occurs because of two reasons- firstly I am questioned very little about my faith and secondly I do not passionately love God. Thus, I formed my New Years Resolution. I want to fall in love with God. It doesn't have to be dramatic or inspiring; simply I hope to have a true and steadfast relationship with God. In order to do so, I plan to prayer much more (whether it be spontaneous or a specific time), to read my Bible (but not as a chore), to find a devotional that encourages me to spend time with God, and to surround myself with loving and genuine friends. But throughout this year, despite failures and trials, I will remember He is not finished with me yet and hope in the woman God created me to become.