Work and Happiness in the Death of a Salesman and the Remains of the Day What a person does for a living often defines who they are East. Because so much time and energy is invested in work, work is often seen as an extension of oneself. One of the first questions someone asks after meeting you for the first time is about what you do for a living. The belief is that by knowing what you do, you should be able to say something about who you are. People almost never ask the more revealing question of whether you are happy or not. They rely on the nature of the occupation to tell them something about your happiness. If you are a doctor, lawyer, or celebrity, it is assumed that you are happy because of the money associated with these professions. For some, income is a determining factor in happiness. Certainly, money is a major, but not the only, determinant of happiness. Happiness at work is best determined by the support for the values ​​that a job provides. Happiness seems to be one of those words that can only be defined in general terms, like love. It's easy to know when you're not happy, but determining happiness is a little more difficult. People often say that they feel happy or that something makes them happy. Greeting cards are filled with phrases that define happiness by saying things like "Happiness is..." and then comparing it to a kiss from your child or a puppy. If achieving happiness were really that commonplace, then no one would have much trouble achieving it. Happiness at work is actually a more complex recipe where many personal ingredients are needed to make it work out the way you hoped. The ingredients or factors that determine happiness at work are universal in that all workers need a combination......of paper...If money could bring happiness, then more money could bring him more happiness. Again, when money is the most important value used to determine happiness at work, other values ​​are overshadowed or ignored. Unsatisfied values ​​eventually reveal themselves when monetary value is achieved. Without settling for all the values, happiness at work cannot be achieved. Richard Cory probably did not know how to satisfy these once hidden values ​​and found his life very unhappy. Thinking that hard work will lead to financial success and happiness isn't a bad value, but as Richard Cory discovers, happiness based solely on money is only possible if that value is your only value. Works cited and consulted Hayman, Ronald. Arthur Miller. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1972. Ishiguro, Kazuo. The remains of the day. Vintage Books, New York NY: 1988.