Response to Course Material #3

I was surprised at how similar Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and Edward Albee’s The American Dream were, yet had two different impressions on me. Both works were post-modern plays that had messages and themes centered around criticizing American consumerism. Yet, my reactions to the two works were very different.

There were several things about Albee’s The American Dream that I didn’t particularly enjoy. I didn’t like the general premise of the play; the whole thing was just a ridiculous farce of American consumerist values. Even though Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn was a satirical piece, it also had entertaining action and relatable characters. The American Dream had neither. The whole thing was set in a mundane living room. The dialogue didn’t seem to resemble anything close to real-life conversations. With the exception of Grandma, all the characters seemed very plastic and impersonal. Mommy was one-dimensionally cruel, while Daddy was one-dimensionally passive. Also, I didn't appreciate how the play was so ambiguous in its message. When our class discussed The American Dream, it felt like a messy rain of different interpretations and little to agree on. After having the chance to read Albee's works, I've learned that Theatre of the Absurd isn’t really my thing.

On the other hand, in Death of a Salesman, I felt a lot more sympathy for Willy and Biff. Their predicament is familiar and relatable. Though it’s not an action-oriented play, there are scene changes that keep the play more interesting. After having endured a Theatre of the Absurd play, I’m looking forward to Death of a Salesman.