Death of a Salesman and Fences play

This semester we are studying Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (1949) and Fences by August Wilson (1985), both of which engage with ideas about American identity and notions of the so-called “American Dream.” For your paper, discuss the ways in which the concept of The American Dream is manifested within these two plays. Death of a Salesman and Fences can be interpreted as being “in conversation” with one another; in other words, through their stories, characters, themes, dialogue, and other aspects like setting, the two plays reflect one another’s ideas, either by conveying similar points of view about American identity and The American Dream, or by presenting disparate perspectives through which to view these subjects.

Begin by researching the concept of “The American Dream.” A phrase coined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America, The American Dream has been interpreted to mean everything from the right of Americans to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as outlined in the Declaration of Independence in 1776, to Barack Obama becoming President of the United States in 2009. What did it mean when the plays were written, in 1949 and 1985, respectively? How does the concept of The American Dream influence the decisions the characters make? What is the result – happiness? Tragedy? Disillusionment? What, specifically, are the plays saying about American identity and the influence of The American Dream? For example, Miller referred to Death of a Salesman as “an epitaph for The American Dream.” What do you think he means, and how is that perspective realized in the play? Does Wilson’s Fences reinforce Miller’s ideas or challenge them?