Father and Son in Death of a Salesman, and Fences Essay

The role of a father could be a difficult task when raising a son. The ideal relationship between father and son perhaps may be; the father sets the rules and the son obeys them respectfully. However it is quite difficult to balance a healthy relationship between father and son, because of what a father expects from his son. For instance in the narratives, â€Å"Death of a Salesman,† and â€Å"Fences† both Willy and Troy are fathers who have a difficult time in earning respect from their sons, and being a role model for them. Between, â€Å"Death of a Salesman,† and â€Å"Fences,† both protagonists, Willy and Troy both depict the role of a father in distinctive ways; however, in their struggle, Willy is the more sympathetic of the two. In comparing Willy†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, unlike Willie and his two sons, Troy’s son, Cory, had a job and also assisted Troy with payments. The portrayal between, Willie and Troy as fathers, has had an impact in the development of their sons differently. Firstly, Willie has always had high hopes in his older son, Biff. Willie believed that in raising Biff, he will one day be successful, and ambitious. However, it is a pity that it never turned out that way. In fact, throughout the story, Biff reveals that he is not ambitious. â€Å"Hap, the trouble is we weren’t brought up to grub for money. I don’t know how to do it.† (Gioia, 2010) It is a shame that Willie is a hardworking man who dreams in success and Biff was not born with equal desire. It would not be a surprise if Willie felt heartbreak; to be unable to set an example for his son Biff to follow. On the other hand, Troy could be described as a character that is selfish. Throughout the story, â€Å"Fences† Troy reveals his selfishness when interfering with Cory’s potential in football, and telling him that working is more important . â€Å"You go on down there to that AP and see if you can get your job back. If you can’t do both†¦then you quit the football team.† (Gioia, 2010) Undoubtedly, Troy’s interest is more concentrated in ensuring that the bills get paid, than to agree with Cory playing football. Furthermore Troy wants Cory to maintain that job becauseShow MoreRelated Comparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson1267 Words   |  6 PagesComparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson have similar themes of conflicts between fathers and sons, conflicts between husbands and wives, and the need to focus on a small unit of space in order to achieve success. In the process of developing these themes throughout the two plays, three similar symbolic elements are used including the insecure father figure, the other woman, and the garden. Read MoreAnalysis Of Death Of A Salesman And Fences 848 Words   |  4 Pages Legacy in ‘Death of a Salesman’ and ‘Fences’ I am convinced that the greatest legacy we can leave our children are happy memories: those precious moments so much like pebbles on the beach that are plucked from the white sand and placed in tiny boxes that lay undisturbed on tall shelves until one day they spill out and time repeats itself, with joy and sweet sadness, in the child now an adult. Parents play an enormous role on teaching their children different virtues and teaching them right fromRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Willy Loman And Death Of A Salesman1112 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman was written by Arthur Miller are two plays that can be considered different in terms of their plot. Both plays have two very different cultural backgrounds. The background affects each protagonist therefore differently. However, there are also similarities beyond the plot. Despite the different backgrounds of each protagonist or main characters, they are both trying to a chieve their dreams. They both fail ironically in similar ways Read MoreComparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson 1403 Words   |  6 PagesFences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller are two plays that could be considered very different in terms of their plot. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. If the reader or audience looks past the plot into the theme and symbolisms used they can see that the plays are more similar than they are different. In spite of the different cultural backgrounds of each protagonist they bothRead MoreThe Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller And Fences1112 Words   |  5 Pagessimply the idea that every person has the same chance to achieve success through hard work. The Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson closely hold a relatable pursuit of the American dream. In both texts, th e parents and children were torn apart from each other because of their pursuit of the American Dream. This goal (American Dream) tears the families apart because in Fences Cory wants to follow Troy’s footsteps by playing a professional sport, but Troy doesn’t want himRead MoreEssay on Comparing Death of a Salesman and Fences795 Words   |  4 PagesWhen it comes to comparing and contrasting two different cultures and morals the differences can be night and day. In Death Of A Salesman and Fences, these stories follow two middle-class families around the same time period (late 1940-1950’s), who are both facing problems within their own household’s. From marital issues to failing father/son relationships, both of these stories paint a picture to the audience of what life in an urban family living in that time setting was like through the author’sRead More The Link between Sports and Success in Death of a Salesman and Fences1124 Words   |  5 Page sbetween Sports and Success in Death of a Salesmannbsp; and Fences Sports have become one of the most dominant elements in society. Today sports are an integral part of lifestyle, entertainment and leisure. Sports have become an outlet for success and prestige. The recurring emphasis on sports appears in both Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and August Wilson’s Fences. While Death of a Salesman portrays sports as a means to popularity and subsequent success, Fences portrays sports negatively,Read MoreDeath of a Salesman by Arthur Miller811 Words   |  3 Pagesfamily is between a father and his son. How a father treats their son can affect them for the rest of their lives with relationships, careers, and many other aspects in life. In the plays Fences by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, two types of father-son relationships are shown. The difference in the relationship causes each son from the play to result in a different way of life. Troy Maxson, from Fences, has an unfulfilled dream which causes a jealousy of his son, and a dominantRead MorePersonality and Achievement in the Plays Death of a Salesman and Fences622 Words   |  3 PagesThe characters Willy and Troy, from the plays â€Å"Death of a Salesman† and Fences,† share several qualities of personality and achievements. They are both fathers nearly at the twilight of their lives, suffering the consequences of decisions they made when they were younger. These men have worked for their whole lives to make money, as opposed to doing something for which they have passion. Willy and Troy spent their lives trying to achieve stability with money, only to come up with lives that constantlyRead More Destruction of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman834 Words   |  4 PagesDestruction of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman A white picket fence surrounds the tangible icons of the American Dreams in the middle 1900s: a mortgage, an automobile, a kitchen appliance paid for on the monthly - installment - plan, and a silver trophy representative of high school football triumph. A pathetic tale examining the consequences of mans harmartias, Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman satisfies many, but not all, of the essential elements of a tragedy