Willy Loman to this day is one of the hardest characters for an actor to act .
The reason why is that he is a complex character that is held .
prisoner in his own beliefs of a what a successful man should be. He constantly .
is switching from the real world to his fantasy and past happenings. He believes.
that a man who with hard work, perseverance, or personality would be rich and .
achieve the American Dream.
He feels that he was a very successful man back in 1928. Although he .
understands the whole profession of being a salesman (where they use you up .
and spit you out), he fails to realize his personal failure and betrayal of his soul .
and family through the constructed deception of his life. Willy is too driven by his .
own willfulness to recognize the crooked reality that his mind has forged. .
You see, a salesman does not make his or her own product, has not .
mastered a particular skill or a body of knowledge, and works on the empty .
substance of dreams and promises. Additionally, a salesman must sell .
his or her personality as much as his or her product. Willy Loman falsely believes .
he needs nothing more than to be well liked to make it big. .
Willy believes that his son Biff could of been a great businessman who .
could of achieved the American dream. Only if he didn't dwindle his life away at .
the worthless ranches when he failed math in college. How Biff has affected .
Willy was in a big way. In the climax of this play, Biff tried to make Willy realize.
that they both have failed at the American dream, and that they both don't have .
real skills and leadership ability to succeed. Willy refuses to listen to what Biff is .
saying; he tells Biff how great he is and how successful he can become. Biff is .
frustrated because Willy refuses to face the truth. In anger, Biff breaks down and .
sobs, telling Willy just to forget about him. .
During all of this, Willy is cruelly taken off of salary and put on straight .