The Illusion of the American Dream The American Dream is what all Americans strive to achieve. It is the illusion of prosperity and happiness. The American Dream consists of three different elements, money, sex, and power. The plays “Death of a Salesman” and “The Glass Menagerie” are about families who strive to achieve the American Dream. These plays are a lot alike and they have more similarities than differences. In America, money can get you many places in society. In both plays, money plays an essential element. In “The Glass Menagerie,” Amanda is always concerned about Laura getting a job or marrying someone whom can support her. When Amanda realizes that Laura quit going to business school, she becomes very distressed. “What are we going to do, what is going to become of us, what is the future?” They did not have a father, or someone to support them; therefore, Amanda did not know what to expect in the future. The relevancy of money is also apparent in “Death of a Salesman.” Willy believes that he and his sons are great men who can be successful in the business world. Linda, Willy’s wife, says, “Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived. But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid.” Willy liked to imagine that he was prosperous, and that his sons would be prosperous. Sex is another element of the American Dream. The characters in both plays have their fantasies and dreams about love. They are dreamers who can slip into, and out of reality. In “The Glass Menagerie” Laura is in love with a person that she knew in high school. She talked to him some in high school, but not a lot. Her crush for him lasted long after high school. She says, “Yes. I liked one once. I came across h...
