The American Dream is one of the most desired things in the United States, although it is rarely, if ever, realized. According to historian Matthew Warshauer, the vision of the American dream has changed dramatically over time. In his 2003 essay “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Changing Your View of the American Dream,” Warshauer argues that the American dream has shifted from getting rich by working hard and making money, to getting rich quickly and easily. He attributes this change to televised game shows, state lotteries and lawsuits for compensation. He also argues that most Americans are more interested in easy money than hard-earned money, and that Americans care primarily about material possessions such as consumer products, big houses, and nice cars. Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman supports many aspects of the idea that Americans are now worried about getting rich easily, except that some characters in the book actually work hard. Matthew Warshauer states that “the aftermath of World War II exacerbated the situation of ethical change as a consumer culture flourished and Americans began to worry about material possessions” (2). This is demonstrated in Death of a Salesman, set in the 1950s, right after World War II, Willy and his wife buy expensive, name-brand products, even though they can't even pay the bills Gene Tunney's signature Willy and his wife also bought a refrigerator with “the biggest advertisement of them all” (Miller, 35), demonstrating his obsession with shamelessly purchasing consumer goods. who is Willy's son, has an obsession with consumer goods. However, his obsession is different from Willy's obsession... half paper... death for success by earning hard-earned money. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” Matthew Warshauer supports the idea that Americans today are more concerned with earning easy money and buying consumer goods than with working hard. Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman supports most of these ideas, but contradicts the idea that all people only care about making easy money. In Miller's play, some characters, such as Willy (from the beginning of the play) and Bernard, work sincerely hard to try to earn an honest living. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. Death of a salesman. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1949. Print.Warshauer, Matthew. “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Changing the Concept of the American Dream.” American Studies Resources Center 13 February 2003: n. page Network. May 26 2011. .