Death Of A Salesman Essay On The American Dream

951 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Death of a salesman character analysis essay

The American dream today is based on the fact that anyone living in America can achieve a perfect life if they work hard. Willy Loman, the father in the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, tries his hardest to reach the American dream as he grows up. The Loman’s life from beginning to end is a troubling story based on trying to become successful, or at least happy. Throughout their lives they encounter many problems causing Willy to have a tragic death due to the desire of succession. Willy wants to provide his wife Linda, and two sons Biff and Happy, the perfect life. Willy strives for the American dream throughout the entire play, yet never achieves what he hopes because there are too many problems standing in his way. Willy is a salesman trying to find success in a country known for its endless amount of opportunities. He grows up seeing how successful his brother, Ben, has become and because of this he is determined to succed in his lifetime. He wants to show his family that they can achieve whatever they put their mind to. Willy sees the American dream as the ability to become prosperous by the amount of individuals that like him. It is easily shown that he feels personality, not hard work and improvement, is the key to living a successful life. “You and Hap and I, and I’ll show you all the towns… 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. I can park my car in any street in New England, and the cops protect it like their own…” (Miller 24). Willy always raised his kids to think being popular and well liked was most important. He told them that if they had those two traits t... ... middle of paper ... ...These traits are what the world judges each other on; whereas a person’s true meaning is in things unseen. Willy wants to be “well-liked,” that he often overlooks the fact that he is loved by his family. Although the Loman family had lives full of problems, not all problems were caused by Willy striving for the American dream. Willy’s problems were caused by decisions made because of his goal to attain the American dream. He put his family through endless amounts of torture because of his search for a successful life. Willy should have settled with what he has in life, without trying to achieve everything he had hoped for. One dream, the American dream, is not worth all the problems and pain it caused Willy and his family. Willy should have lightened up on his goal of succeeding when he realized it was not going where he had hoped. The American dream is impossible.

Show More
Related

  • Dreams and Failures in Arthur Miller´s Death of a Salesman and Thornton Wilder´s Our Town

    2330 Words  | 5 Pages

    Willy’s father, a “very great” and “wildhearted man,” made a living traveling and selling flutes, making “more in a week than a man like [Willy] could make in a lifetime” (Miller 34). Even though Willy barely knew his dad, he built him up in his head as an amazing person and role model, striving to be as “well liked” as him (Miller 34). Willy also idealizes his brother, Ben, as evidenced by his constant one-way conversations with him.... ... middle of paper ...

    Read More

  • Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman versus The Prince When

    982 Words  | 2 Pages

    An Analysis of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and The Price When people accept an ideal to live by it can be a glorious and noble thing unless they become so obsessed wi the the ideal that it becomes a yolk and they are unable to realize their dream.. This is especially true for two characters in Arthur Miller's plays Death of a Salesman and The Price. In these two plays Miller portays two lower-middle class men , Willie Loman and Victor Franz, respectivelly, who each live by an ideal that ultimately is self-defeating. Willie lived to pursue the American dream rather than living the American dream and Victor lived to serve and be decent rather than living a noble and decent life. They pursed their ideal rather than living it and thus they are unable to succeed. Willie Loman, in Death of a Salesman,, has lived his life in pursuit of the American dream. Traditionally the American dream meant oppurtunity and freedom for all, and Willie believed that. However, hard work could not earn him everything that he wanted or thoght he deserved. Willy judged himsel and those around

    Read More

  • Critical Response Of Arthur Miller's 'Death Of A Salesman'

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning of the play it is evident that he cannot determine the realities of life, and so he repeatedly contradicts himself to establish that his conclusion is correct and opinion accepted. These numerous contradictions demonstrate that Willy is perturbed of the possibility that negative judgements may come from others. Willy strongly believes that “personality always wins” and tells his sons that they should “be liked and (they) will never want”. In one of Willy’s flashbacks he recalls the time when his sons and him were outside cleaning their Chevy. Willy informs Biff and Happy the success of his business trips and how everyone residing in Boston adores him. He mentions that due to the admiration of people he does not even have to wait in lines. He ultimately teaches his sons that being liked by others is the way to fulfilling one’s life and removing your worries. These ideals, that one does not need to work for success, demonstrate Willy’s deluded belief of achieving a prosperous life from the admiration and acceptance of others. This ultimately proves to be a false ideology during his funeral, when an insufficient amount of people arrive. Willy constantly attempts to obtain other’s acceptance through his false tales that depict him as a strong, successful man. In the past, he attempts to lie to his wife, Linda, about the amount of wealth he has attained during his

    Read More

  • Willie Loman's Tragic Misinterpretation of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

    2400 Words  | 5 Pages

    Willie Loman is an ordinary man who embodies traditional American values of success. He has reached the age where he can no longer compete successful in his chosen career, that of a traveling salesman. Faced with the termination of his job, he begins to examine his past life to determine its value. At this critical point in Willie’s existence, his oldest son Biff has returned home for a visit, and Willie’s old desire for his son to be a traditional success in life is rekindled. But the old tensions between the two men are also renewed. Once again, to Willie’s great disappointment, his son rejects Willie’s values and aspirations. (“Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller 1949 Drama”)

    Read More

  • Search for the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    Willy Loman is the first character to represent the search of the American Dream. First, Willy has a strong belief of the American Dream because of his brother Ben. "Why boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich." This quote by Ben is the bases of Willy’s beliefs for his family and himself. By this understanding, Willy thinks he will never need to search for anything; it would come to him. Next, Willy instills this same belief within his sons. "Listen to this. This is your Uncle Ben, a great man! Tell my boys, Ben!" When Willy states this to Ben he wants his boys to have the same thought on life as himself. Though, like their father, the two sons are led to the idea that greatness will come to them. Finally, Willy does not ever understand his search until the end of the play. "What-what’s the secret?" Willy asks Bernard this question which shows he is still searching for the key to the American Dream. At the end of the play, Willy believes that the only answer to the success of his family is through his death.

    Read More

  • Failure of the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    933 Words  | 2 Pages

    Willy Loman equates success as a human being with success in the business world.  When Willy was a young man, he heard of a salesman who could "pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, make his living." (81) This salesman is Willy's inspiration; someday to be so respected and so well known that he can still provide for his family, even at an old age.  Of course, Willy is no good at being a salesman because his heart isn't in it.  The only time Willy puts his heart into anything is when he works with his hands, and his son, Biff, comes to realize this.  "There's more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made." (138) Willy never comes to the realization that it is not being a salesman that he cares about, but rather being well known and, perhaps more importan...

    Read More

  • Willy Lowman’s Tragic Misinterpretation of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    To begin, Willy’s methods of searching for likeability are erroneous. He believes that the superficiality of attractiveness goes hand in hand with being well liked. Willy’s downfall started with his impression of Dave Singleman, an 84 year old salesman. According to Willy, he had “…the greatest career a man could want.” Sure this man was liked in cities around the world, but Willy’s altered perception of the American dream masked the realities of his life. Willy failed to see that instead of being retired at 84, Dave Singleman was unwed, still working, and in the end “dies the death of a salesman”; alone and without love. Believing in this dream, ultimately leads Willy to his hubris; too proud to be anything but a salesman. Throughout the play, Charlie often asks Willy, “You want a job?” Instead of escaping his reality of unpaid bills and unhappiness, Willy’s shallow values lead him to refuse the switch from him attractive job, to that of a carpent...

    Read More

  • Death Of A Salesman American Dream Essay

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    An American dream is a dream that can only be achieved by passion and hard work towards your goals. People are chasing their dreams of better future for themselves and their children. The author Arthur Miller in Death of a Salesman has displayed a struggle of a common man to achieve the American dream. Willy Loman the protagonist of the play has spent his whole life in chasing the American dream. He was a successful salesman who has got old and unable to travel for his work, and no one at work gives him importance anymore. He is unhappy with his sons Happy and Biff because both of them are not successful in their lives. Moreover, Biff and Happy are also not happy with their father Willy because they don’t want to live a life that Willy wants them to live. The heated discussions of Willy and his older son Biff affect the family and the family starts to fall apart. However, Willy is unable to achieve the American dream and does not want to face the reality that his decisions for himself and his family have lead him to be a failure in the society. In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the protagonist Willy Loman spends his whole life to achieve the American Dream by his own perception and denies facing the reality, just like nowadays people are selling themselves and attempting to find success in life.

    Read More

  • Chasing the American Dream: Willy Loman's Downfall

    1778 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of A Salesman, Willy Loman strives to achieve the American Dream for him and his family. The American Dream is defined as the equal opportunity everyone in the United States has to succeed and live a fulfilling life. However to achieve the American Dream, one must be determined and persevere when faced with hardships. Failing while trying to achieve the American Dream is inevitable, but it is how one learns from their failures that matters. This is very difficult for Willy because throughout his whole life he has failed, but he is never able to come to terms with it. His obsession for the American Dream hurts him and his family. He believes that the American Dream should be obtained easily. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise when he gets fired from his job. Throughout the play, as Willy’s failures become more prevalent, he begins to lose himself and this eventually leads to his downfall. Willy just wants for his sons, mostly Biff, to become successful

    Read More

  • What Makes Willy Loman Successful Misunderstanding

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    Willy believes that the key to success is being well liked. He thinks that if a man becomes well liked and known, then they must be truly successful. He is even so confident in this ideology that he tells his kids, “…the man who creates a personal interest, is the man who gets ahead.” This drives Willy not too work hard in life, but to maintain an appearance. Almost all his actions comes from this idea that being liked equals success. He

    Read More

  • Willy Loman American Dream

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arthur Miller tries to portray Willy Loman’s struggles to find his profession as a warning to those who are ignorant on their pursuit of their American Dream. In the early 1950s, many were still battling the Great Depression. Arthur Miller draws inspiration from this time period to convey the unfortunate circumstances of the working class, to show pressing issue that plagued America. During the 1950s the American dream was more of a national dream, which was defined in the Declaration of Independence. The document goes in depth about “certain unalienable Rights” that include “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”- these ideals helped shape the basic vision of the American Dream (Kamp). However, the meaning of the dream had become more about fame and fortune, instead of building a strong career through hard work. Willy Loman also believed the essence of the American Dream would be attainable through his persona instead of his hard work. Wade Bradford discusses Mr. Loman’s attitude towards success, saying, “Willy believes that personality, not hard work and innovation, is the key to success. Time and again, he wants to make sure his boys are well-liked and popular.” The problem with Willy’s understanding was the falsehood of that notion, which many Americans tried to use to justify their

    Read More

  • Death Of A Salesman American Dream

    710 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American Dream is a universal goal sought out by many, and is thought to be the pathway to success, prosperity and happiness. At a young age, most are exposed to the concept of the American Dream and feel pressured by society to follow these ideals. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, the quest for the American dream, and the nature of that dream is revealed in Willy’s life and death. In the play, Willy Loman’s version of the American Dream is influenced by others, and he is burdened with the responsibility of making that dream come true for his family. Throughout the play, Willy is constantly attempting to drive his sons towards success to create a better life for them. In the end, Willy’s boundless love for the American Dream causes

    Read More

  • Death Of A Salesman American Dream Essay

    1835 Words  | 4 Pages

    The American Dream was an idea brought about when the United States was beginning to gain its freedom. Many people believed that when they came to America, their poverty would soon disappear once they got a job and climbed the ladder all the way to the top; to become something out of nothing. In the play “Death of a Salesman”, Arthur Miller gives people a taste of what it’s like to be Willy Loman: a mid-sixties man who obsesses over the American Dream, and for the life of him (literally) couldn’t figure out why the “secret” had flown right over his head. The play is centered around him and his belief that there is indeed a secret to success and that the American Dream is not just a myth. The story of Willy Loman demonstrates what happens to a person when they live on the dark side of the American Dream and ultimately are annihilated by the false promises caused by this myth. Like Tyler Durden said, “We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.”

    Read More

  • Willy American Dream

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    Willy theorizes that if he was liked by more people than he would be more successful and closer to his dream. However, Willy doesn’t registered the idea that he isn’t well liked anymore or even at all. For one, Willy addressed some of the he encounter while traveling “I was going in to see the buyer I heard him say something about — walrus. And I — I cracked him right across the face.” Willy thinks that his appearance strongly affected how his customers viewed him “I’m fat. I’m very — foolish to look at, Linda”, and in conclusion he develops low self-esteem issues about his own appearance while clinging and praising the more handsome appearance of his sons “[Biff]’s so handsome in that suit. He could be a — anything in that suit!” for he thought they would do better than Willy. However, there are two examples in the story that explains why Willy failed in his journey of being liked by the masses. One instance is when Howard fired Willy from his job, Charley explains to him that being well liked never equals success but rather a success person “with his pockets on he was very well liked”. Although Willy thought he was well liked he suffered from the lack of people at his funeral. Willy’s wanted to have many people attend his funeral such as the funeral of Dave Singleman “'Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of

    Read More

  • The American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    456 Words  | 1 Pages

    Willy's goal throughout life was to climb out of his social class. As a salesman, Willy was a failure and he tried desperately to make his sons never end up like him. As a result, he loses his mind and his grasp on reality. Throughout the story, Willy often has flashbacks of the conversations that he and his brother Ben once had and the author intertwines them in past and present very nicely.

    Read More

More about Death Of A Salesman Essay On The American Dream

Open Document