Practice Identifying Meaning (Synthesis Post)

            Now is the time to show the practice we have done in analyzing literature this year.

The American Dream – In his play Albee makes his meaning apparent, the new American dream is just a shell, a shiny exterior that is only empty inside, unlike the old American dream which was sturdy and dependable.  Albee shows this by including details of the Young Man’s character, he cannot love, feel, or empathize with anyone.  The Young Man is the new American dream coming to replace Grandma, the old American dream, who is described as “from pioneer stock” and is compared to nature.  Albee makes the point that society is choosing a new American dream, but it is much worse than the old one.

Death of a Salesman – Miller writes his play to make his point that the American dream is unobtainable and destructive.  Throughout his play Miller writes of the conflicts among the Loman family as Willy tries to obtain the American dream.  The American dream is so destructive that in Willy’s pursuit of it he tears his family apart, he wants to be well-liked and he fakes his popularity and achievements, when Biff realizes this it tears him away from his father.  Willy also spends most of his time remembering times in his past, dwelling on important decisions; this takes away from his desire to live in the present and creates problems in his life.  Willy can never obtain the American dream, but that is all he can imagine for himself, in his pursuit of the American dream he tears his family apart.

Ceremony – Silko’s novel shows an interesting meaning of how connected to the world we are, and how the land can be healing.  Tayo’s journey and relationship with Ts’eh are the focus of the novel and through them the land where the Laguna live is healed.  Tayo brings healing to the community by having a relationship with Ts’eh (the land), he gains Ts’eh’s love and she returns it, in human form and as nature bringing back the rain after the drought.