Understanding Oneself Self-knowledge in Miller’s Death of...

Many individuals give into societal norms and their parent’s expectations instead of aspiring to find their ultimate purpose and objective. When an individual alters their perception of reality, they live an unhappy and unfulfilling life. Karl Harshbarger critiques Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman in â€Å"‘I Know Who I Am’: The Revenge of Biff Loman† arguing that Biff is living in a distorted reality that supports the endless delusions he has created. Although many critics like Harshbarger tend to argue that Biff doesn’t enhance his self-knowledge, through a few telling moments that Harshbarger shines light on, it is made evident that Biff does understand his feelings, purpose and character and is desperately asking for his father’s support, acceptance and love. The self-development that Biff undergoes throughout the play is made evident consistently. Biff chooses to purse his dreams instead of giving into societal norms or his fat her’s expectations and becoming a salesman. Biff’s understanding of himself is made evident in three specific ways; the comparison between the two brothers, Biff’s moment of ultimate clarity at Bill Oliver’s office and Willy and Biff’s final fight before Willy’s suicide. Although Harshbarger argues that Biff is delusional and doesn’t have a clear understanding of himself, in Miller’s â€Å"Death of a Salesman† there are many comparisons that can be made between the two brothers, Biff and Happy, which expose the extent that Biff understands himselfShow MoreRelated Failure in a Success Oriented Society in Death of a Salesman1923 Words   |  8 PagesFailure in a Success Oriented Society in Death of a Salesman    In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the playwright focuses on the theme of failure in a success oriented society. Willy Lowman, a failed salesman, is the central character. Willy’s downfall is caused by his belief in the propaganda of a society that only has room for winners. The significance of this theme, still very relevant today, is heightened by Millers skilful use of a range of key techniques, including settingRead MoreFacilitating Learning and Assessment in Practice3273 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction to English Studies (Eng 281) [pic] Sample Self-Reflective Essay #1 When I think of books, I can’t help but smile in anticipation of the journey I will embark upon from cover to cover, the secrets that will be revealed within their pages, the additions to my vocabulary I will collect as souvenirs, and the new avenues that will be excavated in the realm of my mind. Beginning as early as I can remember, books were read to me by my mother, my father and my sisters. The thrill of an outingRead MoreThe American Musical And Dramatic New York5062 Words   |  21 PagesThroughout the book An Actor Prepares, Stanislavski touches on a few major elements that can help an actor understand and prepare for an audience. The first element is the â€Å"magic if†. A simple way of starting to learn the Stanislavski Method is to ask oneself, What would I do if I were  in this or his/her situation? This is a good way to focus on accurate responses throughout your scene. However, Stanislavski also realized that these types of what if questions do not alwa ys turn to the best characterRead MoreIntroduction to Motivation16686 Words   |  67 Pagesthe drive to influence people and change situations. Power motivated people wish to create an impact on their organization and are willing to take risks to do so. (5) Attitude Motivation Attitude motivation is how people think and feel. It is their self confidence, their belief in themselves, their attitude to life. It is how they feel about the future and how they react to the past. (6) Incentive Motivation It is where a person or a team reaps a reward from an activity. It is â€Å"You do this and you