Success and Failure in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman Essay

Success and Failure in Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚   Most people strive for excellence in their lives and aspire to succeed at whatever they complete. Success means many different things to different people. It includes happiness, money, and a career. In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, we follow Willy Loman, the protagonist, as he reviews a life of desperate pursuit of a dream of success. Miller uses many characters to contrast the difference between success and failure within the play. Willy is a salesman whose imagination is much greater than his sales ability; he is also a failure as a father and husband. Biff and Happy are his two adult sons, who follow in their father's fallacy of life, while Ben and his father are the only members of the Loman family with that special something needed to succeed. Charlie and his son Bernard, enjoy better success in life compared to the Loman's who attempt to succeed but constantly seem to fail. Willy Loman is the main character and protagonist in Death of A Salesman. For Willy Loman, perseverance and diligence are not important but rather material success, as well as personal attractiveness. Willy cannot see who he and his sons are. He believes they are great men who have what it takes to be successful and beat the business world. Unfortunately, he is mistaken. In reality, Willy and sons are not, and cannot, be successful. Willy was not successful at anything he did in life. He was a failure as a father, husband and businessman. Willy was not a good father because he focused too much on his career and his false dreams and ignored his family. Since he was always away on business trips he never really got to know his sons well. His love for his ... ..., wrong." (Miller 138) The Loman's are all an example of what life is like if you continually live in a dream world and never train yourself for anything. Ben and his father are the exceptions in the Loman family. Charlie and his son Bernard were also able to achieve greatness and to make the system work for them. In the end, the decision to make a successful life is, up to the individual.    Works Cited and Consulted Eisinger, Chester E. "Focus on Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman': The Wrong Dreams," in American Dreams, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit: Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6:331 Hoeveler, D. J.   "Success and Failure" Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman: Modern Critical Interpretations.   Ed. Harold Blum.   Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1988. 72-81. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.

Report from an Interview with a Muslim-American Woman

Oftentimes, personal narratives can become the grounding point for theoretical research. Experiences reflect the social tendencies of an individual or a community. Here social tendencies deal about the overall capacity of an individual or group to adapt to the social environment. It also includes the ability to maintain beliefs (or ideologies) and protect personal or group aspirations. Thus, a thorough study of social tendencies may provide the researcher knowledge about the nature of a given individual or community. Although the individual is an entity by itself; that is, it have an existence independent of a given group, the cultural values of such an individual usually reflect the cultural values of the community he/she originated. Thus, it can be said that personal values are often influenced by collective values. The tendency of an individual to move in certain manners is in part influenced by his/her capacity to incorporate societal values and practices. Thus, inference becomes a tool for extracting genuine data. Although uncertainties may be present (as to the reliability of the data procured), we may also assume that such uncertainties were borne out of pre-judged propositions. Remember that in the real world, propositions have no truth values unless tested by empirical research. In my case, I chose to study Muslim American communities in order to examine the conditions of this particular ethnic group in the United States. I really want to examine the specific problems, aspirations, social and economic conditions of this group of people. Rather than providing a lengthy description of the chosen community, I chose to interview an individual from that community. My best choice for the interview was an 80-year old woman who called himself Tiger Lily and usually wore huge, flamboyant hats every day. She often danced around the senior center with a wooden marionette from the center’s thrift shop just for the laughs she got. For a stranger, she may be labeled a crazy old lady (an eccentric individual who wants all the attention of people focused to her), but for the community (Muslim-American) she was the joy of the community. Her cheerfulness often got into the lives of every person in the community. Certainly, this person would be the most viable person for an interview. The range of data I could procure from her is very big. Thus, I began constructing an interview outline which would be used in the interview. I came into the house of the old lady and asked her permission for an interview. She asked me the purpose of the interview. I told her that the interview was part of the course requirements. Added to that, the interview would serve as the parting point for describing Muslim-American communities (in the United States). She told me to come back to the next day. She promised that she would prepare a delicious launch for both of us. I came back to the house of Tiger Lily. I got a little nervous and excited. I felt a little disoriented because I might offend the old lady from the questions that I would be asking in the interview. â€Å"The bitter pill is necessary† was the thought running in my mind. So when the old lady asked me to sit down, I willingly obeyed. For Muslim-Americans, respect for individual dignity is one of the greatest virtues. I thanked the old lady for approving the interview. She said that it was her duty to share her knowledge of the community to students like me. What she did not know that the interview was not about the community per se. It was about her in relation to the community. Her personal narrative would serve as the grounding point for a deeper analysis of her community. I did not show any sign of faltering. For me, an interview is not just a question and answer procedure. It is the blood life of a qualitative research. Without further ad due, I began the interview. The first part of the interview dealt with the social life of Tiger Lily. Here are some transcripts of the interview: Question: People usually call you Tiger Lily. What does Tiger Lily stands for? Are they connected with your personal attributes? Tiger Lily: I really do not know why people call me Tiger Lily. Probably because most of the people in the community perceive me as a person who could get along with everybody. Personally, I view myself as a strong woman who possesses the qualities of a fine lady. Well, that’s Tiger and Lily for sure. Question: Do you consider yourself a liberated woman; that is, a modern woman? Tiger Lily: I don’t know if I can classify myself as a modern woman. There are some things in this country I find really intriguing. There are also some things I find fine. However, I am generally conservative in worldview. Family life, the community, and of course my personal views are the finest things in life. Maybe, that’s a conservative outlook. Question: Does your religion (Islam) affect your way of life, your approach to people? Tiger Lily: There is so much in my religion that affects (sic) my way of life. In our community, everybody is expecting from everybody. Solidarity is the most cherished values for Muslims like us. One should not be detached from the community. Doing so, would give one a headache. Islam is a way of life. It is life connected and governed by the laws of Allah, the One-God. In any case, I am bound by my religion to stick to the beliefs of my community. There is no alternative but obedience. Living outside the community for a Muslim is like living in a dark cave. You have the impression that you are different. Question: Are you aware that people perceive you as different? Tiger Lily: That’s their view. I find interacting with people a lot beneficial than isolating myself in my house. For us Muslims, interaction is the key to a fulfilling life. As what I have (sic) earlier, there is no alternative. Maybe, my way of interacting with other people is different. The purpose is the same though. The second part dealt with Tiger Lily’s perception of the community she belongs (and some of the problem the community encounter).   Here are some transcripts of the interview. Question: What is your perception of your community? Tiger Lily: One, happy big family. We usually celebrate birthdays and holidays with the members of the community. Even though those nasty white policemen always suspect one of our fellows in various crimes, we console each other. That’s one way of showing respect and dignity to our fellows. Question: What are some of the problems your community is currently facing? Tiger Lily: Maybe unemployment is the most pervasive problem in our community. Most of the young adults here are facing the difficulty of finding jobs because they are Muslims. After the 9/11 attack, many of the companies here are afraid of hiring Muslims even though they are also American citizens. I am really saddened by this instance. We also find it very difficult to interact with other people outside our community. Once they know that you are a Muslim, they turn their backs and refuse further correspondence. It’s really hard for us. What we can derive from this interview can be summed up in the following statements. Tiger Lily is a conservative folk who clings to the values of her community. The problems of the community are reflected on her personal narrative. She shows magnanimity and respect for the community because she believes in the efficacy of her religion (who greatly influences her life). Work Cited Interview with Tiger Lily (transcript). (2007). Conducted on 31 October 2007 with the consent of the interviewee.   

Bullying and the Holocaust

Bullying and the Holocaust: Competition versus Cooperation When an animal is faced with starvation it often turns to cannibalism and may attack and kill a weaker animal of the same species. The German Nazis followed this system of competition versus cooperation. The Nazis felt they had no other choice to survive than to kill millions of Jews, Gypsies, and disabled people. After the Holocaust, researchers uncovered many Journals kept by those who were persecuted.Here is a short exert from a fourteen year old girl: â€Å"October 27, 1937: The other girls and I were moved for the sixth time today. This time they moved us to a factory closer to Auschwitz. I'm beginning to fear that I'm at the end and I might die soon. At some points I wish they would go ahead and kill me so I wouldn't have to endure this pain. Through all of this I still don't understand why the Nazis hate us. We never did anything to them. I often wish someone would speak up on our behalf and save us from this terrible life. Looking back on the Holocaust people wonder xactly why no one spoke up and fought for the persecuted for so long during the war. It was like they were all students in school who pretended not to notice when someone was getting bullied so they didn't have to get involved in it. Half of the mass slaughter of the Holocaust was due to bullying by peer pressure. People felt pressured by others to turn in Jews to Nazi officials. They wanted to save themselves and let the Jews be persecuted.As this happened more often no one even thought twice about it and had little regret that they probably Just sent omeone to their death. 2 As a part of the â€Å"Final Solution†, the Nazis did everything possible to exterminate the Jews. Through all of the hateful words, excruciating torture methods, and unreasonable forced labor, the Nazis believed that they threatened their way of life and the world would be better without them. World War II and the Holocaust officially ended on May 8, 1 945, but only about two-thirds of the Jewish population remained.

Cause and Effect Essay Essay

About 70% of the couples who get married take the decision of getting divorce. Divorce is one of the most serious social problems in the modern world. It has become very common recently, and it affects all levels of society. In the past, divorce was quite rare. Today, however, a majority of marriages break up in the first few years. When involved in a divorce lack of communication, infidelity, and financial problems are the causes to provoke a couple to split apart and take their lives into different path. To begin with one significant cause that leads to a divorce is lack of communication. Many couples stop communicating with each other because each one is busy doing their own things in life whether it is work, hobbies, raising children, activities, among other things. A lot of couples have different job schedules not allowing them to see each other most of the day. When they finally get to see each other is at night and unfortunately they are both tired and they just go to sleep. Since the time that they live together is not enough, the couples find it hard to find time to communicate with each other due to having a busy life and for lack of energy. Also, many married people have poor communication because they do not know how to express their feelings to their partner. Marriage cannot be a successful relationship if either one does not discuss about his/her emotions or issues, and expects their partner to guess what the whole problem is about. Finally, most couples just do actions i nstead of using words. Married couples think that they do not need to express their love for each other verbally and that only providing for the house is sufficient to know that they care and love each other. Many people think that because they provide things from the home like food, pay bills, take care of the house, etc. they do not have any other problems and they live with happiness. Unfortunately, it just makes the couple weaker ending in a divorce. Its quite clear that the less communication that is used in a marriage, the more higher divorce rates. Furthermore, infidelity in a marriage can be devastating, and most of the time leads to divorce. Boredom in a relationship is not a good idea if couples want a successful marriage. Partners who do not challenge each other with enough excitement to keep the relationship interesting cheat. The desire for self-expansion can lead a husband or wife to be aware of opportunities outside of the marriage, opening the door to infidelity. Spouses do not communicate their desires for growth, and they feel the need to cheat. In addition, many couples can cheat using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace etc. Social network is one of the most common causes of infidelity in married couples. Today, everyone can have a computer or phone that they can access to internet making it way easier to meet new people. Many couples have many jealously problems when they found out that their spouse has being talking or going out on dates with different women/men. Most married couples cannot forgive their spouse of infidelity, leading to an unfortunate divorce. Lastly, multiple sex partners before marriage can lead to infidelity. Many people when they get married think that they will change and stay with just one sex partner, but the truth is that they find it really hard to keep their promise. This can lead to a sense of loss, betrayal, unwelcome memories and other problems. These can affect a marriage later on. After a couple of months they feel satisfied with their spouse, but when the time keep passing they cannot be with just one person, and there is when infidelity takes place in a relationship. After infidelity most or all the trust is lost; not having any other option then the divorce in marriages. Finally, a cause of divorce are financial issues. Money or aspects related to it are of course a possible cause of disagreement between couples. For example, couples that live paycheck to paycheck deal with stress from the pressure of making enough money to survive and provide the family with necessities. If the bills get behind it could start an argument between the two and that on top of being behind with bills can be overwhelming causing more stress, which leads to an unhealthy relationship. For instance, many married couples go into debt. Many couples when they do not have money to pay something tend to use credit cards, but many people end abusing them. They say I will buy it now and I will pay it later. Unfortunately, bills do not stop from coming and when people less expect it they cannot get out of debt. This situation builds up stress between the couples not knowing how to get out of it, and just blaming each other without finding a solution. Finally, gender differences of how they see their financial problems can cause a divorce. For most males when it comes to money is to provide for their family. They like to carry this burden. For most females, their need is to make sure the family is provided for. Problems starts to show when the husband might work longer to provide, but the wife thinks his work is his top priority over family. The husband sees it just the opposite. For some husbands, just because they are working hard, it doesn’t mean they love their jobs more than their families. Obviously, too much work can cause the relationship to suffer. Economic problems can cause a disaster in a marriage, not having other option for the couples then the divorce. Clearly, divorce is a serious issue that can happen to anyone due to cheating, economic problems, and poor communication. Before taking the big step of marriage every couple has to think about all the things that imply being married. Couples should consider living in free union for a short time before getting married, by doing this, you can meet your partner well before making an important decision that can have a huge impact on every couple’s life. The cause of divorce are lamentable and all couples should try to consider them if they want to have a healthy and successful relationship and avoid falling during marriage.

Coppola’s first feature film Essay

Similarly, the 1992 adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola has an equally complex representation of Dracula. Francis Ford Coppola was born in 1939 in Detroit, USA, but he grew up in a New York suburb in a creative, supportive Italian-American family. His father was a composer and musician, while his mother had been an actress. Francis Ford Coppola graduated with a degree in drama from Hofstra University, and did graduate work at UCLA in filmmaking. He was training as assistant with filmmaker Roger Corman, working in such capacities as soundman, dialogue director, associate producer and, eventually, director of Dementia 13 (1963), Coppola’s first feature film. In Francis Ford Coppola’s representation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, he chose to portray a typically evil creature as a complicated, ominous yet sensitive individual. In this interpretation, Dracula apparently has human emotions; he is feeling what humans feel. He tried to suck Jonathan Harker’s fianci e’s blood but is overcome by emotions and memories of his dead wife, and spares her for the time being. He also has human urges, both physically and mentally. But despite how humanlike Dracula may seem in this version of Dracula, he is still surrounded by the obvious evidence that point to the evil part of his person . He is dressed in red and black robes which connote blood and sinister-like things. But his polite voice is used as a withdrawal from his unnatural aura. He has weathered and very pale skin which emphasizes the connotations of blood, and ghostlike hair that match the colour of his skin. Also, his ability to take on any form facilitates the fact that he is a sinister character. Also, the mis-on-scene on various occasions make Dracula seem even more sinister than normal. The music alternates, the lighting is dim on a close up shot which creates a sense of concealment and makes the viewer use their imagination. Despite this, Dracula’s distressed emotional state might make the viewer sympathise with him. This interpretation of Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola would be suitable for an even more modern audience than Nosferatu and Hammer Horror’s version. The viewers of this film will respond to it with a variety of emotions. They might have been frightened of Dracula because of his ability to transform and take on any form which might spark a sense of paranoia within their minds and make them think that anyone around them could be Dracula himself. But they might also sympathise with Dracula because of his traumatic loss, and might feel a connection with him as they might know how he feels, loosing a loved one. They could view him as a strong-willed and self-controlling villain because it is unlikely for a vampire to resist the urge to bite into fresh skin, especially when it is offered to them on a plate just as Jonathan Harker’s wife was to Dracula. So why are those 3 representations of Bram Stoker’s Dracula so different? I think it’s due to the time when the movies were made. During the time when Nosferatu was made, the technology was terrible and nothing had been invented that could create a half-decent movie. But in Dracula (1952), technology had clearly developed which made it possible to create a movie including advanced special effects and costumes. Furthermore, in Francis Ford Coppola’s version in 1992, the technology had improved even more, making room for a movie that re-defines the quality and meaning of the movie: Dracula. Another reason why representations of Dracula changed overtime because people have come up with new ideas. I think this links in with the idea of what society are scared of, which is another reason why the representations of Dracula have changed overtime. This is because as society becomes scared of new things, then people have to come up with new ideas to satisfy the needs and wants of their audience. I think that Francis Ford Coppola’s representation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the most effective because he portrayed a typically evil being with characteristically no emotions, as a self-controlling and strong willed individual. He turned a villain that is most likely to be a hated icon amongst most people, to something that could draw the feeling of kindness and consideration from the viewers’ hearts, eradicating the fact that he is a blood-sucking villain that deserves to have a stake pushed through his seemingly heartless chest.

Evaluation Plan

The history of quality management in the private sector shows an interesting evolution along two dimensions. First, the dominant orientation has been broadened from the product to the total system of production and delivery, and from product-related criteria to external criteria (for example, the environmental impact of products and production processes). Second, an evolution of views and practices has taken place concerning the involvement of various types of actors.These developments point to an increasing complexity of the quality management function. Therefore, the first aim of this paper is to examine the implications of this evolution for the professionalization of this function. (Dick 2001) The private and the public sector have, with respect to quality management and evaluation, followed their own lines of development. Even the key concepts–quality management and evaluation–have a different meaning, especially with respect to the relation between diagnosis and i ntervention.However, their basic question is the same: how can we assess realized performance and use the results to improve future performance? Besides, the boundaries between the private and the public sector are blurring more and more (Godfroij & Nelissen, 1993) and both sectors try to learn lessons from the other. Therefore, the second aim of this paper is to explore the relevance of the above mentioned questions for evaluation in the public sector.The relevance of private sector evaluation approaches for public sector organizations should be related to similarities and differences between the two sectors with respect to their targets and success criteria, their client systems, products and services, influence of stakeholders, and requirements with respect to public accountability. For example, compared to private enterprises, the products and services of public organizations are often less concrete and specific, and processes have to meet criteria other than technical efficienc y.For public organizations, the set of relevant stakeholders is more differentiated, client systems are often more diffuse and anonymous, and feedback processes from client groups can be more indirect and complicated. Because of these differences, public organizations have to be appraised by other and often more complex standards than do private organizations, such as equal accessibility, equity, and democracy. This suggests that public sector performance has to meet more diffuse and diverse criteria, and can be judged less easily.(Airasian 2006) On the other hand, the required performance of public organizations can be regulated quite explicitly. Procedures are often defined more clearly, with a view to accountability and democratic control. And because governments today have huge financial problems, financial criteria are often very specific. Thus, clients, products, and processes of public organizations are often clearly defined, qualitatively as well as quantitatively.Furthermor e, private enterprises also have to take into account more than just economic and technical requirements and often use quality management systems, which pay attention to internal social factors as well as societal claims and standards. Thus, the contrast between public and private organizations is only limited. In the field of evaluation, the challenge is basically the same, although public sector evaluation can be more complicated.For private enterprise, the market is supposed to be the most effective and efficient mechanism for the selection between good and poor performers. The price mechanism combines quality and efficiency criteria and reflects the added value of the products or services in the eyes of the buyers. Thus, at an aggregated level looking at profit figures is a clear and simple way of evaluation. This method has, however, little explanatory value.In order to discern causes of underperformance, quality-related factors and efficiency-related factors should be assessed separately. While efficiency evaluation looks at the cost-generating activities, quality evaluation–the focus of this paper–starts with the product itself. The evolution of quality management in the profit sector started many decades ago as quality control at the level of the finished product–defining quality standards at the product level and comparing the product characteristics with these standards.It took some time before the idea gained ground that the performance (profits) could be raised significantly by shifting attention to the steps in the production process where product deficiencies (and costs) are generated. This brought into vision the distinct process phases as well as the employees contributing to the process. Quality management began to pay attention to the role of the actors involved in production and distribution processes, and to the system of primary and supporting processes as a whole. It is now widely accepted that quality management shou ld have a broad scope: total quality management. References Airasian, P., Gay, L. R., Mills, G.. (2006). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications (8th ed.). Dick, W. & Carey, L. (2001). The systematic design of instruction (5th ed.). Chapter 12. Longman Publishing Group. ISBN: 0321037804. Godfroij, A.J.A. and Nelissen, N.J.M. (Eds.) (1993). Verschuivingen in de besturing van de samenleving, Bussum, Dick Coutinho.

Values and Goals Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Values and Goals Assignment - Essay Example 2. A Comfortable Life-- personal, relative Example: The significance of working towards independent and more convenient lifestyle is still a valuable concept for me and my family. Not exactly deprived of material things and basic necessities, my parents taught me the importance of being prepared prior to establishing my own family. With personal regard, I agreed with them, at the same time, I made personal pledge to always include my family in my subsequent success in career, providing for them financially and ensuring that they are comfortable in life--as I plan to be in my own life. 3. Social Recognition -- extrinsic, relative Example: Like anybody, the need to be recognized has a strong appeal for a young person such as me. I remembered one event wherein I joined a dancing club, more to be accepted as part of a circle of friend that are popular in school rather than to enhance my dancing skills. As such, being socially accepted secures higher self-esteem and confidence in dealing with other people in social settings. If the value of social acceptability conflict with family conditions, the latter relatively hold elevated import compared to the former. B. Instrumental Values: 1. Intellectual -- absolute Example: In the performance of any activities, the value of intellectual process is consistently utilized. Intelligence constitutes objective and practical decision-making and practicality, serving as effective means in arriving at sound decisions and actions, as such when dealing with familial problems. I have to be objective in examining which actions constitute worse consequences and which may be better for all. Intellectual capacities, then, help resolve problems and reinforce actions for betterment of personal and familial status. 2. Hardworking -- intrinsic, professional Example: Hard work constitutes an internal sense of satisfaction. During a low-paying summer job, I did not deter from my hard working practices, as I derived a certain kind of fulfillme nt knowing that I had accomplished more than I expected, at reasonable times. For me, this demonstrated how efficient I am if I put my mind into it. On the professional side, such value can be an asset to the company, enhancing the degree of worth I experienced for my own accomplishments. 3. Affectionate -- relative, personal Example: Aside from my family, I pour my affectionate nature on my friends and some of my neighbors. One concrete example is the grocery store where I frequently visited, where the value of affection is translated to the staff, and most of the time, they save me one of their best goods as proof of the affectionate camaraderie we shared in such commercial setting. Affectionate value, can be reciprocated if expressed sincerely and prudently. Reflection: I used to be quite hard working when it comes to my studies, studying earlier for examinations and passing projects and assignments ahead of deadlines. However, this seemed to minimize with the participation of so cial activities and gatherings, shortening time spent on academic pursuits. My need for social recognition eclipses the desire for intrinsic fulfillment with hard work, as such that I nurture the value of the former rather than the latter. In another aspect, affectionate gestures seemed quite disconnecting in competitive world of academics. If being demonstrative in one’s kind affections may give other students the impression of emotional weakness that can easily be bullied