This is an in-depth summary of all contextual infromation in Death of a Salesman for A level AQA English Literature. Refer to Bundle for all info on Death of a Salesman. It is everything you need for any essay question on Death of a Salesman. just memorize and regurgitate: it’s what got me an A*
The term ‘American Dream’ originated in 1931. During the early 1900’s, the
perception of the American Dream was that an individual can achieve success in
life regardless of family history or social status, if they only work hard enough. It
is based around the notion of equality of opportunity, allowing the highest
aspirations and goals to be achieved through diligence and intelligence, regardless
of class, status or family background. It is a national ethos of the US, the set of
ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom
includes the opportunity for prosperity, and upward social mobility is possible
through hard work in a society with minimal barriers. This ideology is deeply rooted
within the Declaration of independence. The American dream has been often blamed
for inflated expectations, even though it tries to build a cohesive American
experience. It has changed drastically over time:
--> 1920s / 30s = The American dream was simple, it didn’t involve consumerism,
people were not waiting in long lines to get the latest technology or clothing etc.
James Truslow Adams, book writer, defines the American dream clearly: “it is not a
dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in
which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of
which they are innately capable, and recognized by others for what they are,
regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
--> Closer to the 1950s and onward, The American dream started to become more
materialistic, associated with long working hours and extreme hard work. Often
people would incur debt as a result of buying goods and setting up businesses,
leading to the American dream being and punishing financial investment. From the
1960s and onward, the American dream became more and more associated with
consumerism and materialism, tainted by the large amounts of advertisement and
harsh social expectations, arising out of events such as the great depression, where
the belief in one’s entitlement to pursuing happiness, as envisioned by the
founding fathers, was widespread and included a right to material benefit.
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