Death Of A Salesman Identity

Many workers today go through a low time or a struggle and give up. Today’s workers do not necessarily commit suicide when they are in a low point but they do things such as quitting the job or relying on government assistance. Willy strives to achieve the American dream and he eventually realizes that he has failed and gives up on life. This dream is a belief in America and that all things are possible if you work hard enough (Criticism of ' the American Dream' in 'Death of a Salesman'). Arthur Miller uses this story to expose the problems with pursuit of such a dream: “What Miller attacks, then, is not the American Dream of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, but the dream as interpreted and pursued by those for whom ambition replaces human need and the trinkets of what Miller called the ‘new American Empire in the making’ are taken as tokens of true value” (Bigsby). “Death of a Salesman” creates a challenge to the American Dream and shows that an American should live a prosperous and plentiful life instead of get lost and die tragically (Criticism of ' the American Dream' in 'Death of a Salesman'). Gradually throughout the play, Willy gets farther and farther away from achieving his idea of the American Dream. His income slowly decreases to nothing: “as a salesman, Willy stages a performance for buyers, for his sons, for the father who deserted him, the brother he admired. Gradually, he loses his audience, first the buyers, then his son, then his boss” (Bigsby). His problem is that he completely surrenders to the American Dream and by the team he realizes his mistake, he has nothing to fall back on (Panesar). If Willy would have embraced his natural talent for manual labor and his family’s love for the countryside, the Lomans could have a totally different lifestyle (Panesar). Towards the end of the play, Willy became overwhelmed

Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman” shows how the obsession of being successful can have psychological effects on the human mind. We can see how unstable Willy gets after failing hopelessly to be fruitful. Willy, a salesman, believed that because of his looks and the way you sell yourself to people, you can sell anything. The American Dream can be obtained in many ways, but if you do it the erroneous way it can swallow you whole.

Miller uses Death of a Salesman to shed light on the American Dream “for the sham it is” claims Raine. Willy has bought into this

The story ‘Death of a Salesman’ written by Miller focuses on a man doing all he can to allow him and his family to live the American dream. Throughout the story it is shown how the Loman’s struggle with finding happiness and also with becoming successful. Throughout their entire lives many problems come their way resulting in a devastating death caused by foolishness and the drive to be successful. Ever since he and his wife, Linda, met she has been living a sad and miserable life, because she has been trying support his unachievable goals. Also by him being naïve put his children’s lives in jeopardy and also made them lose sight of who they really were. Miller uses the Loman family to show how feeling the need to appear a certain way to the public and trying to live a life that is not really yours can turn into an American nightmare.

Willie Loman is an ordinary man who embodies traditional American values of success. He has reached the age where he can no longer compete successful in his chosen career, that of a traveling salesman. Faced with the termination of his job, he begins to examine his past life to determine its value. At this critical point in Willie’s existence, his oldest son Biff has returned home for a visit, and Willie’s old desire for his son to be a traditional success in life is rekindled. But the old tensions between the two men are also renewed. Once again, to Willie’s great disappointment, his son rejects Willie’s values and aspirations. (“Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller 1949 Drama”)

Before even beginning to read ‘Death of a Salesman’, we know what the play is going to be about from the given title. However, this play is much more than just a death of a salesman, it’s about the death of the promise of the American Dream. At heart, it’s about the protagonist’s desire for success, respect, and status — and failure to achieve it.

In the Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller reflects Willy Loman striving for his family’s higher identity with pursuing the American Dream. Through Willy Loman’s dreamlike mind, Miller shows how denial casts blindness to the reality of his life, family, and loss of identity. Thus, this play shows how social achievement and economic success affects the truly important aspects of life; family and love.

The American Dream is pursued not only by characters in literature, such as Willy and Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman but also by society as a whole and by people, such as you and me. The American Dream, less discriminating than the Equal Opportunities Act, has been achieved by people of all races, religions, gender, and socio-economic status since America was established as a nation. We often ask and wonder when a character or person fails the American Dream what led to this failure; or, as Lois Tyson questioned in her work “The Psychological Politics of the American Dream”, "Who is responsible for the protagonist's problems, the protagonist or society?" (Tyson 212). However in Arthur Miller’s The Death of a Salesman, Willy

The American Dream is one of the most prevalent themes found in literary works of the Modern and Postmodern era. This phenomenon defines itself as the idea that any American is capable of achieving success, riches, and happiness through hard work alone. However, people who spend too much time and energy striving for wealth sacrifice their health and happiness, thus creating the American Nightmare. We all know someone, friend or relative, who works to the point of utter exhaustion in order to afford the big house and fancy cars. In fact, there is a piece of highly acclaimed literary work that illustrates this exact archetype: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ explores the theme of success through the technique of characterisation. 60 year old Willy Loman and Charley, his neighbour, have been lifelong friends who have experienced highs and lows together. Whilst Charley is a successful businessman, Willy is a failure who is slowly losing his grip on reality despite believing that he is “such a hard worker” (pg 11). Although having history on their side, in comparison, Willy and Charley lead very different lives. Charley runs a successful business whereas Willy struggles to live day-to-day as a salesman. Providing for his family is not Willy’s only problem as being a salesman is a very subjective job. To make door to door selling a lifelong career, it depends on

The pursuit of happiness is a reckless journey in which the best of men lose the things that they cherish most, in particular, their sanity. Arthur Miller presents a compelling position in the play Death of a Salesman by portraying Willy Loman as a person with the biggest of ambitions, but remains unsuccessful. He suggests that the quest to be “truly successful” can ultimately destroy a person and their happiness. Arthur Miller uses Willy’s beliefs on profession, personal appearances, and self-worth to demonstrate the central theme of self-destruction through the pursuit of happiness.

As though to recreate the connection in life, literature often shows the relationship between past events and a character’s present actions and values. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy is haunted by memories of his older brother, father, and salesman Dave Singleman. Willy’s character and values are constantly influenced by the memory of the three men, compounding upon his deliria throughout the play. Willy considers these men the epitome of success, thus explaining his dependency on all three. Miller’s view on society, men, and the success of the American Dream are portrayed through Willy’s interactions with the men. The American Dream is synonymous with the phrase “the world is your oyster,” but Miller uses Death of a Salesman to criticize the American Dream through Willy Loman and his interplay between the past and present.

Death of a Salesman has been accepted worldwide as one of the greatest American dramas to premier in theatre. The story behind the play is based on Miller’s interactions with his Uncle, a salesman whose efforts to obtain the “American Dream” and pass his success on to his two sons becomes his main focus. Miller’s life during the preparation of Death of a Salesman provides the spark and inspiration needed to pen a literary classic. Almost five decades later, Death of a Salesman’s themes is still relevant in today’s society.

Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, examines the destructive myth built around the American Dream and in it he offers an indictment on the American capitalist system.  Through the protagonist, Willy Loman, Miller demonstrates the struggles of obtaining the American Dream in a shallow and materialistic capitalist society. However, throughout the drama we see that the main character, Willy doesn't even realize he is living in a capitalist society and continues to use the wrong methods to attain success and accomplish his version of American dream. In the end, it is Willys false beliefs that lead to his demise.

    In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman and Edward Albee’s The American Dream, Willy Lowman and Mommy possess the trait of superficiality. Their priorities are to look good and be liked, and this contributes to their misguided paths to reach success. This attribute is one of many societal criticisms pointed out by both authors. Arthur Miller criticizes society for perceiving success as being liked and having good looks. He illustrates society’s perception through Willy, who thinks the keys to success are being popular and attractive. Willy transmits this philosophy to his sons by ignoring their education and personal growth and setting an example that popularity is most