Outline THESIS: In Death of a Salesman, Willy believed that his sons betrayed his dream and dedication to make them better candidates to suit his “American Dream” due to his infatuation with the idea of the “American Dream” coming to people who are “well liked and personal attraction”, but in actuality, he betrayed his wife Linda and Willy feels guilty for it. I. Willy believed that Biff is betraying his “American dream” for wanting a simple life and Happy is living Willy’s dream, but he also wants to escape it. i. “How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a life? A farmhand?” ii. “Sure, maybe we could buy a ranch. Raise cattle, use our muscles.” iii. “That’s what I dream about, Biff. Sometimes I just want to just rip my clothes off in the middle of the store and outbox the goddam merchandise manager” II. Biff knows of Willy’s betrayal towards Linda but she is oblivious. He figured out that his mother’s stocking was used during the affair, which enrages Willy, but Biff didn’t have the heart to tell his mom. i. “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out!” ii. “Just don’t lay it all at my feet. It’s between me and him-that’s all I have to say.” iii. “She’s nothing to me, Biff. I was lonely, I was terribly lonely.” III. Willy thinks that Biff wants to betray Willy’s dream out of anger because Biff knows about Willy’s betrayal towards Linda, but Willy also feels like the world is falling on him. i. “You don’t want to be anything, is that what’s behind it?” ii. “The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell. And the funny thing is that you’re a salesman, and you don’t know that.” iii. “Spite, Spite is the word of your undoing! And when you’re down and out remember what did it.” IV. Linda knows ... ... middle of paper ... ...o anything-even death as depicted by Willy in Death of a Salesman. He was first feeling upset, angry, paranoid, and even delusional which are symptoms of depression that needs attention from a psychologist or a friend that could comfort him to prevent thoughts and actions of suicide. In the end, he ended his life because he was internally hurt and when he opens up his guilt, anger had risen against him, feelings of pain, helplessness, and the misery inside of his heart was unbearable. Suicide is a tragedy that now his family would have to live with for the rest of their lives, that’s the biggest sellout of Death of a Salesman, but in actuality, the biggest let down personally was how everyone was adding salt to his wound while he was cutting his heart open begging for help and the ones that added alcohol to his grief was the people he held as the dearest-his family.
Biff loses respect for his father and soon realizes what lie he has been living. Willy is in denial about his involvement with Biff’s failure in life, and when he is confronted about it by Bernard asking, “What happened in Boston, Willy? (141), Willy quickly becomes defensive, saying, “What are you trying to do, blame it on me? Don’t talk to me that way!” (141). After finding out about Biff’s reaction of burning his favorite University of Virginia shoes that symbolize Biff’s hopes and dreams for the future, Willy realizes what impact the affair had on his son. Willy’s lack of acceptance of reality affects his relationship because he never owned up or admitted he had an affair. This weighs heavy on Willy because the hate from his son will always be there. Biff loses all respect for his father and sees not only a failed business man, but in general a failed man. Throughout it all, Willy’s wife still remains supportive of him and constantly reminds him of her love for him. Despite this, Willy still yearns to have what he does not and pursues “the other woman.” It is bright as day that Willy finds some sort of comfort and validation for his affair with a woman who makes him feel wanted, yet his wife does the same thing. This guilt is always carried around with Willy which is just another contributor to the death of Willy
Linda does not lose respect for Willy for his actions as much as Biff does. Biff cares about his mother dearly and does not like to see her being yelled at. He grinds his teeth when he sees his father yell at his mother, because he knows that if he argues, there will be that much more tension between him and his father. However, Biff cannot take it much longer because he is losing respect for his father. He knows his father should never get physical with his mother, and he finally takes action before it gets violent. He grabs Willy by the arm and screams at him not to yell at her. Willy gets angry at first, but then goes to bed guilt-ridden.
In 1949, the pinnacle of contemporary American playwright, Arthur Miller, published his works “Death of a Salesman”. After the advent of this play, not only caused a sensation in the theaters in the United States, but also became the Western model of modern tragedy as one of the most important drama after America's World War II. Miller was twice won the “New York Drama Critics Award” and also awarded the “Pulitzer Prize.”[
The relationship between Biff and Willy is not good. Since Biff found that his father Willy was cheating to her mother he left the home. In the play The Death of a Salesman Willy Loman and Biff seems they don’t like each other. Although Willy love his son Biff. When Biff was young Willy was always there supporting Biff in everything and was very proud of him. And he was the son that Willy had attached him dreams upon. According to the statement “I am not the leader of men, Willy, and neither are you. You were anything but a hard working drummer who landed in the ash-can like all the rest of them”. Biff’s observation was that he sees his father as a failed to achieve, although he work hard to success. Willy loves Biff his oldest son since he was at school. In his mind he was thinking that Biff will become a successful man in life, but it didn’t happen’. Biff is a man who got the job but fail to keep his job. That makes Willy become frustrated. But Biff he tried to find himself. Here Biff compare his self and Willy’. Willy is the hard worker trying to achieve an American dream, and when he look at Ben his brother who achi...
Willy doesn’t want to accept that he is not successful anymore, he still recognize his son as handsome heroes. Biff as the football star when he was at high school and Happy an...
In Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller, the character Willy Loman is an average modern American man with a superficial American Dream: to be liked, to succeed over everyone else, to be a great salesman. Willy has a misguided love for his family and a yearning for success. As his life takes its course, it peaks in his son’s high school years when he was a football star, and then sadly concludes in his suicide. A life full of
“American Sociology 's Investigations of the American Dream: Retrospect and Prospect” is an article that discusses the sociology and the different views that people have on the American Dream. According to this article, sociology has developed a history of studies dealing with each person’s American way of life, and the role the American dream has played on society. Because each person has a different dream they take on different roles in society. Everybody has a different job and contributes differently to society. This article is related to Death of a Salesman because of Willy’s version of the American Dream. He says to Happy and Biff, “I’ll show you all the towns. America is full of beautiful towns and fine, upstanding people. And they know me, boys, they know me up and down New England. The finest people. And when I bring you fellas up, there’ll be open sesame for all of us, ‘cause one thing, boys: I have friends” (Miller 1440). Willy refers to the people as being kind hearted and having respect for anyone who appears physically attractive. Willy believed that in order to achieve success you must appear physically attractive and work in the business field. The role he played in society was a failed business man who struggled to be successful. He had a hard time fitting in with society creating a difficult lifestyle for
Willy just thinks that no matter what Biff does he is doing it right. He can’t escape his dream world.
This motif of abandonment and betrayal is carried through to Willy’s son, Biff. Biff feels betrayed whe...
The name Willy, which we realize is short for William, is a rather silly name. However, it might suggest that Willy is willful in his denial of the lack of honest relationship with his two sons. Maybe he is willingly deluded by the fantasy of what he might have been or what his sons might have become and the mediocre reality of the way life actually is for the Loman family. Arthur Miler’s “Death of a Salesman” portrays the shattered relationships hidden inside a fallacy of grandeur that a father has with his two sons.
...before something happens?” (Miller 133). Biff is getting frustrated with Willy because he is trying to turn his son into somebody that he does not want to be. Willy’s tragedy is due to the fact that the truth for him is far fetched, since he is always seeing life in a flashback, which leads to his demise.
In literature and in life, people endure events which are the effects from the relationships between a parent and their child. In Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller it is evident how the relationship between Willy and his sons creates the downfall of the dysfunctional Loman family. Miller depicts the possessiveness that exists in humans through Willy Loman. In the 1949 era to preserve a healthy household it was important for the father-son relationship to be strong. If conflicts were to arise in their relationship the entire family would collapse and fail. Biff and Happy constantly idolize and praise their father, however, they realize that he is flawed and how as a father he failed to prepare them for the real world. Willy Loman is a man that is happy and proud in one moment and suddenly angry in another, which exhibits how the inconsistencies in his character make it difficult for anyone to have a strong relationship with him. In the play it is evident that the tension between the father and son relationship is the factor that causes the protagonist’s tragedy. The dispute between the father and
Willy strives to make money in this story but is largely unsuccessful. He is also very insecure so he turns to lies and his life spirals downward. Willy commits suicide in the end. Donald Smith states that Willy was, “still harboring misguided hopes about success for Biff. It seems Willy would rather kill himself than accept the fact that really, honestly, all his son wants is some shirtless sweaty time in Midwestern haystacks.” Which is why Willy committed suicide. Willy was also a kind of lost man with the wrong dreams. Biff even said after Willy’s suicide, “He had all the wrong dreams. All, all wrong….He never knew who he was.” Willy had the wrong dreams and didn’t know who he was which is also lead to his downfall.
Biff reveals that not just Willy, but all the family has been lying about their success. He begs to his father, asking him to give up on his dream of Biff being a massive success. Biff seems to accept something that Willy never could, he isn’t special. He shouts to Willy that he “is a dime a dozen and so are you”. Willy becomes infuriated at the notion that he is a common man and cries out “ I am not a dime a dozen, I am Willy Loman!” The confrontation ends with Willy weeping, realizing that Biff truly does love him. However, Biff’s efforts were in vain as Willy also exclaims “That boy is going to be magnificent”. Willy is not able to cope with the idea that both he and his son are not destined for greatness. And in his final act, he commits suicide, in an attempt to supply his son with the life insurance money. Or perhaps more importantly, to supply him with an opportunity to achieve the dream he never
First of all, Willy’s mental illness is the main factor that causes the conflict between him and others. Willy is a kind father, who loves and takes care of his son, but his attitude indirectly makes the situation turn negative. Willy wants Biff to be successful in business. More than anyone, Biff understands himself as well as what he wants. The climax of the conflict begins at this point.