Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Examine and analyse the impact of digital media Essay Example for Free

Examine and analyse the impact of digital media Essay Before examining the effect that Digital Media has on society and indeed western culture, we need to discover what the term Digital Media actually means Just what is it that distinguishes Digital Media from previous forms of combined media? It is the fact that the bits that represent text, sound, pictures, and so on can be treated as data by computer programs. A computer program is able to control the order in which various components are presented and combined, and can do so in response to input from a computer user. In other words, Digital Media can be interactive, in a way that, for example, a TV news bulletin is not, and that goes far beyond the simple control afforded by a VCR. Digital Media is a term used to describe any computer application that uses more than one type of output medium, such as text, graphics, video, animation or sound. Strictly speaking, the term media is the plural of medium, just as data is the plural of datum. Digital media has two states: Static and Dynamic. Static digital media are items, which do not have the capability to do something, move or react with the environment, for example, text and graphics. Dynamic digital media consists of audio, video and animation, which all have the ability to stream and play or move, i. e. do something dynamic. There are many areas of society that have been affected by Digital Media including education, commerce, communications, entertainment, among others, which are to be explored in this essay. When discussing education nowadays Digital Media is a vital ingredient not only in the learning of students but also as a teaching aid for tutors. In secondary schools and universities, Digital Media is always apparent in the classroom, lecture hall or laboratory. Digital multimedia teaching materials can be used to present information in more direct ways than traditional books and lessons. For example, film clips and original recordings of radio broadcasts can be integrated with a textual account of events leading up to the Second World War in a history lesson. Virtual Science lessons can take place, where equipment and materials are insufficient; students can work on a digitally mastered piece of software that allows the experiment to occur virtually. In both instances allow pupils to work at their own pace and indeed pursue individual interests they may have. An example of how teaching has been affected by Digital Media is Computer Aided Learning (CAL). CAL commonly uses CD-based digital and multimedia systems for delivering staged lessons and for testing learning. Individual records of progress can be stored on hard disks. Many reference materials designed for browsing, such as encyclopaedias, are now designed in digital media format. Computer Aided Design (CAD) has also had a huge impact on the designing world. Garden designers and house invaders alike can now simply use Digital Media elements to create a life-like 3-Dimensional garden or room. This has allowed CAD to take off and now is commonly used as a norm for such designers. As with the virtual science experiments in schools, Digital Media can be used to produce interactive stimulations of equipment and procedures, in cases where it could be expensive and in some cases hazardous to use the real thing for training. The social impact of Digital Media on education speaks for itself (literally) if students knew less now than their historical counterparts because of the impact of digital forms of educational media, the state of the health of the nations academic benchmarks such as University Challenge would have dumbed-down noticeably. This has not been the case at all; in fact more points are now gained than ever before. Digital Media has a contrasting impact on commerce to that of education. Much of the material used in business is produced for a specific company or client, often in-house. Ebay is the most recognised and most used commercial machine ever, Digital Media has allowed this to happen. Ebay works like a virtual auction, where the public view an image of the item for sale and bid for it. Without Digital Media Ebay would not exist, digitally crafted images have a huge impact on the consumer market, without a well-captured image of the product, customers will not bid. It would be like roulette, you would not know what you are going to get! Digital Multimedia is also extensively used in sales presentations and promotions; for example, computers on sale in a show room often run high quality graphic media to show off their capabilities, and web pages often function as catalogues or brochures. Graphic designers are able now with the use of Digital Media applications are able to create electronic versions of their portfolio. An electronic portfolio can be inexpensively duplicated onto CD-ROM and sent to potential clients, or even posted on a web site as an online virtual exhibition. This is not only the case for graphic designers but also the general trend for documentation is electronic-books or e-books. This move from a hard copy to digital format has provided the opportunity to make use of Digital Media elements such as video clips, animation and images to explain thoroughly and supplement the text. Kiosks are a further of example of Digital Media making and impact on society. Kiosks are used to provide information in public places such as museums, train stations and airports. They are usually using digital touch-screen technology. These kiosks have enabled the general public and in-particular tourists to have access to essential information at their fingertips, literally. Kiosks do have to be robust to withstand frequent use, and occasional misuse, by the general public. An example of where kiosks have had a considerable impact on society is in Toronto, where digital kiosks have been installed in shopping malls, which allow people to pay local taxes and court fines. Digital Media has allowed communications such as teleconferencing to take place. With use of a Wide-area network, including the Internet, online meetings can be carried out in real-time with the use of video and live sound. This technology can cut the considerable costs and time of travelling to meet people face-to-face. Space Invaders was the first video game to change the habits of people on a national scale. Every pub, bar and club had games machines making money spawned whole industry of games manufacturers and the hardware to go with them so jumpers for goalposts was out and Super Mario was in. Whole generations altered their learning streams and we all became soundbite-oriented. Youngsters today probably will only know about the D-Day landings from playing games like Medal of Honour. No one reads a book anymore is the cry from parental bodies and school governors (but its not true witness the meteoric success of JK Rowlings Harry Potter series for one). Actually what is the difference between digitally streaming a novel through headphones or ear buds to the reader and opening the paper pages of a book? One is more eco-friendly than the other, thats all. Some argue that literacy is a major issue, but surveys show that literacy rates have never been healthier. Old fashioned values are having to adapt the romance attached to old format books and magazines is equitable with that between vinyl L. P. s and MP3 format music files. There are still music aficionados who actually prefer the surface noise produced by a stylus on a record to the silence of Dolby-enhanced CDs Most computer games exploit digital media techniques to the fullest. Indeed, it has been this sector of the IT industry, which has led the way in developing compression and other techniques to get around the inherent limitations of the hardware and communication devices.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Of Mice And Men Essay On Loneliness -- essays research papers

In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck looks at the theme of loneliness as it affects many characters on the ranch. Crooks, Curley's wife, and Candy are the most excluded characters on the ranch, because they all have dreams that they will not be able to live out and they all are at loss when it came to companionship. Crooks is lonely because he is the only black man on the ranch. Since this book is set during the Depression, Jim Crow laws are still in effect, whites and blacks had separate facilities for socializing and living. Crooks comments that he can't live in the bunkhouse, and cant even play cards in there. "I cant' play because I'm black. They say I stink."(68) This quote illustrates that Crooks feels the pain of rejection more that he let's people see. In fact, Crooks protects himself by acting like a "proud and aloof man."(67) The full extent of Crooks's suffering is made clear in chapter 4 when Crooks lashes out at Lennie. Viewing Lennie as a symbol of all the white men who had hurt him, Crooks strikes out in anger, saying "You got no right to come in my room...Nobody got any right in here but me."(68) Steinbeck states that "Crooks's face lighted with pleasure in his torture."(71) Crooks's anger, though, is really just a cover for the pain he experiences from constant isolation. "A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody ... A guy gets too lonely and he gets sick."(73) This desire to have a connection is apparent later in the scene when Crooks hears Lennie and Candy's plan to buy a little ranch. Wistfully, he suggests, "If you guys want a hand to work for nothing, just his keep, why Id come and lend a hand."(76) No matter how hard Crooks may try to hide the hurt he feels, he clearly would like to be included in this venture with the other men. Crooks's dream, however, lasts only for a few minutes. When Curley's wife threatens Crooks with a lynching, he quickly remembers the terrible reality of his situation . Steinbeck writes "Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego - his voice was toneless."(81) The character of Crooks reflects the universal need for human connection as well as the brutalizing effects of racial prejudice. Like Crooks, Curley's wife is very lonely, but she is lonely for different reasons. Like Crooks Curley's wife suffers from... ...ion. But Candy gets some life back in him when he hears George and Lennie talking about their dream farm. Hearing this gives Candy a reason to live. He would love to join George and Lennie on there farm and he even tells them that he'll give them money to help finance it "I aint't much good with on'y one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch...an' they give me two hunderd an' fifty dollars ‘cause I los' my hand. An' I got fifty more saved up right in the bank, right now...and I got fifty more more comin... S'pose I went in with you guys. Tha's three hundred an' fifty bucks I'd put in."(59) When George agrees to let Candy jump on the wagon and join the farm, you can tell Candy is extremely pleased. But with death of Lennie the dream of the farm dies to. Like the other characters Candy's dream was stolen from him. Candy's character was lonely because he needed human contact but his only companion was his dog which was killed. Loneliness affected many characters in John Steinbecks novel, Of Mice and Men. Crooks, Curley's wife and Candy were affected the most by this loneliness because none of them had a real companion and all of them had dreams which were shattered.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Parenting Techniques

Behavior Parent Training on Fathers Parenting The Behavioral parent training programs have been developed to address child behavior problems through improvement in parenting practices. The triple P or Positive Training Program is widely reported as an effective, evidence based program for parents. However this journal demonstrates that there are significant differences in the program’s effectiveness for mothers and fathers. The analysis on this journal demonstrates that The Positive Parenting Program shows a large effectiveness on mothers while having a smaller effect on fathers parenting practices.Considering that fathers make a significant contribution to child development. It is now well accepted that â€Å"poor† parenting practices will have significant impacts on children’s emotional and behavioral wellbeing. Parents’ harsh inconsistent discipline, inadequate supervision, and a lack of positive relationship have been shown to increase children’ s behavior problems and later on in life lead to substance abuse, antisocial behavior and criminal activities.In order to strengthen parenting competencies and improve parent-child interactions a wide range of Behavioral Parent Training programs have been developed. According to the journal’s analysis the Positive Parenting Program is very effective when involving the mother and the father, and the children are the beneficiaries of better parenting skills. The study does not show which population the program is working on therefore we have to take into consideration how can we make the proper adjustments in order to make it work for other populations.It is a known fact that mothers are more involved with the program and the children than the fathers are, but fathers are getting involved more every time. Prior parental training programs did not focus on fathers or valued any input on it and there was very little literature for the fathers. The fathers’ involvement plays a very important role on the children’s life and upbringing and the fathers’ impact on the child’s life is separate from that of the mothers’.On the one hand, fathers positive parenting (sensitive to children’s’ interests, supportive of their autonomy) has been identified as protective against externalizing problems in young children; on the other hand negative training by fathers (harsh discipline, unstable presence) has been found to increase the behavior problems on both boys and girls. Fathers participation on the program improves the child’s behavior and helps to support each other as parents. So the fathers’ involvement on the program is crucial not only for the child but the mother also.Providers need to support the involvement of fathers in the parenting trainings. The Positive Parenting Program focuses on the participation of both the mother and father, and fathers actually benefit from the program. The Positive Paren ting Program has five levels; the first level focuses on community media, and information on how to deal with basic child problems. Level two offers individual support, providers offer advice and tips on how to deal with child issues, level three does four thirty minutes behavior counseling sessions in order to manage the progress or lack thereof.Level four was developed for children with disabilities, these sessions deal with the child’s misbehavior and offer strategies for encouraging their development, and level five covers a home-based skills training sessions that offer coping with stress and emotions, marital communication support. It is designed for parents at risk of child maltreatment; it also focuses on anger management. The Positive Parent Program has been used by culturally diverse parents, multi languages, face to face, telephone, and electronic modalities with remarkable results.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Therapies For Autistic Children.Individuals Take For Granted

Therapies for Autistic Children Individuals take for granted the luxury of embodying qualities such as communication, interaction, and social and motor skills. Although, individuals may determine the aforementioned skills are more difficult to obtain because of a disability. Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that effects many children in the United States of America. Communication, interaction, and motor and social skills are usually effected in the autistic child. According to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), an estimation of prevalence rate for autism spectrum disorder individuals is one in 68 children in the United States of America (CDC, 2016). Early intervention in the form of†¦show more content†¦According to Gabriels, after research that occurred over a ten-week period, it was concluded that school-age children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder that used therapeutic horseback experienced improvements in se lf-regulation behaviors, motor planning, and language (Gabriels, 2012). Children that struggle with holding a conversation, making eye contact, expression, and verbal communication may gain incredible experience by physical communication with horses. Equine therapy is an enjoyable therapy where children with autism skills that are needed to function in society. Music as a therapy Music therapy is a unique approach to addressing the challenges of autism. According to Center, â€Å"music therapy is a health profession in which a music therapist uses music and its facets- physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual, to help improve and maintain their health. It is considered an expressive therapy† (Center, 2013). Through the practice of music therapy, an individual can obtain skills such as cognitive function, motor skills, emotional and affective development, behavior and social skills are all benefits that can reap from the practice of music therapy (Center, 2013). Music therapy is a truly unique

Friday, December 27, 2019

Renewable Sources Of Energy Glasgow And The West Of...

It has recently come to light that Glasgow and the West of Scotland have been using a great deal of our earth’s precious finite resources. To combat this we must take advantage of our valuable surroundings and look for long term replacements such as solar, wind and tidal power as well as geothermal and hydroelectric sources. In the interest of our planets wellbeing and our country’s economy, the engineers at SECC have created the following report. Our aim is to help you realise the potential of these alternative sources and push for them to replace the power plants burning through our finite resources. One of many possible renewable sources of energy is biomass. Biomass energy is the power that is contained within plant and animals.†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, it would reduce the need for landfills as all organic waste can be turned into biomass energy. Biomass has also been developed as an alternate fuel source and has helped to reduce dependencies on fossil fuels. It is an incredibly versatile form of energy as it can be used for many different purposes. However, despite its many advantages biomass still has many disadvantages. Firstly it is not as efficient as fossil fuels, for example the ethanol produced for cars via biomass is not even close to the efficiency of petrol and does damage to engines over time. It also has the potential to harm the environment through increase of methane gases which are produced as a bi-product if animal and human waste is used. Biomass also requires a large distance away from residential areas in order to burn it and a large amount of fuel in comparison to other energy sources which can have dramatic effects if large portions of forests are cut down to provide lumber.1 The majority of biomass power plants use direct combustion. In a cogeneration facility the steam from the boiler is captured to heat water and buildings. Although this is a dependable technology it only achieves a thermal efficiency of 20%. This can, however, be increased by cogeneration or by co-firing which is the burning of biomass along with coal. Another method being used is gasification of biomass.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Making My Fashion Dreams Become A Reality - 1912 Words

Growing up surrounded by historical landmarks, creative arts, and Southern charm, I have always been an admirer of fashion and beauty. When I was a young child of five years, I would continually play dress-up and dream of becoming a Fashionista that assists movie stars and social elite for their red-carpet appearances. I wanted to contribute to others in seeing the beauty in themselves and the world around them. After about eighteen years, nothing has really changed within my mind-set. Today, I still dream of working in the fashion industry, but more importantly, making a difference in the world. In the process of making my fashion dreams become a reality, at seventeen, I secured enrollment at Northeast Mississippi Community College majoring in fashion merchandising. My first two years at junior college were wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the arts, being the Captain of the Tiger Dancers and Pom Squad, playing as a member of the tennis team, and supporting Prenti ss county as Miss Hospitality 2013. These years taught me time management like no other while also leading me down the path of self-expression and competitiveness. Finding immense knowledge and encouragement from professors in little classrooms and civilians in a small Mississippi town perfected my willingness to strive to do my utmost best in every circumstance, whether it be reaching my goals or helping others. Attending Northeast Mississippi Community College opened for me a world ofShow MoreRelatedIs There a Relationship Between Consumption and Identity?1598 Words   |  7 Pagesexistential for each individual, using the personal responsibilities for ones own actions which create ones own moral values. 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All of Alise’s dreams were cut short when life came into play; balletRead MoreHow Did a Serpent Succeed Where an Angel Failed? Essay1320 Words   |  6 PagesHow Did a Serpent Succeed Where an Angel Failed? The Temptation of Eve in a Dream and in Reality Throughout John Miltons Paradise Lost, the reader feels a sense of foreboding. Because the reader knows that the fall of humankind is inevitable, the warnings and discussion of free will throughout the first eight books of the poem serve only to make Eves transgression all the more tragic. The reader sees evidence of how the fall could have been avoided, and therefore feels as if it was unnecessaryRead MoreThe American Dream By Dolores Hayden871 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream The growth of cities, and their subsequent decay due to a capitalistic order followed by attempts to renew city life along with an exodus of those with means and/or appropriate skin color assisted by policy instruments. 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Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Willy Loman, Tragic Hero or Selfish Individual free essay sample

Willy Loman, the protagonist in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is often referred to as a tragic hero who is forced to commit suicide to valiantly save his family from the â€Å"elusive† American Dream. The majority of critics give readers the impression that Willy was a selfless man that worked himself to death in order to support his family and ensure their success and happiness. He is portrayed as a hard worker with a life full of tribulations and challenges. However, his hard work never seemed to pay off and instead he found himself living the American nightmare. Unfortunately his true character and image is constantly being distorted and readers constantly fall into the trap of believing Willy Loman is a tragic hero, whom deserves nothing less than respect and sympathy. However, after complete understanding of the play one realizes that Willy Loman brought all his misfortunes upon himself due to his warped mindset about success, his dedication in acquiring the approval of others, and his tunnel vision that was only directed towards money and wealth. We will write a custom essay sample on Willy Loman, Tragic Hero or Selfish Individual? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Critic Bert Cardullo summarizes this whole play by claiming, â€Å"What is left in this play is neither a critique of the business world nor an adult vision of something different and better. Rather, it’s the story of a man (granting he was sane) who failed as a salesman and father, and made things worse by refusing to admit those failures, which he knew to be true,† (Cardullo 9). Not only did Willy Loman refuse to admit his constant failings, he also abruptly ends his own life at the end of the play, which should not grant him the title and status of tragic hero, instead Willy should be considered a selfish and arrogant salesman who’s constant failings lead him to commit suicide in order to escape from his dead end life. Critics across the world agree on very few issues when it comes to analyzing literature. However, critics were able to come to a common consensus in defining a tragic hero. All tragic heroes have common characteristics such as wisdom, a flaw or error, recognition that their own actions is leading down the wrong path, and a reversal of fortune. When comparing Willy Loman to the common archetype of the tragic hero he does not come close to fitting the mold all critics agree upon. Through his actions and business endeavors only realizes that Willy Loman lacks any type of wisdom. His constant failures also show that he refuses to recognize the action’s he has taken have been the wrong ones and therefore his difficulties were self inflicted. As the play begins Willy Loman appears to be a salesman hit hard by America’s capitalistic society, which leaves him with most of his unsold merchandise at the end of the day and a family that he is unable to provide for. The fact that he must travel hours on end to attempt a sales deal, and go through many inconveniences to keep his commission-based job, and still have to borrow money from his successful neighbor, portrays Willy as a man who has no luck and is in a desperate state. However, as the story progresses Willy Loman displays a great deal of stubbornness and an irrational understanding of success. His only concern in life is to achieve the elusive American Dream. Unfortunately, â€Å"in a country with an every-man-a-king theology the delusion of royalty is a powerful drug, a dangerous dream. And Miller argued that the fall, on waking up, can be fatal, can meet the demands of tragedy,†(Corliss). The reader realizes early on that Willy did not truly understand what the American Dream meant and that he was headed down the wrong road. Willy is in this position of desperation because he acts like he is working hard to support his family when in reality he is only consumed with acquiring wealth and status. During one of Willy’s flashbacks he says, â€Å"Bernard can get the best marks in school, yunderstand, but when he gets out in the business world, yunderstand, you are going to be five times ahead of him†¦Be liked and you will never want,† (Miller 935). Willy is advocating that education is a waste of time. He attempts to convince his son that high marks in school may seem nice for the time being, however in the business world they mean nothing. Willy Loman is an emotionally stunted father that refuses to act his age and is setting the worst of precedents for his two sons (Thompson). How can a man with such a mindset be given the honor and title of tragic hero? All archetypes for tragic heroes mention wisdom early on the list of characteristics. If Willy had a bit of wisdom he would emphasize the importance of his children’s education. Rather he explains that success and happiness come from the approval of others. Although his job is clearly heading in the wrong direction, he does not press pause and try to turn his situation around. Instead he dedicates his time and effort to other minuscule causes such as seeking approval of his counterparts. Willy is a salesman with high goals and expectations. It is common knowledge that success and achievement of goals is due to a definitive plan and determination. As a salesman Willy must understand that his success will only come from making sales. Rather than spending time he will never get back trying to seek approval, he must spend that time reaching out to new potential clientele and trying to convince them to buy his product. Unfortunately, at this point in the play, Willy has reached the age of senior citizenship and the reader realizes that he spent countless time running after a dream with the wrong game plan. Instead of focusing all his efforts on making sales and finding new clientele, he spent a large portion of his time with people who would not benefit him and chasing after selfish causes. He was completely blinded by the opportunity of achieving high status. He did not realize that status would take away from the success and advancement of his business. One would think that with age comes wisdom. Willy has been working in sales for as long as he can remember yet he was never able to recognize that his actions were taking him through a cycle of failure. He is not able to understand that success comes with hard work and dedication. At this point Willy is at a dead end. He refuses to actually put some work and effort into his business endeavors. He is at a point where everything that lay before him was composed of difficulties, trials, and tribulations. He led himself into a state of extreme poverty and he was relying on the financial support of his neighbor to provide for his family. Unfortunately, Willy had too much pride to speak to his family about the situation he has put himself into. He felt that eventually he would be able to work his way back up the ladder, however he was digging himself into a deeper hole with each new day. With all these difficulties the reader is compelled to feel sympathy for this helpless character which is a characteristic of a tragic hero; however he did not deserve an ounce of sympathy because a true tragic hero’s fate is much greater than what he truly deserves. Willy Loman’s fate was self inflicted. He had so many debts and a dead end job because he did not work. He would go on business trips and make a social hour out of it. His fate and situation was fully deserved. Another clear flaw in Willy’s character was he was given an opportunity to redeem himself, erase his past, and turn his life around. His neighbor Charlie, offered Willy a job. Charlie explained to him, â€Å"You can make fifteen dollars a week. And I wont send you on the road,† (Miller 969). For a man in desperation, this would seem to be an offer sent down from the heavens. However in the case of Willy, this offer was an insult and a direct shot at the little pride he was able to build over the years. Ultimately he rejected the job offer out of arrogance. Willy, who felt life should hand him amazing opportunities rejected a job that would make all his difficulties disappear. A tragic hero is known to make many mistakes along his journey. However, eventually they have an awakening and attempt to make a genuine change. Willy was handed the situation where he can make a genuine change and he selfishly denied it so people would not think of him as a lesser man; Willy fails to realize that people do not even bother to think of him as a man. Critics constantly argue that Willy Loman was left in a situation with no hope. They argue that Willy’s main concern was to keep his family happy and fully supported. Contrary to popular belief, he was a selfish and arrogant person who only cared for status and wealth. Had Willy been concerned about the state of his family and their survival, he would have jumped at the opportunity for a new job. He would not have thought twice about it and he would have accepted on the spot. This job could have turned everything around for him and his family. He was always explaining that he was worn out and, â€Å"tired to the death,†(Miller 924). It was apparent that he was no longer in shape to travel anymore, however he denied a job offer that gave him everything he desperately longed for, leaving one to question his true intentions. Was Willy truly concerned with the well being of his family? As Willy’s life passes him by, he misses the most important aspects of it. He is not able to realize that he has something many men long for. He has a wife, Linda, who is not concerned with the amount money he makes. She says â€Å"I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived.†(Miller 948). However even after all these shortcomings, she makes it clear that her love for him will only grow stronger with each new day. He also has two sons, yet he always ignores them and has a bad relationship with them. He does not even attempt to reconcile with his sons. His son Biff resents him because he found out that his father was having affairs with other women while he travelled. His son Happy has never been put in the spotlight, or given any attention even though he is the most successful one regardless of his position of â€Å"assistant to the assistant manager.† Willy tries to convince himself that his family is the most important aspect in life, however he never truly tries to be there for them both physically and financially. All these problems cannot be blamed on capitalistic America. Instead there is no one to blame but Willy himself. He was not interested in the well being of his family; if he was, he would connect with his sons and he would rebuild his relationship with them. Willy’s actions are contradictory to the dream he so desperately appears to be chasing. He is having troubles maintaining stability within his home and therefore uses his business as an outlet to get away. He hits the road pretending to make sales when in reality he is after an unclear dream, status and pleasure. Willy brings all these problems upon himself causing his own hopelessness. Eventually all these problems begin to cause regret and denial in Willy. Instead of accepting the job offer from his neighbor he begins to think of other ways to get his family back on their feet. He realizes that he has no choice but to kill himself. He felt that he was, was worth more dead than alive (Miller). Willy was so pompous, he would rather end his life and provide his family with his insurance policy instead of taking a hit to his pride and admitting his wrongs. He did not want to be judged by others and therefore he rejected a perfect job opportunity, although nobody would judge a man that was trying to make a genuine change for the wellbeing of his family. He convinced himself that the only resort would be killing himself. He thought his suicide would show him in a more positive light and would allow him to pay off his debts, causing others to consider him a righteous and respectable man. He was willing to take his own life for the sake of some recognition, which he never received after he was gone. Arthur Miller put Willy Loman in such a situation because, â€Å"He was grieving for mankind, for man’s inability to connect with his fellow man, maybe for the need to dream. Miller saw the American Dream as a kind of curse, for it led us to mistake ambition for destiny, and to suffer the inevitable slump and crumble when reality makes mock of the dream† (Corliss). This play is not supposed to instill sympathy in the reader, proving that Willy was not created to be a tragic hero. Instead, he is supposed to be used as an example of how not to go about achieving your dreams and goals. One critic goes on to claim that Miller’s true intentions were to, â€Å"identify the sins of the father, of all the fathers who grabbed for too much, who didnt care enough,† (Corliss). Willy made mistakes which are human and acceptable, however he was given multiple chances to redeem himself and he rejected them out of arrogance. A person in despair should not be embarrassed to seek assistance and should accept advice from the wise people that surround him. People need to learn to connect and work with each other. Embarrassment and pride, similar to Willy’s case, will only lead to downfall. Critic Bert Cardullo summarizes the end of Willy by stating, â€Å"In fact, he [Willy] kills himself for money. Because he confuses materialistic success with worthiness for love,†(Cardullo 9). In conclusion, Willy Loman’s pride and delusions led him to commit suicide. Willy did not die the death of a hero he died the death of a man who was too full of himself. His actions would have been understandable if he was cornered and had absolutely no other choice to financially support his family. However, one opportunity after the other was thrown in his direction to redeem himself and his precious pride caused him to reject them. He felt his suicide would make all his problems disappear and bring his family happiness. A hero does everything in his power to fight until the end, yet Willy saw no hope and therefore saw no reason to continue living. Willy left his wife grieving over his grave, questioning why he would leave his family and causing them to endure all this pain. His entire life was based on working towards the American Dream and achieving the approval of others, but we see how far that got him when no one attends his funeral. Willy Loman did not truly desire the American Dream. He was in the pursuit of a warped version of success. He spent countless hours and business trips seeking the approval of others and sexual pleasures. His death and journey were not one of a tragic hero. Willy never admitted to his flaws and never attempted to turn things around. Simply put he was a selfish and self consumed individual. When he realized how deep the hole he dug himself into became, he arrogantly ended his life as an escape. He did not think twice about what he was leaving behind. Willy only cared for wealth and status, and when he realized he would never attain either, he no longer found a purpose for his life. Critic, Bert Cardullo, proves this point in his journal entry in the Columbia Journal of American studies by writing: â€Å"In fact, he kills himself for money. Because he confuses materialistic success with a worthiness for love,† (Cardullo). Willy’s perception of status and wealth being the epitome of success blinded him from the true purpose of life and the true American Dream. Such a character is an ill to society that does not deserve the honor to be classified as a tragic hero. â€Å"Willy Loman is an aging and mediocre salesman who will not grow up, but who will instead remain an impulsive and â€Å"mercurial† boy groping ineffectually for success in a world that pays him no heed,† (Thompson 245).