The inability of Willy to understand Biff is one of the central conflicts of the play. Even after the father and son have their show-down, when Biff insists to Willy that he is "nothing," and that it doesn't matter to him, Willy can only marvel that Biff likes him. Unlike in a Greek play, no deus ex-machina comes from above to explain to both father and son why they have suffered so much for so many years, and why their relationship is so problematic. The scene goes on, and Happy is just as much an 'enabler' of his father's delusional view of the world even after the climatic confrontation of Biff and Willy.
Willy falls back and forth from past to present, from memories of life in the office to the actual moment in time on stage, in his house. This conveys a kind of hyper-realism, as the viewer sees more of Willy's life and suffering than he or she might be if the work were presented solely as a kitchen sink drama, and conforming to the unities of time and space. The spare sets needed to convey this gives naturalism, rather than realism to Willy's life as characters and scenes from the past and present drift on and off the stage.
The story of Death of a Salesman, the psychological drama of Willy Loman, may be tragic in the sense that Willy's story...
Willy lacks any real insight into the nature of his condition: that he has sacrificed his life for a lie. Happy has no moral compass; Biff has not realized his early promise. Willy has betrayed his long-suffering wife. And he has given the best years of his life to a company that discards him like a piece of rubbish when he is no longer of use.
Willy does not rage against the system. He still believes in Ben, in the need for money and financial security. So he kills himself, enabling Linda to have the home 'free and clear,' and for his family to live in comfort. The American Dream can only be 'cashed in' when you are dead and unable to enjoy it, but Willy never understands this. Long before Willy took his life he suffered a death of the human component of his life -- his relationship with his family. It family relationships that are important -- not a fancy home, money, or having silk stockings to give to your mistress, Miller suggests. Meaningful work is hard work, not being a salesman and making a 'quick buck.' The viewer can see, by observing Willy's memories, how much he lost and ignored over the course of his life, and how his suicide is an illustration of his failure to understand what is truly important.
