Why Does Miller Emphasize Operating In Willy's Life

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Recommended: The character of Willy Loman in the light of the American dream

1) What values that Lukács discusses in his essay concerning capitalism does Miller emphasize operating in Willy’s life? Explain please.

Willy is the perfect example of how Lukás described the bourgeois hero. Willy’s struggle is with this class system that seems to use material goods to portray the worth of a person. Lukács discusses the struggle of a character in a bourgeois drama that developed because of capitalism. It’s the struggle against an impersonal system. Willy has worked his whole life, but when it comes to the end, all of his accomplishments and personal traits are thrown away because he isn’t selling anymore. This idea of individuality is at odds with the conformity that capitalism demands, as Lukács mentions in his essay. …show more content…

How?

Ben’s character serves as a complex dramatic function. He is Willy Loman's real brother, the idealized memory of that brother, and an aspect of Willy's own personality, and these distinct functions are sometimes simultaneous. Through his aggressive actions and vibrant speech, the audience is given a strong contrast to Willy's self-doubt and self-contradiction. The memory of Ben in the end pushes Willy to commit suicide, because in his mind it’s the only way to help his family. Howard is Willy’s boss. When Willy goes to Howard to ask for a more steady position, Howard ends up actually firing him. Willy has spent his whole life working for this company and to Howard it is easy to just cast him to the side because he isn’t bringing in enough money. Howard represents the impersonal system that capitalism creates. For a business, it’s all about the bottom line. People aren’t seen, only dollar signs. Willy as an individual doesn’t matter to this system, only the material goods he can bring in. When he no longer can conform to those standards, his worth disappears.

3) What is the relationship between the capitalistic cultural setting in which the play is set, Willy’s consciousness, and his …show more content…

He has always values the relationships built with people, referencing his hero, salesman Dave Singleman who had the wealth and freedom Willy long for. However, times have changed with capitalism. The individual and relationships are no longer the focus. Willy’s consciousness because to crack in this capitalistic society when all he’s worked for all of these years means nothing. He can’t even pay his bills anymore and no one answers when he calls. Willy’s illusions take his back to the idealised time when his kids were younger and on the verge of greatness, when he viewed himself as successful. The illusions are his way of attempting to find his identity in this conformed

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