2007-02-13
they may not be real, but they can still be really poorly written
"Death of a Salesman" is going to be the death of me.
This marks the third time I have had to read the damn play and write about it. Oh come on now, seriously? If I have to talk about Willy Loman symbolizing the death of the American Dream one more time...
I'm going to do something horrible to give you all nightmares.
Yes, I comprehend that this was a turning point in American playwrighting[i just made that a verb i think...copyright time]. Of course I understand, Dr. Fischer, that in the time it was written it spoke to many people. However, Arthur Miller's writing just doesn't, oh what is the phrase I am searching for...spark my interest?
Willy Loman, you've got some issues. Let me expound on them.
Biff and Happy? You let your children run around with the ridiculous monakers of Biff[an illustrated cartoon noise] and Happy[an emotion for which there is no constant definition]?
To top that all off, you cause your poor nervous-wreck-of-a-wife grief because she bought the wrong cheese? Oh okay Willy, you wanted Swiss because you want your breath to smell as rancid as your rotting, withering, aging dreams? More symbolism I can throw into my paper...delightful.
You cause sympathy. You cause understanding. You create a cheering section standing, fingers crossed, wishing that perhaps you'll snap out of it at the end of the play. And you do-- but only to cause a vehicular suicide. Willy Loman you went out in coward's fashion because Arthur Miller refused to make the embodiment of the current American dream a classy, poised bastard.
The Psychology student in me wants me to ask you how that 'makes you feel' but then reality sets in. I think that's the French major in me. "Silly quasi-American and her mind science...hunh hunh hunh."
In other news: I weigh ninety-eight lbs. due to the mono I suffered last semester. Mon dieu. I stroked out in Perkins. I am going to my first casino Thursday with Joe, the hot waiter from Perkins whom I had a one-night stand with[thus far at least].
Quote of the day:Actually, if you want, I have a cathater in my car. I could go get it...-[Joe]--just so i can relieve myself without urinating in my brand new pants...what a gent.