Willy Loman

Individuals often falsely relate money with happiness, which causes internal despair and an outwardly skewed sense of reality. Indeed in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Willy Loman distorts reality through fabricating his success, along with his son Biff’s success. Further, these lies are due to Willy’s desire for material wealth as a sign of popularity and success, which hinders the development of his own, authentic success. In the play Death of a Salesman societal expectations evoke Willy’s inability to distinguish reality from fantasy; therefore, he bases success on popularity as well as material items, highlighting his arrogance and amplifying his self-pride. Willy’s belief that social standards reflect economical standards causes him to focus on material items and popularity. He parallels clothing with success in the business world, which leads him to wish for the most

Charley, unlike Willy, educates his son Bernard on the importance of hard work; thus, he teaches Bernard good morals and that popularity is not everything. Willy counters Charlie’s teachings, “Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understnd, but when he gets out in the business world y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him” (33). Furthermore, Charlie’s understanding that material objects do not equal success in the business world illuminates Will’s lack of understanding of reality. Charley’s business accomplishments diminish Will’s business attempts, causing Willy to reject help from Charley. Willy rejects help from Charley, which is rooted in his self-pride, when Charley offers him a job he replies, “I got a job, I told you that”(43). Furthermore, Willy’s refusal of Charlie’s help indicates his refusal to accept himself failing. Through dismissing other’s successes and thinking other’s are lesser, Willy develops a false sense of his true