Willie the Piano Lesson Essay

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Death of a Salesman and the Piano Lesson

Comparison and Contrast of Willy Loman and Charley and Boy Willie and Berniece

Some individuals are under the impression that physical appearance and the way that they look are more important than education and the things that they know. In the play Death of a Salesman by Author Miller, the author paints a picture that illustrates why some people may feel this way. For example, Willy rates the value of appearance, of himself and those people in which he knows, much as a quality that is valued in a higher regard than other values and feels personally that the education his family receives is of little value comparatively. However, most individuals would argue that the importance of appearance is not equal to Willy's impression of it. For example, many people feel that education definitely more important, on many different levels, than physical appearance for a variety of reasons. A person's education can offer them new opportunities that an attractive person could never have simply on the basis of their looks alone.

Boy Willie from The Piano Lesson, has a different take on the importance of various aspects of what could be considered a value system. Boy Willie is portrayed as the type of character that is accustomed to doing basically anything he can dream up; he is loud, stubborn, crude, vulgar, and typically does whatever he might please, despite whatever the consequences of what such action might be. Boy Willie is brash to the extent that he is even willing to break the law without much consideration of his actions.

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Although Boy Willie is a minority in terms of his racial background, he perceives that he is "equal to the white man" and this level of high self-efficacy is arguably, at least in part, part of the attitude that contributes to his own self-confidence. This confidence has abled Boy Willie to be a man of action that is not fearful to engage in any obstacle that he might face.

Each of these dramatic characters are presented in their stories with individuals who contrast their character to a greater or lesser extent. In The Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses a character known as Charley to contrast many of these character differences. For example, Charley serves as an individual who has a significantly different take on life than Willy and Charlie is far more humble, by contrast, and does not feel the need to brag about whatever advantages that he feels that he may have. Charlie is successful in business, has a son that has had an extraordinary career and is even arguing cases in the Supreme Court, and largely has a vastly different value system as Willy as evident in the story. In fact, Willy seems perplexed that Charlie is not more egotistical relative to the accomplishments that he has achieved in his life.….....

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