Arthur Miller s Focus On The World War - 1043 Words

Arthur Miller’s Focus (1945) is a revolutionary work that highlights racism, especially anti-Semitism, in America. Written during the last year of the Second World War, Focus is a groundbreaking work in every sense of the word inasmuch as it is the first literary work that deals directly with anti-Semitism in the United States. Statistically speaking, there were two main waves of Jewish immigrants to the United States between 1820 and 1920. According to Susan Haberle, â€Å"the first group of Jewish people came from Germany, Austria, and Hungary. These immigrant left to seek a better life† (Haberle 6). The second group was the biggest wave; they came between 1880 and 1920: â€Å"these immigrants came from Poland, Romania, Russia, and other eastern†¦show more content†¦When the story opens, Lawrence Newman can scarcely see without glasses. The glasses he is obliged to wear serves a double function, restoring his sight and opening his eyes to the mistreatment of his Jewish neighbors. Because the glasses cause people to mistake Newman for a Jew, he is forced to walk a mile in the shoes of his â€Å"fellow† Jews. Consequently, Newman’s eyes are opened and he is able to discern in the face of Finkelstein the voice of God. God speaks to Newman, as Emmanuel Là ©vinas (1906-1995) would have it, saying, â€Å"Thou shalt not murder† (89)—with all that, that implies. The key point in the novel is the proper ethical behavior towards the Other, which is most powerfully manifested in Mr. Finkelstein. Miller uses him to show the suffering of Jews and the existence of anti-Semitism in America. Mr. Finkelstein, who works in his candy store in a Christian neighborhood in a Brooklyn Navy Yard, suffers a lot from threats and attacks intended to force him from the neighborhood. Actually, Mr. Finkelstein serves as a sort of Jewish Everyman, his experiences mirroring that of many thousands of American Jews. Despite his sufferings, he willingly puts his life at risk by coming to Newman’s rescue after the latter is attacked by thugs while returning home from the movies. Newman’s new pair of glasses causes him to be mistaken forShow MoreRelatedA Detailed Analysis of Death of a Salesman1199 Words   |  5 Pagessuccess on to his two sons becomes his main focus. Miller’s life during the preparation of Death of a Salesman provides the spark and inspiration needed to pen a literary classic. Almost five decades later, Death of a Salesman’s themes is still relevant in today’s society. Arthur Asher Miller was born October 17, 1915 in Harlem, New York City. Miller was the son of Isadora and Augustus Miller, Polish Jewish immigrants who settled in Harlem in the early 1900’s. Arthur’s father owned a successful women’sRead MoreAmerica s The American Dream1537 Words   |  7 Pagesopinions, which is why the American Dream isn’t one set notion. But does the American Dream have influences? Do people or idea’s influence the American Dream? The answer is yes. Media. As history progressed, technology and media revolutionized the world. The media has transformed the way people view society-everything we want, need, and see is persuaded through media. Which is why media influences the representation of the American Dream. THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO ADD MY THESIS. Now, what’s my â€Å"AmericanRead MoreArthur Miller s Psychological And Social Magnitude Of His Characters1657 Words   |  7 Pagessee, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.†- Arthur Miller B. As a serious essayist and playwright who believed in the ability dramas had in bringing about change, Arthur Miller investigated the psychological and social magnitude of his characters. His plays attempted to go beyond trouble-free pieces in order to give an insight and deal in depth with ethical and moral issues. Miller was interested in how common people could live in harmony with others without surrenderingRead MoreEssay about Arthur Miller1626 Words   |  7 PagesTheater Appreciation ARTHUR MILLER Of the list of American playwrights the one I thought I would find most interesting is Arthur Miller. Being relatively familiar with some of his work I wanted to learn more about him. Through the research I have done I have been able to find some very interesting information about Millers work as well as his personal life. Arthur Miller was born in New York on October 17, 1915. His father, Isidore Miller, was a ladies-wear manufacturer and shopkeeper whoseRead MoreThe Hands Of An Angry God1627 Words   |  7 Pagesgruesome hysteria. â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†, written by Jonathan Edwards in the mid-1700’s, is a sermon directed to a Puritan congregation urging with orthodox fervor for transgressors to repent. Arthur Miller wrote the allegorical play The Crucible in 1953, lively portraying the hysteria occurring during the Salem Witch Trials in an effort to describe his perceptions of the post-war climate of McCarthyism and the sheer terror of Communism. In the pulpit oratory â€Å"Sinner in the Hands ofRead MoreFilm Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace1505 Words   |  7 Pageshis groundbreaking role as Qui Gon Jinn in the 2002 hit movie Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Liam Neeson is quoted as saying, â€Å"Your focus determines your reality.† I n the context of Salem, Massachusetts, this means that if one focuses on witches and witchcraft, their reality will then become witches and witchcraft. This is exactly what happened during the Salem Witch Trials during the late 1690’s, as immortalized in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. The small Puritan colony became so engrossedRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1611 Words   |  7 PagesResearch paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead More The Crucible - Was The Mass Hysteria Necessary? Essay1037 Words   |  5 Pagesby Authur Miller investigates the effects of hysteria, superstitions and repression on the Salem Community in the late 1600’s. Author Miller, 1915- was born in New York City and graduated from Abraham High School in Brooklyn, New York. Miller later went on to graduate school at the University of Michigan, 1938, where he received a prize for his play write. After college Miller joined the United States Army and fought in World War II. Miller also went through the great depression. Arthur Miller’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1548 Words   |  7 Pages Research paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead More The Dangers of Shirking Responsibility in Arthur Millers All My Sons 967 Words   |  4 PagesDangers of Shirking Responsibility  in Arthur Millers All My Sons  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Arthur Millers All My Sons is a well-made play in every sense of that term. It not only is carefully and logically constructed, but   addresses its themes fully and effectively. The play communicates different ideas on war, materialism, family, and honesty. However, the main focus, especially at the plays climax, is the issue of personal responsibility. In particular, Miller demonstrates the dangers of shirking responsibility