Death of a salesman

Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, explores the theme of the American Dream not because of how it can be achieved but how it can fail. Willy Loman suffers from an idealistic view of the world in relation to his dream. He is deluded by thinking if he wants something, he will get it. He fails to see the difference between his dream and his talents, he is blind to specific facts, and he passes this characteristic to his son. Willy is an interesting character study because we can learn from his mistakes, not his example. Willy squanders his life and his dream.

Willy cannot be faulted for not having a dream but he can be held responsible for what he does to accomplish that dream. His dream is fine enough but he is misguided almost his entire life by his dream and his talent. They are not one in the same. Willy is not a successful man and, at his age, he is forced to come to terms with why that may be. It is difficult for him to comprehend being a bad salesman considering that is all he wants to do and all he has done. However, the fact is that he is not a successful salesman; he is average. He lies to himself and others about his success to remain a salesman. He has excuses for his lack of success. He explains to Linda, "The trouble was that three of the stores were half-closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise, I woulda broke records" (Miller 1046). He knows that people "don't seem to take to me" (1047) but he never thinks to ask himself why. In the same vein, he does not understand why people laugh at him. Willy is just another cog in the wheel, so to speak. He realizes his "pass me by. I'm not noticed" (1047) but he does not take that to the next logical conclusion that he is not noticed because he is nothing extraordinary. Willy experiences moments of insight but he cannot face the truth about what they mean to his life. He would rather not have to think about what being mediocre means at this point in his life. Willy makes excuses and he is also blind to certain facts.

Willy is almost blissfully ignorant but deep down he senses the truth. He knows he is not as successful as the men he works with are and he knows why, to a certain extent. However, Willy's blindness prevents him from moving forward. He cannot see how his dream has not come true and how it is leading him nowhere. The truth is simply too difficult to accept, so he turns a blind eye to it. For Willy, denial is easier than reinventing a new life. He believes that somehow, he will get an advance and "come home with a New York job" (Miller II.1070-1). He believes he can still get a promotion and never have to "get behind another wheel" (II.1071) again. These beliefs, while they are positive, are not productive for Willy at this point if his life. He is old and his chances for great success are dwindling. He believes even if he is not the best salesman in the world, he certainly is not the worst and this level of mediocrity has satisfied him for far too long.

One of the saddest facts about Willy's personality is the fact that he passes on his negative characteristics to Biff. Willy instills his dreamy nature in Biff, which creates a young man unmotivated by anything. He believes what Willy has told him his entire life -- that he is great -- and this makes him lazy. He does not think he should have to put forth any effort to have anything and this only makes him unhappy because he thinks he is something special. As an adult attempting to find a way in the world, he is lost. He has had "twenty or thirty different kinds of jobs" (Miller 1038) and still feels as if he is going nowhere because he does not know where to go. He begins to realize Willy's influence in his life and tells his father, "I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That's whose fault it is!" (1108). Biff, if he does not turn his life around, will end up just like father.