Death of a Saleman - Happy Loman Essay Example for Free

Death of a Saleman Happy Loman Essay Happy shares none of the poetry that erupts from Biff and that is buried in Willy—he is the stunted incarnation of Willy’s worst traits and the embodiment of the lie of the happy American Dream. As such, Happy is a difficult character with whom to empathize. He is one-dimensional and static throughout the play. His empty vow to avenge Willy’s death by finally â€Å"beat[ing] this racket† provides evidence of his critical condition: for Happy, who has lived in the shadow of the inflated expectations of his brother, there is no escape from the Dream’s indoctrinated lies. Happy’s diseased condition is irreparable—he lacks even the tiniest spark of self-knowledge or capacity for self-analysis. He does share Willy’s capacity for self-delusion, trumpeting himself as the assistant buyer at his store, when, in reality, he is only an assistant to the assistant buyer. He does not possess a hint of the latent thirst for knowledge that proves Biff’s salvation. Happy is a doomed, utterly duped figure, destined to be swallowed up by the force of blind ambition that fuels his insatiable sex drive. Character Analysis Happy might as well be Willy Jr., because this apple hasnt fallen far from the tree. Though he is relatively successful in his job, he has his dads totally unrealistic self-confidence, and his grand dreams about getting rich quick. Like Biff, but to a lesser extent, Happy has suffered from his fathers expectations. Mostly, though, his father doesnt pay that much attention to him. Willy was always a bigger fan of Biff. Happy, maybe because he always felt second best, has more of a desire to please his father. Despite his respectable accomplishments in business, and the many, many notches on his bedpost, Happy is extremely lonely. Happy is competitive and ambitious, but these feelings are misdirected. Unable to compete on his own terms in the business world, Happy blindly pursues women – taken women – purely for the sake of doing so. Looks like hes taken his sense of competition to the realm of sex. Of course, this, much like the world of business, fails to satisfy him. Most disturbing for Happy is the fact that he cant figure out why all this isnt working. Hes followed the rules, done all the right things, yet Happy just isnt happy. His name highlights the irony of his predicament. If you consider the fact that parents name their children, you could say that Willy foolishly bestowed the nickname on his son in yet another display of misguidance and delusion. Nice. Just as the saddest part of Willys suicide is his continued delusion, the saddest part of Happys ending is his own persistent misbelief. Still driven by what he feels he should want (money, a wife), he sticks to Willy’s foolish dreams to the bitter end. Happy Loman Hap is the Lomans youngest son. He lives in an apartment in New York, and during the play is staying at his parents house to visit. Hap is of low moral character; constantly with another woman, trying to find his way in life, even though he is confident hes on the right track. Hap has always been the second son to Biff and tries to be noticed by his parents by showing off. When he was young he always told Willly, Im losin weight pop, you notice? And, now he is always saying, Im going to get married, just you wait and see, in an attempt to redeem himself in his mothers eyes. Hap also tries to be on Willys good side and keep him happy, even if it means perpetuating the lies and illusions that Willy lives in. In the end of the play, Hap cannot see reality. Like his father, he is destined to live a fruitless life trying for something that will not happen. Willy Loman did not die in vain, he says, †¦He had a good dream, the only dream a man can have to come out number one man. He fought it out here, and this where Im gonna win it for him. Death of a Salesman By Arthur Miller Character Analysis Happy Loman Happy is a young version of Willy. He incorporates his fathers habit of manipulating reality in order to create situations that are more favorable to him. Happy grew up listening to Willy embellish the truth, so it is not surprising that Happy exaggerates his position in order to create the illusion of success. Instead of admitting he is an assistant to the assistant, Happy lies and tells everyone he is the assistant buyer. This is Willys philosophy all over again. Happy also relishes the fact that respectable women cannot resist him. He has seduced the fiancà ©es of three executives just to gain a perception of pleasure and power. He thrives on sexual gratification, but even more than that, Happy savors the knowledge that he has ruined women engaged to men he works for and also despises. He states, I hate myself for it. Because I dont want the girl, and, still, I take it and — I love it! Happy is similar to Willy in two ways. Both deny their positions and exaggerate details in order to aggrandize themselves, and sexual interludes are the defining moments of both of their lives. Willys life revolves around his attempt to forget his affair with the Woman, while Happys life revolves around an active pursuit of affairs with many women. Death of a Salesman addresses loss of identity and a mans inability to accept change within himself and society. The play is a montage of memories, dreams, confrontations, and arguments, all of which make up the last 24 hours of Willy Lomans life. The three major themes within the play are denial, contradiction, and order versus disorder. Each member of the Loman family is living in denial or perpetuating a cycle of denial for others. Willy Loman is incapable of accepting the fact that he is a mediocre salesman. Instead Willy strives for his version of the American dream — success and notoriety — even if he is forced to deny reality in order to achieve it. Instead of acknowledging that he is not a well-known success, Willy retreats into the past and chooses to relive past memories and events in which he is perceived as successful. For example, Willys favorite memory is of Biffs last football game because Biff vows to make a touchdown just for him. In this scene in the past, Willy can hardly wait to tell the story to his buyers. He considers himself famous as a result of his sons pride in him. Willys sons, Biff and Happy, adopt Willys habit of denying or manipulating reality and practice it all of their lives, much to their detriment. It is only at the end of the play that Biff admits he has been a phony too, just like Willy. Linda is the only character that recognizes the Loman family lives in denial; however, she goes along with Willys fantasies in order to preserve his fragile mental state. The second major theme of the play is contradiction. Throughout the play, Willys behavior is riddled with inconsistencies. In fact, the only thing consistent about Willy is his inconsistency. From the very beginning of Act I, Scene 1, Willy reveals this tendency. He labels Biff a lazy bum but then contradicts himself two lines later when he states, And such a hard worker. Theres one thing about Biff — hes not lazy. Willys contradictions often confuse audiences at the beginning of the play; however, they soon become a trademark of his character. Willys inconsistent behavior is the result of his inability to accept reality and his tendency to manipulate or re-create the past in an attempt to escape the present. For example, Willy cannot resign himself to the fact that Biff no longer respects him because of Willys affair. Rather than admit that their relationship is irreconcilable, Willy retreats to a previous time when Biff admired and respected him. As the play continues, Willy disassociates himself more and more from the present as his problems become too numerous to deal with. The third major theme of the play, which is order versus disorder, results from Willys retreats into the past. Each time Willy loses himself in the past, he does so in order to deny the present, especially if the present is too difficult to accept. As the play progresses, Willy spends more and more time in the past as a means of reestablishing order in his life. The more fragmented and disastrous reality becomes, the more necessary it is for Willy to create an alternative reality, even if it requires him to live solely in the past. This is demonstrated immediately after Willy is fired. Ben appears, and Willy confides nothings working out. I dont know what to do. Ben quickly shifts the conversation to Alaska and offers Willy a job. Linda appears and convinces Willy that he should stay in sales, just like Dave Singleman. Willys confidence quickly resurfaces, and he is confident that he has made the right decision by turning down Bens offer; he is certain he will be a success like Singl eman. Thus, Willys memory has distracted him from the reality of losing his job. Denial, contradiction, and the quest for order versus disorder comprise the three major themes of Death of a Salesman. All three themes work together to create a dreamlike atmosphere in which the audience watches a mans identity and mental stability slip away. The play continues to affect audiences because it allows them to hold a mirror up to themselves. Willys self-deprecation, sense of failure, and overwhelming regret are emotions that an audience can relate to because everyone has experienced them at one time or another. Individuals continue to react to Death of a Salesman because Willys situation is not unique: He made a mistake — a mistake that irrevocably changed his relationship with the people he loves most — and when all of his attempts to eradicate his mistake fail, he makes one grand attempt to correct the mistake. Willy vehemently denies Biffs claim that they are both common, ordinary people, but ironically, it is the universality of the play which makes it so enduring. Biffs statement, Im a dime a dozen, and so are you is true after all. Miller often experiments with narrative style and technique. For example, Miller includes lengthy exposition pieces that read as stage directions within The Crucible. At first glance, it seems that an audience must either read the information in the program or listen to a long-winded narrator. Upon further inspection however, it becomes apparent that Millers inclusion of background material allows actors and directors to study character motivation and internalize the information, thereby portraying it in the performance. Miller provides audiences with a unique experience when it comes to Death of a Salesman. In many ways, the play appears traditional. In other words, there are actors who interact with one another, there is a basic plot line, and the play contains standard dramatic elements such as exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, and so forth. However, Millers manipulation of time and space creates a very non-traditional atmosphere that is unsettling but effective because it mirrors Willys mental state, thereby allowing the audience to witness his mental instability and take part in it. Stage directions call for a complete house for the Lomans. An audience will not simply watch the action take place in the kitchen but can observe several rooms within the home. This sounds as if it would be distracting since an audience can view several things at once. After all, what should the audience look at? If more than one character is on stage, whom should the audience pay attention to? Miller solves this problem through lighting. Only characters that are talking or involved in direct action are lit on stage, all other rooms, characters, and props remain in shadow. The result is a vast number of rooms and props that can be utilized immediately. The audience does not have to wait while a new set is erected or an old one torn down, but instead moves directly and instantaneously into the next scene. Such movement without the benefit of time delays or dialogue transitions produces a disjointed and fragmented sequence of events, much like a dream. In fact, the stage directions in Act I describe the house as follows: An air of the dream clings to the place, a dream arising out of reality. Miller does not stop there. Even though the action of the play can shift from one part of the house to another without delay, the action is still limited to the present. Willys dreams, memories, or recollections of past events must be revealed in a manner that is distinct from actions taking place in the present. This is important for two reasons: First, the audience must be able to differentiate between the present and the past in order to follow the action of the play; second, Willys increased agitation must be apparent to the audience, and there is no better way to reveal it than to have the audience observe his inability to separate the past from the reality of the present. Miller achieves this effect by manipulating the space and boundaries of the rooms. When action takes place in the present, characters observe wall boundaries and enter and exit through the doors. During Willys recollections of the past, characters do not observe wall boundaries, and the action generally takes place in the area at the front of the stage, rather than inside the house. As a result, the audience can distinguish present events from Willys memories. For example, in Act I, Scene 3, Willy pours a glass of milk in the kitchen, sits down, and begins to mumble to himself. He is in the present. He then remembers a past conversation with the teenage Biff and resumes the conversation. Since this is a past event, Willy directs his speech through the wall to a point offstage. This cues the audience that Willy is digressing in the past. Sound is also used to create a dreamlike state for both Willy and the audience. A flute melody is associated with Willy, Ben has his own music, laughter cues the Woman, and so forth. Once the sound is introduced with the appropriate character, the audience automatically associates the sound with that same character. As a result, Miller is able to prompt reactions and expectations from the audience, whether they are aware or not. For example, in Act II, Scene 14, it appears that things have finally been settled between Willy and Biff. Even though Biff is leaving in the morning, he and Willy have reconciled. This puts the audience at ease, but once Bens music is heard, it is evident that the play has not reached its final conclusion. In fact, Bens appearance may create anxiety for the audience because it suggests an alternate, more disturbing, end to the play. As the play progresses, the action shifts to the front of the stage. In other words, the audience becomes increasingly aware that the majority of the action is taking place inside Willys head. It is difficult enough to watch an individual lose his or her identity. It is extremely unsettling and disturbing to be forced to experience the individuals memories, illusions, or perhaps delusions resulting in mental instability. Miller takes that into consideration and then pushes his audiences to the extreme. As Willys mental state declines, the audience is forced to watch and to react. As a result, the play may be called Death of a Salesman, but it is a death observed and experienced by every member of the audience.

Psilocybin and Body Changes :: Chemistry Chemical Drugs Papers

Psilocybin and Body Changes Physiological (Whole Body) Changes Psilocybin, the active psychotomimetic, hallucinogenic chemical found in the psilocybe genus of mushrooms, is absorbed through the mouth and stomach and is a monoamine-related substance (Levitt 1975, Grilly, 1998). This means that psilocybin's biochemical effects are mediated by changes in the activity of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the central nervous system (made up of the brain and the spinal cord) primarily by way of 5HT2a receptors (Grilly 1998, Hasler 2003). Monoamine-related drugs share a basic similarity in molecular structure with monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Psilocybin produces bodily changes which are mostly sympathomimetic. This means that psilocybin mimics the effects of stimulating postganglionic adrenergic sympathetic nerves (online medical). The effects of this sympathetic nervous system arousal may consist of pupillary dilation, increases in blood pressure and heart rate, exaggeration of deep tendon reflexes, tremor, nausea, piloerection (hair erection), and increased body temperature (Grilly 1998). Psilocybin creates distinct psychological (hallucinogenic, entheogenic) changes in humans. Because of the mind-altering properties of the drug, much research on psilocybin is devoted to understanding its physiological effects on brain chemistry. A recent study tested prefrontal activation during a cognitive challenge and the neurometabolic effects of four different drugs on 113 regions of interest of the brain (Gouzoulis 1999). The four substances tested were psilocybin, d-methamphetamine (METH), methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE), and a placebo in healthy volunteers. No significant differences of global cerebral metabolism were found in the four groups. Neurometabolic effects were found to include a significant increase of regional glucose activity in the right anterior cingulate of the brain, the right frontal operculum, and an increase in activity of the right inferior temporal region. A significant decrease in metabolism was found in the right thalamus, the left precentral region and a decrease in activity was found in the left thalamus. Overall there was a general hypermetabolism of the prefrontal region of the right hemisphere and hypometabolism in subcortical regions. During the cognitive challenge activation of the middle prefrontal cortex was eliminated and activation of Broca's area (right frontal operculum) was reduced. In a study conducted by A.M. Quetin, electrolyte levels, liver toxicity tests and blood sugar levels were shown to be

Institutional Affiliation

Terrorism within our borders was not something that people thought of daily if ever. Radio advertisements that instructed us on how to talk to our children about terrorist attacks, as though it were similar to a tornado warning, is not something that I anticipated in my lifetime. The atrocity that occurred on 9/11 is not something that is supposed to happen here, but it did. We are challenged by the infiltration of immigrants to our country, whether legal or illegal. Our citizens are fearful of the future attacks that are threatened and at times the very presence of the Arab population within our communities.International terrorism threatens the United States, its allies, and the world community. Defeating the terrorist enemy requires sound policies, united government effort, and international cooperation. In light of that, it is difficult to remember as you board an airplane with six Arab passengers, that we live in the â€Å"melting pot. † America was founded on freedoms, fr eedom of speech and freedom of religion, to name a few. How do we, as a country, monitor and measure our safety, while ensuring the freedoms that are afforded our citizens? How do we deal with the threat of terrorism within our own borders?Can we provide safety by simply following the laws of our country? As a senior counter-terrorism official, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of our communities. Local law enforcement plays a critical role in enhancing the safety in communities. Communication links between local law enforcement and state and federal government will further the effectiveness of this program. It will be my responsibility to encourage local law enforcement in their fight against terrorism. We do not have the right to intrude on the religious activities of Arabs or anyone else within our communities without just cause.Defining terrorism in a country based on freedoms is a difficult task. Our country’s downfall is we have still not attempted to deal wi th or identify the causes of terrorism. We must identify the cause and the potential activities which threaten our society. The problem of terrorism–the problem of a relatively small number of violent lawbreakers who have set out to undermine our democratic way of life and seek either to blackmail the government through violence or the threat of violence to comply with their demands, or to overthrow the government entirely. We should all think about what kind of country we want to live in.To be truly patriotic means recognizing our responsibilities to uphold the democratic principles which make this the freest nation on Earth. It is important to remember that the opening words of the Constitution are `We the People' not `I the People. ‘ Being a citizen in a democracy means that you can't organize your own private army because you disagree with the actions of the democratically elected government. We need to focus on restorative justice. Restorative justice is grounded i n the focus on the harm created, not simply on the breach of law. This means that the first priority isunderstanding and responding to the needs of victims and the healing of victims. The direct victims are the primary focus, but everyone else who has been touched by the crime is also involved, including the community as a whole. To address the harm to victims, restorative justice believes that we must affirm moral responsibility and the need for accountability on the part of those who have done the harm. Restorative justice sees the past in the context of the present and the future, looking at: * what accountability is needed to address the harm to the victims; * what accountability would provide the offender the opportunity to dorestitution or reparation or whatever needs to be done to address the harm created; and * what accountability is needed for the restoration of community, including the restoration of the victim and the offender into community. Such accountability assumes t he need for safety. This involves the whole community taking responsibility for the victims as well as the offender, including seeing everyone in a human context that is broader than just the moment of the crime. Finally, restorative justice is about the engagement of all parties, including the larger community, in working towards healingthe harm and the creation of community, a community that includes both the victims and the offenders. Within our communities, it is critical that we appropriately monitor the business of individuals who have been associated or are believed to be associated with known terrorists. There are already procedures in place to monitor the actions of these individuals. It would not be appropriate to infiltrate communities on the basis of race, unless there are specific ties to known terrorists. Ethically, homeland security is responsible for the safety of all individuals within ourborders and cannot pick and choose based on race. Known terrorists, whether Am erican born or a foreign national, once captured should all receive the same treatment and rights. Recent actions of military in Iraq and elsewhere, if interpreted by the Iraqi people, may give rise to the belief that Americans are in fact the terrorists. The torture of Iraqi captives and the outright murder of innocent Iraqi civilians could lead one to believe that we are no better than Al Queda. We do not have the right to torture terrorists in order to gain information. Effective counterterrorism should take the form of prevention.We need to neutralize the terrorist organization by weakening it or making potential targets more difficult to attack. After the attacks of 9/11, an important distinction was drawn between the U. S. argument that an attack on Afghan soil was legitimate because of the Taliban's close and supportive relationship with al Qaeda and the more extended claim, that one nation could launch an attack within another nation's sovereign territory, even if there was no state support for terrorists acting within the borders.If evidence is present that a particular state has intentionally supported global terrorism and continues to do so, the case can be made for armed force to avoid future terrorist attacks within the framework of the just war tradition. A state linked to support of terrorism against another nation is engaged in a war of aggression. Any country that is the object of terrorist attacks has a right to defend itself. In effect, the case against the Taliban was not intervention for regime change but a war of self-defense against a government that was directly complicit in terrorist attacks. (Himes, 2004) The attack on Iraq does not meet the criteria of Just War.President Bush and his advisors presented a case for armed intervention in order to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Concern that enemies might use such weapons has fueled the new debate. The United States declared its willingness to initiate attacks upon adversaries it considers to be threatening. Anti-Americanism is alive and well in all parts of the world. Within our own borders, Anti-Americanism is not as widespread as is the disillusionment with our own government. It is not the foundations of America that are at issue, but the interpretation and thus application of our ability to affect the rest of the world.

Tree Removal and Felling Process Understanding Laws

It is very hard to know the legal ramifications surrounding removing a tree, even one you own. Some green communities have very strict laws pertaining to tree removal and are associated with major fines. Some areas, usually rural, have no rules and regulations. There is a massive gray area in-between so find out what your community expects when a tree is removed. Protective tree ordinances are usually enforced by the city or the county via a council or local board. A hired tree professional will inspect for noncompliance upon complaint but will also council you about the problem tree. This means that if you live within the limits of any city you need to contact your city council members or tree board. If you live in an unincorporated portion of your county you will need to contact your county commissioners office. You might also check to see if your city is certified under the Tree City USA program. Reasons for Supporting Tree Removal Legislation: It is only natural that many tree owners feel some frustration about what they can or cant do with their own personal trees. Atlanta Trees lists some very important reasons for community tree planning and a tree removal process. Here is a list reasons for supporting your local tree protection ordinance: Regulations protect older, healthy heritage specimen trees in the urban forest that have significant historic or aesthetic value.Regulations require planting and protecting shade trees in a  parking lot and street hot zones.Regulations protect trees during construction in many communities that promote their urban forest.Regulations in many urban communities with limited tree numbers require replanting when trees must be cut.Regulations control set community legislation for no net loss of shade trees over time. Cutting a Tree When There Are Tree Regulations You now need to contact a community arborist or your urban forester before cutting a tree. They will approve or disapprove your project based on local rules and regs. Also, you might consider using a professional tree cutter. A reputable commercial arboricultural company will know the local laws and can guide you in taking the next step. Remember, there are times when you should let a professional tree cutter do the job for both your safety and to prevent property damage. You should leave it to a professional when: A tree is too close to personal property or utility lines.A tree is very large and tall (over 10 inches in diameter and/or over 20 feet tall).A tree is undermined by insects and/or disease.You have to climb a tree to limb or prune.