The Password Is Courage

Throughout life everyone encounters problems, but it is these problems that will eventually help one later on in life. In “Annointed With Oils” By Alden Nowlan, and Death of a Salesman By Arthur Miller, when people desire a better life, it gives them the courage to not be the same as everyone else. Characters in the stories learn the importance of family, finances, and personal value in order to strive for a better life. Showcased in both the short story and the play two individuals encounter many obstacles, which result in them learning how to reach out for the best, despite the consequences.
Determined by watching others grow around them, learning from their mistakes influences the decision of Edith and Biff to develop as individuals, differently from the societies around them. Edith comes to realize that family in an individual’s life is very precious, but people forgot the definition of it in today’s world. This is demonstrated when Edith is lost in her own thoughts: “Such scandals belonged to the shacks. And she wanted to escape from the shacks. She wanted to move into a world which woman had babies, and in which men and woman stayed married forever” (Nowlan,4). Edith being caught up in her thoughts about the way a family should be, makes it clear that many people can not keep the strings tied anymore in relationships. “She wanted to move into a world which woman had babies, and in which men and woman stayed married forever” proves that many families in Edith’s community may not be stable. In order to pursuit happiness, having a family that has a strong foundation of love and support will help you move forward in life. In Edith’s case, her fantasies of leaving her job, and shack were quite extraordinary. Even though she had known her family was “corrupt” after receiving the news of many of her father being in prison, she refused the offer of helping him out for a short period time before Edith had changed her mind: “Then moving so quickly so that she would not have time to think, she turned on the light and dressed. Five minutes later she was telephoning for a taxi to take her to the courthouse” (Nowlan,8). At the end of the day, Edith realized that those people that had raised her were her family, and the value of family goes through the roof. She cannot do much with out them, and in order to pursuit her dreams, having her family by her side is necessary. On the other hand, Biff had always respected his family’s values, even though he had not shown it. In the past, while Biff was younger, he was satisfied with his accomplishments of making his father proud of him, as shown when he was about to begin his football match: “ I’m takin’ one play for Pop. You watch me, Pop, and when I take off my helmet that means I’m breakin’ out. Then you watch me crash through the lines” (Miller, 32). In this quote it is shown that Biff is encouraged to play a touchdown, to make his father feel proud of him. Biff has always wanted to put his family first before himself and even