Death Of A Salesman Willy's Failure

Winnie Zhong 2/13/2014

English 10 Dr. Lupardo

Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller in 1949, is a play attempts to identify and validate the “tragic flaw” of a common man. It is a tragedy describing the consequences arose between a family’s American dream and the reality of their lives. Willy Loman, the main character, is bought into an extreme obsession of the American Dream or the success in becoming a “well liked” salesman. However, after having done everything in order to achieve and live the dream, Willy Loman fails to receive the success promised by it. Throughout the play, the most important reason causing Willy’s failure in achieving his goal seems to be his own inability to

At a young age, the departures of Willy’s father and Ben drive Willy to lose himself and strive for the American Dream. Over time, Willy buys into the dream so thoroughly that he tends to ignore the tangible reality around him and see only the pleasant results of one’s success but not the practical ability or hard work required. Willy frequently lies to his family about his income and status while keeps borrowing money from Charley, because he still believes he is a hugely successful salesman in his own world of delusion. Instead of acknowledging that he is a mediocre salesman, Willy simply goes into the past and chooses to relive the past memories in which he considers to be successful. Influenced and inspired by a successful salesman, Dave Singleman, and his wealthy brother, Ben, Willy takes the wrong path or makes an inappropriate mistake that ultimately leads to his rapid psychological decline and his failure of the both the American Dream and the happiness of the family. Willy Loman has the wrong dream all along, but he fantasies it as though he is always on the verge of achieving the unreachable

During the meeting with Howard, Willy mentions a traveling salesman, Dave Singleman, and explains how his success has inspired Willy to capture the essence of being a salesman. Willy tries to relate a story he heard about Dave Singleman, an eighty-four years old salesman who went “into twenty or thirty different cities, picked up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people.” Willy specifically mentions that hundreds of salesman and buyers attended Dave Singleman’s funeral and he died the death of salesman. Singleman’s extreme success in business and his highly respected position among people make him the role model whom Willy attempts to become. Dave Singleman’s story deludes Willy into believing “that selling was the greatest career a man could want” and is the key to Willy’s emotional fulfillment. From Dave Singleman’s story, the qualities, such as becoming a “well liked” man, making phone calls every day, traveling through different cities, and making many friends easily, are the ones that spark Willy’s motivation. He sees these values as essential to be victorious and successful in life. However, same as Ben’s successful journey, noticed that Willy only mentions Dave Singleman’s success throughout the story but never his ability and the work required for him to achieve this dream. Willy only