“Fifty years after it was written, Death of a Salesman remains a powerful drama. His indictment of core American values ​​and the American Dream of material success may seem a little trivial in today's age of constant national and individual self-examination and criticism, but his challenge was quite radical for its time” – SparkNotes It is said that American literature is timeless and recognizable with its use of “American values ​​and the American dream of material success.” American literature reflects the differences between respect between the upper and lower class. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman contribute to the meaning of American literature, with the incorporation of the American dream and female characters. In the desperate pursuit of the American dream one can become corrupt and self-centered. Aspects of the novel The Great Gatsby and the play Death of a Salesman demonstrate the slow emotional and social fall of the protagonists Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman with reference to the American dream and female characters such as Daisy Buchanan and Linda Loman. Both protagonists illustrate the notion of individual sacrifice in pursuit of the American dream. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby works to obtain the luxurious components of life. For Gatsby, the American dream consists of financial success and a superior position in society. He spends much of his life trying to reach a significant and higher social class. He has a great house, a great car and the best parties in town. Americans tend to respect the upper class more due to their high education, luxury goods, and wealth. Gatsby gained respect after he became wealthy and prominent in society...middle of paper...in women's lives. While some might argue that American literature relies on audience and setting, these two elements do not. no transition between times. The setting and audience of the present have evolved in the sense that there are certain expectations. It is mainly based on the future and development. The setting has also changed in terms of geography and people. Cultural allusions from the past may be unknown to today's audiences, so they would have no meaning. American literature should reproduce timeless elements such as themes and gender roles. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Sons of Charles Scribner, 1925. Print.Miller, Arthur. Death of a salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. Print.SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on the Death of a Salesman.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Network. 4 February. 2011.