Themes and Morals of "Death of a Salesman".
Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" captures the motions of life through the eyes of those who have lost their identity and sense of reality. Through themes such as the American Dream and the repercussion of past actions, morals are presented to the reader. Miller demonstrates the extremities that the Loman family goes through to achieve the "perfect American family". Through the themes and morals, the struggle for happiness is presented, as well as the mistakes that sustain the Lomans from happiness. With a firm view on life to be "well-liked", the Lomans entrap themselves in a life of fiction, fantasy, and lies.
The "American Dream", a universal and common theme among American literature, is very evident in "Death of a Salesman. Willy yearns to be a successful salesman, and a supporting husband and father. He tries to be a role model to his sons, Biff and Happy. Willy makes it his personal responsibility to provide for his family in whatever ways he sees fit. Willy wants to be the best in his field. He attempts to be the best salesman he can be. Willy's inability to reach his goals result in unhappiness, pressure, and eventually suicide. The American dream also relates to Biff Loman. Biff wants to find a stable job and lead a successful life in hopes of re-establishing the relationship with his father. Linda Loman also has experience with the American dream. She longs for the perfect, traditional American family; one in which the sons respect the father and have good relationships with one another. She leads the role of the traditional American housewife, and is almost a foil to Willy. Willy, Biff, and Linda all come in contact with the American dream and are prime examples of the problems longing for that dream can cause.
Another prominent theme, which many can relate to, is the repercussion of past actions. Characters often do not consider the consequences of their actions, and as a result, the actions will catch up with him or her sooner or later.