How can Death of a Salesman be interpreted as a critique of the American Dream? Why is Willy Loman doomed not to succeed?.
"The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making your dreams come true" Anonymous.
The concept of the American Dream started to arise during the early nineteenth century, as hundreds of people immigrated to the United States of America in search for a better life. Originally, the American Dreams is the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Though these three goals sound very practical and logic in theory, in reality, problems occur as people start to interpret this dream each according to his personal wishes. In his play "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller criticizes the concept of the American Dream in regard to the failure it causes the life of the Lomans' family to become. The problem with the American Dream, I believe, lies not within the dream itself, but within the means people pursue to attain this dream. .
The tragic hero of Arthur Miller's play, Willy Loman, is a sixty-three year old salesman, who dedicates his life to the American Dream. Loman wastes his whole life trying to become happy, successful and free. His role model is a successful, well-liked salesman called Dave Singleman. When Singleman dies, people from all over the country come to attend his funeral. This is enough proof for Loman that his role model, Dave Singleman, is successful, so Willy spends his life trying to become like him, or in other words, to realize the American dream in his life. However, as we read the play we discover that Willy Loman becomes nothing like Dave Singleman. Willy didn"t only turn out to be a failure at his job, but moreover, he gets fired during the play. His family relationships are almost destroyed and by the end of the play we find out that no one comes to attend his funeral. So according to his own measures, he is a failure and couldn"t realize the American Dream.