Isolation In Death Of A Salesman

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Impact of Isolation in Death of a Salesman



Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is the story of a man, Willy Loman, gone deaf to the outside world. Though many try to help him, he shuts them out and creates his own reality in which he is successful and loved by everyone. In Death of a Salesman, Willy has many influences both good and bad attempting to direct his life; it is his refusal to choose the helpful advice …show more content…

In fact the two best influences on Willy come from the same family. Bernard grew up with Biff and Happy but chose a much different path. At a key time in Biff's life, Bernard warns "I he doesn't buckle down he'll flunk"(40). In this scene Bernard is trying to tell Willy that he is instilling the wrong values in his sons who are destined for failure. Willy however does not want to listen to Bernard because he has the most popular and athletic son in town. But even later when Willy sees Bernard's success he will not listen. Bernard sees that Willy is still holding on to a job that is not working for him and tells him "sometimes, Willy, it's just better for a man to walk away"(95). Willy can only respond by asking "But if you can't walk away?"(95). Charley, Bernard's father, even takes trying to help Willy a step farther. Charley sees early on that Willy's job is not working out and begins offering him a job. Charley continues to offer this job until the end. And even though Willy refuses to take a job from Charley, Charley continues to loan Willy the money he needs every week knowing he will never get paid back. In this play Charley and Bernard are the only characters from the beginning to the end that truly do everything they can to help Willy; yet still Willy refuses to listen to

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