Death of a Salesman

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In the film Death of a Salesman the main character WIlly goes through a rough journey trying to fight through his delusions. "He has reared his children- his own seed- in the contaminated soil of delusion." Throughout this film WIlly has a weak relationship with his two sons Biff and Happy. Willy's delusions get worse throughout the film which results in an unhealthy relationship with his sons. Willy's relationship with his two sons is very different from the very beginning of Biff and Happy's childhood which really affect the entire future of the two boys. The goal of Will’s life is to be well liked and successful. Willy is too caught up in these two goals to focus on the value he’s representing in front of his children.
Will is an insecure man who has a dream of being a successful salesman. Throughout the whole film Willy’s main concern is making sure he is well liked. For example when Willy is talking to his wife about a business opportunity he says “ Oh, I’ll knock ‘em dead next week. I’ll go to Hartford. I’m very well liked in Hartford. You know, the trouble is, Linda, people don’t seem to talk to me.” In this scene Willy is saying that he is very well liked but then when questioned about the people in Hartford Willie admits that they just pass by him like he is not there. This scene proves Willy’s delusion to himself by the way he says people like him but admits they don’t talk to him. He is too caught up in the idea of being successful to realize that he isn’t that successful. Willy’s intentions are right but his delusion personality takes control over his actions. He sets his intentions so high that he’s setting himself up to fail. He isn’t an ideal role model for his children seeing as he gave up his passion of carpentr...

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...t sleeping around with women. Happy followed his father’s footsteps in a negative way only because he was treated unfair in his childhood.
Overall, Willy’s actions greatly influenced his children’s lives. The statement, “He has reared his children- his own seed- in the contaminated soil of delusion” is very accurate. Willy raised his children guiding them through his ways of life. Biff was “contaminated” in his childhood as he strived to live up to his father’s dreams, not realizing the negative effect it had on his life. Happy’s lack of attention as a child only made him act out and develop bad morals. Willy’s delusional life impacted every part of his two son’s lives. Willy’s death which is mourned by only Biff, Happy, and Linda represents the delusion of Willy’s well liked personality. Biff and Happy’s childhood was contaminated by the delusions of their father.

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