Essay

Writing an essay with simple language. All the details in the file.  First draft due Wednesday night by 8 pm, 09/23/20 

Essay #2 Death of a Salesman

English 1B – Brownell

Overview. Writers have often explored the theme of the American Dream
in literature. In Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick, a boy overcomes his
impoverished circumstances, rising to prosperity through thrift and
enterprise. In contrast, in the play Death of a Salesman, playwright Arthur
Miller explores the life of an “everyman” chasing greatness while
negotiating the trials and tribulations of life and his own inner demons.

In your second essay, you will be analyzing Death of a Salesman,
examining motifs (recurring symbols) for interpretive clues about the
play’s message about success and self-realization. Turn your examination
of theme and motifs into a thesis-driven essay.

Final Draft Due
Wednesday,

September 23rd

Value: 15% of Overall
Grade 

Prompt:

What is an important theme in Death of a Salesman, and what motifs and
symbols reinforce this theme? How does the theme transcend time by addressing
contemporary issues that still plague our culture and society? Select at least one

motif (recurring symbol) from the “idea box” below to pair with the argument you
create about the play. (This will allow for a more unique and cohesive argument.)

Idea Box

Planting / Gardening
Absent Father/ Parent
Cars / Driving
Sports (Football)
Debt / Appliances /
House / Household
Furnishings
Technology
Create Your Own!

Wives / Female Gender
Roles
Affairs / Adultery
Music
Jail / Imprisonment
Brothers and
competition
Frontier (Alaska /
Africa)

Arthur Miller

Due Dates:

Brainstorm Due Friday, September 18th by 11:59 p.m. in Canvas

Outline Due Friday, September 18th by 11:59 p.m.

Rough Draft Due Monday, September 21st by 11:59 p.m.

Peer Review Due Tuesday, September 22nd by 11:59 p.m. (Note 1:

the peer review is not assigned to you until 5 minutes past

midnight AFTER the rough draft upload cut-off time. Note 2: if you

do not upload your rough draft by the cut-off time, Canvas

CANNOT assign you a peer review unless you email me)

Final Draft Due Wednesday, September 23rd by 11:59 p.m.

Requirements:
Use MLA style
Include a properly formatted Works Cited page
1700 words minimum; no more than 2000 words
Essay pattern (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion)
Cohesively analyze a theme and symbols in Death of a
Salesman
Use evidence from the play (quotes and paraphrase)
AXES or BEEF paragraph development
Thesis should unite the theme to at least one motif selected
from the “Idea Box”
Discuss in one paragraph or more how the theme relates to a
fallacy of argument or a bias as defined in the handout (in
Canvas) or the book, You Are Not So Smart
Use a minimum of THREE research sources
Do not cite Wikipedia, Gradesaver, Sparknotes, Shmoop etc.
Plagiarism similarity report should be 15% or less