street car named desire

Essay 3 - Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire

In the plays Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire the return of the past to have an impact on the present is seen in both Willy and Blanche. This theme of the past impacting the present, stands out because someone’s past always remains a part of them and nothing can change that. Examples of Willy and Blanche’s past affecting their present include having false dreams, troubles involving their love lives, how both act like somebody different from their true selves, and through both of their eventual self destruction to insanity.
The reader can see how Willy and Blanche’s past have had an impact on the present through their false dreams. In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman always had the false dream that he would become a very prominent salesman. He had gone up and down the northeastern United States for many years trying to make a lot of sales and become a very prestiguous salesman. He grew up thin...