1. The widening distance between the portrayal of the American Dream and the populaces belief that it can be achieved at an individual level. This has lead to a shallow homogenized understanding of the American Dream based upon social media.
1.1. Individualised american dreams AND how they are affected by an evolving/modern american dream culture established by the gov./media
1.1.1. Willy's rejection of masculinity [he rejects his skill at being a handyman] and his conforming to the CONSUMERIST AMERICAN DREAM where he 'must' be a well-liked salesman
1.1.2. Biff's dream is the opposite of Willy's...he tries to embrace masculinity by wanting to own and work on a farm BUT he follows his father's wishes and footsteps
1.1.3. Charlie and his son Bernard's
1.2. Evolving portrayal of American Dream
1.2.1. The evolving American dream...we see differing representations of the american dream in DOAS and see willy succumb to the consumerist dream....Truman show...we see the 'modern', very singular and specific representation of the american dream but the film rejects this...NOW...homogenised understanding of the american dream (needs research)
1.2.1.1. In DOAS context, consumerist american dream was still developing, we see it fully developed in the truman show however it both depicts an unattainable consumerist dream and consumerist society...NOW...the consumerist society has moved online? we consume others' lives?
1.3. Evolving response to the American Dream/how it is achieved
1.3.1. In DOAS, we see people who have achieved it and willy who is determined to achieve it...the Truman show...people have given up, find solace in simply watching someone else live the american dream...NOW...create a false sense of achievement of dream through social media?
2. Psychological Approach?
2.1. Tragedy and the Common Man - Arthur Miller, 1949
2.1.1. “...tragedy is the consequence of a man's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly...The tragic right is a condition of life, a condition in which the human personality is able to flower and realize itself...Tragedy enlightens--and it must, in that it points the heroic finger at the enemy, of man's freedom."
2.1.2. Today's context: Are we trying to eliminate tragedy by creating a 'facade'/ perfect life on social media? (Only leads to ambiguity regarding identity, loss of individualism?)
2.1.3. Willy attempts to escape his 'tragedy' by living in past memories of a more ideal life than what it is now but still ends up committing suicide
2.1.3.1. Tragedy is supposedly an innate part of human life
3. Widening representations of how we can perceive/attain the American Dream?
3.1. Instead of attaining the american dream through hard work (previous values of the dream...declaration of ind.), Willy is stuck in the mindset that all he must do is be well-liked to be successful
3.2. Both Willy and the Truman Show audience turn to unreal representations/means of attaining the dream
3.2.1. The audience of the Truman Show find solace in watching the ideal/their ideal life through another on a screen, instead of living their own
3.2.1.1. Truman Show audience has given up, 1990's...accepted the unattainability of the "american dream" shaped by the media and the government (satires the american dream by exaggeration of the 'modern-day' american dream)
3.2.1.1.1. Asks audience to question the american dream for themselves...should Truman have left? Stayed? What would they do?
3.2.1.2. Predicted the nature of reality TV shows in the future, any ordinary person can be made into a celebrity
3.3. Today we turn to the images we can portray ourselves to be online to achieve the 'american dream', the perfect lifestyle that none of us live in reality
3.3.1. Truman Show audience and the TV, finding catharsis in watching the american dream because in reality the modern dream (which is so materially specific in comparison to one conceptualised in the declaration of ind. which is ultimately the innate right to better ourselves morally and our lives through hard work etc.) is unattainable
3.3.2. Willy relies on past memories of better, happier times in an attempt to get closer to attaining his american dream