Willy American Dream

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Pranay Malla

Death of a Salesman Essay

Life can take a number of pathways as an individual is faced with many choices at every stage of their life. In this meandering journey of decision making, one is influenced by various other people, circumstances and one’s own aspirations. Ultimately though, there is no substitute for perseverance and success is only attained through a combination of “inspiration and perspiration”. In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman the main character, Willy and members of his family display how false promises and the need to achieve the American Dream can be detrimental to not only their professional lives but also personal relationships; by believing that being “well liked” is the key to success, and having pride …show more content…

Willy’s actions were truly worse than his words. In order to alleviate his sense of loneliness, Willy had an affair with another woman. After Biff catches Willy in the middle of the affair, the person Biff once looked up to became a “phony little fake,” (95). This unfortunate encounter with Willy made Biff ashamed of his father and detached from his family leading him to steal and get into trouble. Time and time again, Willy forced the idea that being popular or “well-liked” would lead his kids into success, Biff was originally a successful football player, but because of this notion Biff did not work hard in school and ended up failing a class. He finally realizes his misguidance and laments “I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That’s whose fault it is!” (105). Willy’s approach to raising his kids the way he felt would lead them to success and closer to the American Dream, only lead them closer to failure. Similarly Happy, (Willy’s second son) manipulates his own reality to create a more pleasurable existence. In one instance, Happy claims that he is the assistant buyer of the company he works for rather than telling the truth that he is an assistant to the assistant buyer. Happy along with Biff both have the idea ingrained into their minds by their father that being “well-liked” will lead to successes in life. Willy does not only manage to live his life in an alternate reality by chasing the American Dream to find success, but also puts his family into the same

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