December 2005 Archives

Well, the first semester is finally over and I'm back to the old routine. Though it hasn't quite sunken in yet, I am a bit overwhelmed with the amount of free time that I find myself with. No homework, no papers, no studying! What do I do now.

I watched television for the first time in about 3 months. I'm not going to lie, it was a little wierd. I took a nap. That was also a new experience. I took a shower in my own private bathroom. WOW! What a feeling! And yet something is missing, something has left a whole in me that may never be filled again... my youth has left me.

Yes I still enjoy play station and nintendo games. I fancy coloring pictures and watching cartoons. I still act like an idiot when I get in a goofy mood. But, something has happened. The semester has forced me to do something that I've dreaded my whole life. Something that I swore I would not allow myself to ever do. A sacrilege to the youthful world of make believe and enjoyment in the simple things. Sadly, I've matured. Yes it's true. I know. It truly is a tragedy. I have committed the highest treason to my mother country of child like behavior.

With this (minimal) maturity, I now see things in a whole new light. A much dimmer light, but nonetheless different. For example, putting up the Christmas tree used to be such an exciting adventure, now the only adventure is trynig to stop myself from eating the popcorn garland. Going for a ride with mom to the bank used to be so entertaining, now Mom just sends me to the bank for her, then to the grocery store, then to pick up the kids, then to wash the car, then to the post office, then to the gas station, then to drop off the kids at practice, then to pay some bills, then to pick up the kids from practice, then fill up the car with gas again. Going outside to play in the snow was another exciting endeavor. I still enjoy playing in the snow, however I have come to realize the down side to it. First, it takes half an hour to get dressed to go out. Then you have to dig the sleds pile of useless junk tht has now grown into a mountain in the garage. Next you get to sled but you try as hard as you can not to get your gloves wet. That fails and after about 15 minutes outside, you're longing to just get inside, spend 10 minutes stripping out of your wet clothes, get some warm clothes on, get some hot chocolate and try to get warm. Why even bother?

What is happening to me?!?! I don't want to grow up. Adults used to be the enemy and now I'm turning into what I hated the most!!! Can anyone help? Please give me advice!!!

"The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world. Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact, it is the common man who knows this fear best."

Out of all of the quotes this semester, I can truly apply myself to this one the best. It applies to me on the bases of fear in the common man (which I am). I speak for my self and many like me when I say that I indeed fear being displaced. I am constantly looking for things that define who I am and what I am in this world, as Miller said. This is why I think that the common man is so effective as a tragic hero. He can relate to the majority of the audience.

The most interesting thing that I find in the play is not about Willy Loman, however it is about his sons. What legacy did Willy leave to each of his sons?

HAPPY: Alright boy, I'm gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vein. He had a good dream. It's the only dream you can have - to come out number-one man. He fought it out here, and this is where I'm gonna win it for him.

Wow, what a heart. Though his whole life, Happy has been second best for his father, he respects him so much to not let him die in vein and make the life that Willy never had. He's taking what his father left behind and showing everyone, and most importantly himself, that the American Dream is possible. I think that the character Miller shows through Happy is one that the audience can and wants to relate to. Happy has a positive attitude and has perseverance to learn from the past and apply it to the future.

The opposite however, occurs with Biff. Once Biff found his father cheating on his mother, instead of seeing that and saying to himself that he is not going to be like that and he will learn from his father's mistakes, he gives up. He quits on his dreams and doesn't attempt to strive for the best life that he can get.

From the same man, two different legacy's were passed on. Willy sent the message to his children about how not to be. Happy learned from it, and Biff ran away from it.

WILLY: I don't know the reason for it, but they just pass me by. I'm not noticed.

For some unknown reason, I always try to find the author's intentions in every play. This one was a challenge however. The message that I think Miller was trying to send (I shouldn't be doing this) in the First Act is that without the right intentions, life doesn't work out. What I mean by this is that Willy's and even his sons' main goal is to be "well liked." Yes, in order to be a successful salesman, good public relations skills are needed. However, the most important thing should be trusting your product. Willy doesn't seem to trust his product (family) so in short, his life is empty and void and to him he's unsuccesful.

Another interesting thing that I picked up on was the relation between Linda and Rose from Fences. Both women seem to have many similar characteristics. Though Linda plays more of a role in the direct interaction with her husband's welfare, both of the women show their ability to put aside their own welfare and put the needs of their husbands first. Both of them are cheated on, however, they show love despite their misfortunes in their relationships.