DOAS THEORIES - FELDMAN Flashcards
Post WW2 - “increased population = increased competition”
“increased population = increased competition”
Business culture associated with…?
Sporting culture (Ebbet’s Field)
American Dream culture associated with…?
the “jungle” - Ben “success incarnate”
Significance of “people who are well-liked will never want”
Labels it as a manipulative tool of self-interest - Willy gives back the culture he received in childhood - sacrificing love and friendship.
Result of teaching Biff and Happy to be “winners” in society
Willy teaches his boys to “win” Biff is lost and Happy is a sex addicted “philandering bum” - his lack of moral is a breakdown of competition culture
Loman family is caught…?
in a transition between cultures - the breakdown of the cAmerican Dream culture to which they belong
Willy rejects job from Charley why? and what does he do instead? and WHY?
cannot see himself as being dependent on somebody
contemplates his own suicide instead - sees the potential life insurance “like a diamond shining in the dark” - materialistic driving force - difference between an ‘appointment” and a “diamond” the ambiguities of new relationship culture which ben criticises “if you cannot touch it it’s not real” wants to win love and respect from Biff through a big funeral - showing he is “well-liked”
Ben fantasy and gender
Ben: “screw on your fists” and fight for the riches - typical hyper masculinity of the American dream - Linda becomes scared “why must everybody conquer the world” - gender struggles women seen as not strong enough for past culture adn not intelligent enough for new culture - seen as lacking drive
Ben hallucination - Willy talking about past culture
“It’s who you know and the smile on your face!”
Willy’s suicide justified by?
rugged individualism - “one must go in and fetch the diamond out” - rejecting the relationship culture of organisational capitalism
suicide as a rejection of modern society
“Business is business”
Concepts of Darwinism and the “survival of the fittest” 19th C apologists of capitalism use to justify abuse - W had nothing left to contribute and was discarded
THE TRAGEDY
Willy’s success in the eyes of his competitors is more important than his capacity to respect himself and love his family: “hit low and hit hard” “important people in the stands” - ultimate weak spot when in the culture of capitalism
Noble intentions of suited based on less than noble motives - a moral identity?
