AP English Literature and Composition 2009
Question Three( Symbol)
Open Prompt-Select a novel or play in which you analyze one symbol and explain how the symbol functions to establish meaning/revelations in characters or theme.
In Arthur Miller's grand work Death of a Salesman the deterioration of the Loman family occurs with protagonist Willy and his encounter with the tape recorder. The presence of this tape recorder symbolizes the inability for the past to be changed. What this device records is the truth and because of Willy insistence to change the past and alter his family's view of him, he comes to terms with reality allowing for the fall of his character and family as truths become known.
Willy encounters his past on multiple occasions whenever he is a midst some trial. Whether he goes to draw on the strength of his successful brother Ben, or to the times when his favored son Biff holds him in high regard, Willy attempts to change the past by asking for advice and believing that life is still as good as it was back in the days long past. When Willy leaves the past, his present life depicts the harsh trails of a middle class life, the long unappreciated work hours, a house bared open, exhaustion, and a first son that holds him in contempt for a mistake committed in the past. Despite these issues, Willy attempts to live as if he can make everything better by acting like he is still going somewhere, still supporting his family handsomely. So, while Willy is intent to leave the struggle as he tries to become bigger and better, his touch with reality has not yet occurred to offer him the truth that it is already too late.
It is when Willy confronts Howard about moving him to the New York office that Willy first encounters and is changed by the voices on the tape recorder. Willy wants nothing to do with this invention and has no intention to purchase it as he is hit by a bitter reality- the past has past and there is nothing he or anyone else can do to make it better. As Willy struggles with this reality, he loses his job, his son Biff misses out on his business endeavors, bringing Willy down to a hell he always wanted to escape in his quest to make something of himself.
Found within the tape holder is the mechanisms that allow for it to remember the past. In remembering the past even the best and the worst of times can make an appearance, an appearance focusing more heavily on the worst memories that Willy refused for a time to acknowledge. By acknowledging the mistakes he has made with his son Biff, with his career spent desperately selling himself, and the affair that made him less of a man, Willy comes to realize that he has failed himself and his family. Biff with his acceptance of his placement as a nobody, Happy with his contentment to live as he is, and Willy's wife Linda and her blind love for Willy, the man who betrayed her.
The symbolism of the tape recorder in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman helps to bring Willy back to the present. It allows him to see his failures and it allows him in the end to fix the failures of his life by ending his life to give his family a small chance, even though they are broken because of him.
Ludia,
ReplyDeleteThis is strictly a formatting thing but could you put some space between your paragraphs in the future? It would make larger posts like this a lot easier to read. The prompt focuses mainly on one symbol, that should be the center of the analysis, so I think you need to mention it before the second body paragraph. Your first body paragraph is just explaining the mental state of Willy, and it sort of just feels like a summary of things to know before talking about the tape recorder. There just needs to be some kind of analysis of the tape recorder in all of your body paragraphs and there isn't any in your first.
Ludia,
ReplyDeleteOkay so this is actually a great first attempt at the whole Open Prompt part 2 thing! I thought you did a great job using Death of a Salesman for this prompt. Using the symbol of the tape recorder in the play you did a great job to prove your idea that although the family is broken because of willy, he ultimately commits suicide to give his family a chance to be successful. You really got your points and evidence across in the essay and I thought you did a great job. I think just from reading this essay you are in great shape training for May.
Ludia,
ReplyDeleteWell, my first comment is a pretty insignificant suggestion about formatting which you can completely ignore, as it's just my personal taste and is *completely* irrelevant to your content. I think you should paragraph with a double line break, sans indent. That kind of formatting reads much more clearly in this digital medium. Also, amidst is one word. Sorry, still not relevant. I'm just gonna...sto--
On to things that matter! I think this is a very good essay, but I do have a couple of notes I'd like to mention. First of all, your first body paragraph seems a little scant. It's full of great evidence, but I think it could use some more clear connection with both your thesis and the purpose of the essay. Like I just noticed Kevin said, it feels like summary and not like the fleshed-out body paragraph it ought to be, especially given the lack of mention of the tape recorder. One thing I think would help you is maybe to think about structure before you write the essay, and actually include that in your introductory paragraph as an outline to yourself. I think it would flow more smoothly that way when you're writing it. I also think you could do a little bit more to tie it all back together in the conclusion, but a very good first shot at this overall. Easily better than mine.
I also want to apologize for having so long responses, but I very much appreciate that your three posts actually gave me some interesting things to think about and discuss, which is unusual for most of the posts I have read for previous peer review periods.
ReplyDelete