I argue that Arthur Miller manages to create the dilemma that one cannot purse their happiness unless they also take responsibility for their role in society, a dilemma we perhaps more clearly see displayed in Joe’s history and current state after his deliberate decision to approve the cylinder heads. I conclude that society becomes the background of guilt, as we are unable to fully become content with ourselves without first becoming slaves to the projection of perfection that society nags us about. The forefront of happiness, though varying from individual to individual, can be heavily reliant on the relationships we build with one another and the world they envelope us in.
