Both protagonists are blinded by their illusions of success, and both of their experiences are akin to one another. Willy's experience with achieving the American Dream is similar to Troy's will to survive because Troy tries to be on the same level as Whites by overcoming racial barriers. Willy Loman, a traveling salesman, believes that one must be well-liked in order to achieve the American dream. However, Willy does not realize that the value of hard work and devotion plays the most important role in achieving success. Willy tries to teach his falsified ideology of the American dream to his sons, Biff and Happy.
Due to General Zaroff’s savage doings for satisfaction, he seems to have lost his humanity and de-valued human life far more than the Villagers and their customs did. Both characters in these two short stories felt that what they were doing was the right thing. In “The Lottery,” they mention “that over in the north village they're talking of giving up the lottery.”(Jackson, paragraph 32). Old Man Warner calls the north village a “pack of fools” stating that, that is not the way to go. He believes they must carry on this tradition and he never has come to realized how awful it is.
The white community is unable to see past the Invisible Man’s skin color, nor are they able to see past the stereotypes of the black man. The white male characters that appear in the excerpt from "battle royal," are influential white males who do not fear anything, rather they are the ones who threaten the weaker races. They purposely torment the black males as a form of entertainment in hopes they would respond in acts of violence. The Battle Royal’s primary reason for being present at the battle of royal is to deliver his speech to the white citizens of his community, with the hope of gaining acceptance. He is forced into participating in the battle before he is permitted to speak.
He builds up his son’s ego by telling them that all you need to be is well-liked. Theses false values shown by Willy makes Biff become overwhelmed with confidence that all he needs is to be attractive in order to be successful and makes him think of why should he have to try hard in school when his appealing personality will make up for poor grades. Willy’s flawed view of success, where being well-liked is more important than being the best at whatever job you pursue, leads to failure and unhappiness in both his life and his sons life’s in the business world. Although Happy has a job that would be more acceptable by his father than Biff’s, but Willy doesn’t admire Happy like he does Biff. Happy has lived in the shadow of Biff his whole life, he feels that to get the attention he deserves he must strive to be more successful than his brother.
Much of his writing focused on the problem of racism in the United States. Baldwin argues that racism is a psychological problem that white America has, and concludes that until white people can learn to love themselves the problem cannot be cured. “There is no reason for you to try to become like white people and there is no basis whatever for their impertinent assumption that they must accept you (The Fire Next Time, 19).” As an African American, Baldwin was well equipped to unmask the illusions of white supremacy. Baldwin might sound a little harsh when he is talking about white people, but he did not hate white people even though their attitudes and actions infuriated him. “Instead, he developed an unsentimental compassion for whites so trapped by their fear that they are deeply alienated from their true selves (Jon, 3)”.
Huck is a poorly educated young white boy full of ignorance. “Rather then going against the grain he condemns himself for his friendship with Jim” (31). The essay shows that Huck is afraid at first to go against the norms of the white society he lives in; however, as the novel progressed the author shows that
Even though he was "born with water on the brain", gigantic feet, ten more teeth then normal, stutter and a lisp, Arnold still doesn't complain though. Just because he does not complain does not mean he loves the life he was given. Junior still thinks life would have been much easier if he was white. He tends to put himself down quit often. Alexie Sherman illustrates what differences there are between the Indians and the white people.
These men proved that they were in charge and no one not even someone of their own race was better then them. The “Invisible Man” could not have been more unsettled by the white citizen’s actions, their disregard even for one of their own. He knew that he could not make it to a better, more educated place with the help of his stagnant community and yet to please these men, this community was the most humiliating thing of
He thinks, “These civilized white men want us to be like them… Maybe I’m just not smart enough to grasp these things that make-up civilization. Maybe I’m just too lazy to think hard enough to keep up” (Whitecloud 313). The crisis the young man is going through is echoed in many other cultures and throughout many years of trying to be accepted by the white man. He writes of the beauty and calm of his home and how much he wants to be back among his people because he misses their lack of complexity and the freedom of their lifestyle “…where there is no hurry to get anywhere, no driving to keep up in a race that knows no ending and no goal” (Whitecloud 313). The young man feels anger over how his people are forced to live, selling their culture as cheap souvenirs, and even to accomplish that his people must use shameful tactics.
The difference here is that he didn’t know which was right; he had no knowledge about anything because society of that time was too hypocritical. With time his perception of things changes and he struggles with inner conflicts but he still has a southern mentality. Now that Huck has moral and he knows how to differentiate good and bad, he discovers the close relationship he has with Jim. Huck says, “I knowed he was white inside”(230) Huck recognized that Jim and him were just the same, that color doesn’t mean they are different. He appreciates Jim for what he is and how he treats him back.