Reflection on Great Books: A Raisin in the Sun and Death of A Salesman

Name
Course
Professor
Date
Final Self-Reflection
1 Which was your favorite book/play(s) this term?  Why?
My favorite plays this term was "A Raisin in the Sun", written by Lorraine Hansberry, and "Death of A Salesman" by Arthur Miller. These two pieces explore the theme of the American Dream from different perspectives, which attracted my attention. The play by Hansberry explores the lives of an African American family trying the fulfil the American Dream. However, societal prejudice and morals and their individual interpretation and pursuit of the American Dream lead to family conflicts. The source of the problems is the 10000 USD insurance Mr Younger left behind when he died.
In Miller's "Death of A Salesman", the objective is to show how the American Dream can be misinterpreted. It specifically aims to show how capitalism, corporatism and materialism destroy Willy Loman's family. The American Dream's primary objective was to positively impact American society, contrary to how the novel portrays; the protagonist's life turning tragic. Therefore, I liked this piece because it uses drama to teach people about the American dream and its hurdles. They also explore how the concept of the American Dream can be misinterpreted, leading to wrong results.
2 Which was your least favorite work(s)?  Why?  
This term, the least favorite of the work has been "Benjamin Franklin as the Embodiment of the American Dream." The piece is great. It presents the genesis and the motivation behind the American Dream. Benjamin Franklin is considered an icon in American society. He dedicated his life to fighting for equality as he championed upward mobility regardless of a person's race or class. However, it was the least of my favorite work because the story is presented in a traditional way, which is common and may not provide maximum impact to the reader. Unlike a play, the book gives accounts of life events and achievements that may lead to boredom because it lacks a dramatic aspect. Drama attracts the readers' attention and aids in understanding the underlying themes.
3 Which was your favorite threaded discussion/forum and why?
My favorite threaded discussion was on race, justice and the founding promise. Race is an interesting topic because it has two sides, positive and negative, but the negative side has been explored more. Positive is by praising and amplifying the achievements of a certain race, while negative involves injustices against a race. In a cosmopolitan society, people from various cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds interact. This equates to American society. Racial injus...