Character Analysis Of Willy Loman In Death Of The Salesman

Willy Loman did not die a martyr, Willy Loman is a complex character who confuses illusion with reality. In a way, Willy has two personalities in this play. The one we see in the present action is a tired man in his sixties. The other Willy is the one we see in flashbacks. He is young and confident. Linda and willys sons think other wise that he died in honor .

In Act Two, Scene Fourteen, Willy’s son Biff tells him that he loves him. Willy can tell that Biff is not just saying this out of pity because Biff is sobbing. In a flashback, Willy speaks to his dead brother Ben. Ben keeps saying "Time, William, Time", reminding him that suicide is closing in. Ben also tells Willy that he should come to the jungle. In this scene, the jungle represents opportunities for success. The reason that Ben tells Willy to come to the jungle, is that when in the jungle, Willy can get the diamonds. The diamonds represent the insurance money that the family will get from Willy’s accident. Therefore, Ben is saying that the only way Willy can get twenty thousand dollars in insurance money is to kill himself, or symbolically Ben is saying that the only way to get the diamonds is to enter the jungle. Willy also talks to Ben how great Biff would do with all of that money.

Willy thinks one more time about Biff and how he was a great football player This shows that Willy still thinks of Biff as a football hero, which is one of the reasons Willy thinks Biff is so magnificent. As Willy is finishing up his thoughts, his wife, Linda, is calling him to come up to bed. After this happens, the sound of a speeding car is heard driving off into the night. In the same scene, Willy’s wife Linda has come to make a peace with their two sons, Biff and Happy. Linda also ...

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...lling himself. He only thought about the money they would possibly get from the insurance company. I feel he took the cowards way out by killing himself instead of trying to solve his problems.

Willy Loman thought his suicide was a courageous act. He thought he was being very brave by killing himself. He felt that he took the hard way out. Willy may have thought that he was the only one to suffer. His confusion between illusion and reality was very strong at the end of the play. He thinks he is going into the jungle to get diamonds but in reality, he is killing himself to get insurance money.

Biff saw Willy’s suicide as a cowardly act. He realized that all of Willy’s dreams were wrong, and that Willy had the wrong perspective on life. By committing suicide, Willy took the easy way out. Biff still will miss his father but he will not let his sorrow overcome him.