An Analysis to Linda——A Woman Struggling in Life

科技信息人文社科An Analysis to Linda- A Woman Struggling in LifeChangsha Social Work College Applied Foreig Language Dept. Tang Jing[Ahstract ]Arbur Mllr's Death of a Salesman gives prorninant presentaion to the male characters but keeps the fenale charactersalmost unticed. This paper will focus on Linda Lowman, the only woman on stage much of the tine, analyze Linda器a womanstuggling in life, 8o as to discloe the injustice d the society and the eampines of the American Dream in the post - war American 80-[Key words] Linda, character, stuggle, American Dreamabout a salesman nanmed Willy Lowman. Contrary to the prominent pre- knows that she is the only person who will show amy concem for whethersentation of the male characters in this play, the female characters areWilly lives or dies. Of course, 8 a realistic character, Linda herselfalmost often kept unnoticed, among who Linda Lowman is the onlyalso ralizces that Willy doeas not deserve the defense; however, in orderwonan who is on stage much of the time. Although Linda' B role幽a 1o keep the whole farmily harmonious and together, she must defendwoman in society is very much limited, she is a complex character,Willy 80 as to keep his central position in the family both幽a father andcrucial to the male characters in Lowman family who are failures in theirthe major financial provider. Linda just protects her husband staunchlylives to sone extent. Linda' B nature is revealed through her interactionsagainst any accusation from her sons. When ahe knows that B进andwith her family members. Acting both 朗a wife and a mobher, LindaHappy desert their fathler in the restaunant, Linda' 8 anger is inlamed.stuggles hard t切come to terms with her husband and sons 80 as to keepIn conclusion, to koep the family intact, Linda always acts as obedientLowman family harmonious and intact; however, she fnally fails to do and uderstanding to her husband, and will do or a anything for him.80. In the fllowing, detailed analyis will be given to prove that LindaWhile facing her sos alone, Linda is presented as the great moch-is a woman tugeing in life.erimage. She is tolerant to Bi and Happy. In order t切kee frmilyConfined to the family, Linda behaves晒an ideaharmorious, she acts明the mediator and tries to mend the tense rela-in the play. She is caring, and is responsible for housekoeping and sup tions between Willy and Bi, though remaining unaware of what hasport. She loves and adnires her busbend Willy Lowrman. Wheneverhappened betwen Willy and Bif throughout the play. On the oneWilly fele depresed, Linda dfe her support and encournges himhand, she tries to call her husband's understanding towards Bif" s fail-When Willy fele that he has filed in seig, Linda says:“But you're ures; on the other hand, she roquires Bif and Happy' s concem and地doing wonderful, dear." When Willy wries about his appearance,spect for their father. Before her sons, Lnda shows ber ieleligence andLinda tlls him that he is“the handsonest man in the world" to her.nsight. She ell B近that“a man is not a bird, to come and go withThough Linda has found out that Willy is always lost in his ilusions andthe spingine" . Linda wants Bff to change and esablish a stable life.dreans, she seldom tries to bring him back to the reality. Instead, sheShe says that someday Bi进will leave for a year, come back and findeven belpe to boast Willy higher and keeps him in his ilusions blindly.that they' re gone. In her epeeches, Linda expoes her sons ' flaws andWhen Willy scems to realize that he has problem with drving, Lindauncovers the real situation of the family. She ell Bif that his fatherjust finds several excuses for him 10 divert him from the truth. Evenhas done everything for his benefit, and even directly emphasizes,when Linda finds out Willy' 8 intention of self- kilig, she does noth-“Bif, his life is in your hands" 8o as to call for her sons' atertion toing positive to prevent it and makes no reference to it while facing Wil-their father. As a mother, Linda is considerate and thoughtful. Whenly, for she thinks that any reference to it will embarass Willy and hurtshe reproaches her sons ’negligence of their father, Linda centers herhis pride. As the one that manges the finances of the house, Lindadefense of Willy not on his role 8 a father, but on his staus as a hu-weighs the expendiure againet the income arflully. Each tine whenman being. Linda docs not specify who must regard Willy in particular,she reminds her husband how much money is necessary to maintain thethus avoiding a specific acustion against ber sons. She just repeatedlyfamily, Linda does it in a casual way. Though she realizes that the 6-arnounces that "Attention, atention must be fnally paid to such a per-nancial condition of the family is declining, she never forcea Willy tooson." In Bif and Happy' 8 eyea, Linda is a perfect mother, and winsmuch to eam the money. Even when she finds out that Willy has no in-their respects. Though Bif ofien qarrels with his father, he alwayscoome and borows from their neighbor Chardey, Linda never points it outtries to follow his mother' s advice. Once he even asks Willy to“stopbefore Willy. Linda does alll these jut to maintain her bhusband's Byelling t ber" . Bfr' 8 breakup of the relationship with his father alsoteem and pride, keeping Willy in his dreams.resuts from tbe uncovering of Willy' 8 betrayal of Linda. Happy,Depicted as“the emel wife figure" , Linda is often devalued andthouygh treats other women purely幽sex objects and has litle repect forabused unecessanly by her bhusbend. Before Willy, her speeches anethem, he still says that he wants“Somebody with character, with reais-often intermupted, and ber sugstioes are ofen ignored. However, Lin-tance! Like Mom" . Linda is 80 important for them that when she scoldsda's whole life silll revolves around Willy. She is always wlling 10 be-them ferely for their poor treatment of Willy, Bif and Happy beomelieve Willy, and is even ready to rejet her sons Bif and Happy at anysbocktime, serving的her husband's only dender. In Aat I Scene 9, Linda中国煤化工ou that drvioas deceppaocuses Bif of making his fatbher bad - tempered,“It s when you comerespecYHCNMHG: her husband and ber sonshomehe' 8 always the worst." She makes the choice of her husbandThe reason is mainly thatover her Bons and tlls Bif that he can not love her if be does not loveshe just tries to keep the whole familyogther. Throughout the play,Willy. When Bi condemns that his father has mo sense of character evidences can be found to show that, irmluenced by the values of theand no respects for Linda, Linda even cries out," 'Then make ChadeyAmerican Dream, Linda shares in Willy' B ideals to some degree. The一_ 102.科技信息人文社科mentioning of the“shaving lotion" at the beginning of both the two Acts her best and has exbausted herself. Bf' s words about Linda' B gayindicates Linda' 8 reminiscence of the past happy times when the familyhair expose the fact that Linda has aged consideably because d her de-members were hamonious and loved each other. Linda prefers a rela- manding bhusband and the burden of caring the whole family. Linda de-tively stable life, terefore, in the flashback, when Ben invites Willy to voles herself whole - hearedly just to get a house with nobody bome" ,即to Alaska, Linda reminds Willy of his "beautiful job" as a salesnana broken family.8o as to keep him stay in the city. Linda tries hard to do with her pr-Linda' s filure to fu6ill her dream of a harmonious and intaxct fam-esent situation in the city. She deals with the family finances arully, ily is the result far beyond the play. The deep root lies in the Americanwanting to be free from financial worries and having a house of their owmsociety. On tbhe one hand, the unealistic dream of Linda esentiallyin the city. Thus, even in the Requien when Linda stands before Wi-coones from the 80 - called Aneican Dream, which conveys the idealdly's grave the last timne, she still does not forget to tell her husband thata family with a fnencially sccssful father figure, a caring wife respon-she has made the last peyment on the house. Linda behaves obedient sible for bousekeeping, children minimum of two, a nice house, a niceand patient before Willy jut because she wants to protect him and keepcar and the white picket fence, propagatd by the flawed American 0-his esten and pride. Though Linda berself knows that Willy' s condi-ciety. In 8uch kind of Dream, wormen are subordinated and portayed吕tion is serious, and also realizes the social injustice outside, she etillobedient and caring, while men are depicted a the center and the f-enablcs and encourages Willy to live in his dreams, because Linda is nancial provider of the family. Under the inluence of such kind ofclear that without his dreams, Willy will go insane and die one day,ideas, Linda is hindered from doing anything positive to prevent thewbich will probably lead to the breakup of the whole family. Cerainly,tagedy of Willy' 8 deah. On the other band, the cruel American 8oci.from the play it is indicated that Linda sometines tries to point out the ety leads to the breakup of Linda's dream. Just like what Iinda pointstruth to Willy. When Willy says that he wants to buy gone soods, sheout in Act IScene9,“A small man can be jut as exhausted 蹈a greatresponds,“But not enough sun gets back there. Nouhing' II grow anyman.”In such kind of cruel society, Willy has been exploited too muchmore." Linda even points out the problem of Willy,' 'You' ve got tooand is fnally kicked out when he is old, which result in his suicide.much on the ball to worry about.”“Your mind is overactive, and theWilly' s experience and suffering reveal how coumon people can be地-mind is what counts, dear." However, Linda never confonts Willy d duced to nohing. It is the social injustie that fnally causes the tragedyrocely like when she is before her sons. In short, in order to keep theof the Lowman farmily.Lowman family harmonious and intact, Linda struggles hard in her lifeLinda, the relaively realistic and reasonable character, bere in1o deal with her husband and sons.the play serves as the spokeswonan of Arthur Miller, disecloeing the ab-Nevertheless, all ber eforts go in vain fnally as a result of Willy' solute truth of the poet - war American socity - the injustice of the 80-8 suicide. Linda has spent 90 much time and energy on one aim-ciety and the emptiness of the American Dream. At the end of the play,keeping the whole family together, which is also her dream, but the f-Linda'g repetition-“We' re free" - serves因a lngering tone of thenal result is that Willy kills himself, Bif is going to leave, and Happy tragedy. It is also a lament on human life. Linda, though stugglinginsists on the urealisice dream. The whole family is broken, with onlyhard in ber life to pursue her dream, fails at last and is even victim-one thing ledft to Linda- an empty house of her own. Linda is evenized. To avoid the repettion of such kind of modem tagedy, ttentionpartly responsible for her husband's suicide. It is she who keeps Willy mu威t be paid.lost in his fale reality and even boasts him higher into the sky; it is shewho shakes Willy' s decision to go of to Alaska, thus causing Willy toReference bookslose his pportunity and stay in the sffocating city from which Willy is[1]Lat，Brian w. York Notes: Death of a Salesman. Beijig:longing to get foe; it is alo Linda who first finds out Willy g tendencyWorld Pubishing Corporation, 1991.of self- kiling but does nothing positive to prevent it from happening.[2] Roberts, Edepar V. and Henry E. Jacobe. Literature: An In.The most ironic thing is that throughout the play linda is sid 10 be he troduction to Reading and Witing. 4灿h ed. Englewood Cifs, New Jer-only person that loves Willy unondioially for whohe is, but in realitysey: Prentice Hall .she has no idea who he is at al. Though she makes eforts to under-[3] Roberts, James L. Death ofa Salesman: Clifls Notes. lin-stand Willy' s dreams of sucs, Linda lacks the imagination to do so. coln, Nebraska: Cliffs Notes, 1996.There is a lack of mutual understanding between the couple. Linda tries(上接第101页)时,应随着学生水平的提高力求体现方法和形式,另-方面,必须清醒地认识到该理论并非医治当前外语教式上的变化,即将思维发展及其与语言、环境的关系和学习过学一切问题的灵丹妙药,也存在种种偏颇之处有待完善,如该程有机地联系在- -起，以激发学生的学习兴趣,促进意义建构理论过 于强调学习者信息加工过程的个别差异性,而否认其在的形成。将这些知识与课堂知识有机地结合起来,便能更加自本质 上的共同性,反映在英语教学中就很难付诸实施。然恰当地使用语言。英语教学活动不仅仅是认知过程，也是思维过程,。要促使学生积极参加语言实践，让学生们边听边想边说,思维训练与语言训练同时进行。参考文献3.对建构主义学习理论要有清醒认识[1]袁志远.用建构主义理论构建英语教学模式[]] .教书目前，有关建构主义学习理论的研究正方兴未艾,同时它育人,2007.(8): 97: 98又是我国新- -轮教育改革的主要指导性理论之一,一方面,我中国煤化工山东教育出版社,007.们应注重学习理论研究与外语教学实践的接轨，突破传统教学100-MHC N M H G导下的英语课堂教学;的局限，加强理论与真实生活实践的联系,开发出能有效支持学生主动建构知识、促进知识在情境中迁移的高效英语教学模改革 [J].教育理论与实践报,2007,(7): 54- 5s6.103--