Willys Obsession with the American Dream in Death of a...

In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman we see the negative effect of having an absent parent. The main character Willy Loman is a salesman who constantly struggles with trying to be what he considers â€Å"successful,† and â€Å"well liked.† He has two sons Biff and Happy and is married to Linda. Willy also struggles between illusion and reality; he has trouble defining and distinguishing the past from the present. Between his financial struggles and not feeling like he accomplished anything, he commits suicide. Throughout Willy’s life he was constantly abandoned, by both his father and his brother at very young age. Since Willy has no reference to look up to, he is somewhat left to figure things out on his own. In Willy’s mind, everything he†¦show more content†¦He describes him as â€Å"the only man I ever met who knew the answers,† â€Å"a genius,† and a â€Å"success incarnate!† (1600)(1598).Again we see Ben as thi s rich, adventurous man, who Willy idolizes. Ben offered Willy a chance to go with him to Alaska but Willy chose not to. Throughout the play you can tell that Willy regrets not going with his brother. He asks himself â€Å"why didn’t I go to Alaska with my brother Ben that time...what a mistake! He begged me to go† (1598). When Ben comes to visit, or when he’s visiting in one of Willy’s illusions, Willy tells him â€Å"[y]our just what I need,† and he asks him â€Å"what is the answer?†(1604). Willy also has strong feelings toward appearances. He even goes so far as to tell his kids â€Å"That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re both built like Adonises. Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want† (1594). Even Willy’s views of himself are romanticized; he thinks he is essential to his job, even though we soon find out that he isn’t. He goes on and on to his sons about how much people like him, and how he has so many friends and so much respect everywhere he goes. We also learn that Willy’s morals are flawed due to his absent father. Willy never got the chance to learn what a dad really is. There are several instances that show this. The first one is when he tells BiffShow MoreRelatedDeath of a Salesman Directors Vision1128 Words   |  5 Pageswrite to you to propose the production of Arthur Miller’s classic â€Å"Death of a Salesman.† As the title suggests, the book is about the death of a salesman named Willy Loman. However, through my production, it is not the inevitable ending that will be remembered by the audience. It will be the processes that led to Willy’s conflicted mind that will resonate in the audience’s mind. The underlying values of blind faith in the American dream and the narrow-minded definition of success, which are exemplifiedRead MoreLife of Pi1276 Words   |  6 Pagesclose reference to Death of a Salesman and American Beauty. Ideas and qualities of acceptable standards that is considered worthwhile in society, pressures the relationship between an individual and his or her society due to the risk of social rejection. By accepting these social norms the individual is forced into the pursuit of the American Dream of that context whilst the rejection of the American Dream also leads to social rejection. Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman looks at the notionRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1015 Words   |  5 PagesThe American dream is strongly associated with the identity of America and everything our country stands for: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 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Majority of the action in the play takes place in the Loman’s home and yard. The Loman family consists of Wily, Linda and their two sons Biff and Happy. Overall I consider Death of A Salesman a fascinating Play. To begin with I found my self-having difficulty reading the play. I immediately began writing off the play as another story ofRead More Failure of the America Dream in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman1097 Words   |  5 PagesFailure of the America Dream in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman examines Willy Lowman’s struggle to hold on to his American Dream that is quickly slipping from his grasp. As Americans, we are all partners in the â€Å"dream† and Willy’s failure causes each of us anxiety since most of us can readily identify with Willy. Most Americans can readily identify with Willy. 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Willy strives to become and instill in his sons the success of the self made man that American society often advertises but ultimately falls short, and instead, escapes accepting his failure through lies and death. What many flaws Willy possesses, most do notRead MoreThe Myth of the American Dream Exposed in Death of a Salesman1218 Words   |  5 Pages Millers work on â€Å"Death of a Salesman† is an example piece of work furthering the social protest involving totalitarianism and the American Dream. Throughout the piece, Miller uses his voice of conscience and passion for the purpose of exposing the truth about the concepts. Using the perspective of Willy, a fictional, working class citizen, Miller picks apart the myth of the American Dream, exploring topics such as abandonment, bet rayal, family dynamics, and using interesting symbolism along