In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the tragedy of a common man, Willy Loman, is displayed. Willy Loman is a traveling salesman who is struggling to live the American Dream. In his false interpretation of the American Dream, however, he leads his life and the lives of his two sons astray. After Willy loses his job and realizes that he is an ordinary man, he loses his reasons to live.
Willy's life and the lives of his two sons are comparatively unsuccessful because of Willy's belief that a well-liked and attractive man will receive financial rewards - Willy's interpretation of the American Dream. As his two sons, Biff and Happy, develop, Willy encourages them to be only well liked and attractive. He leaves out the vital role that hard work and respect play in a successful business life. For instance, while Biff is in high school, he failed math by four points, and the teacher refuses to give him these points because he did not like Biff.
BIFF: See, the reason he hates me, Pop-one day he was late for class so I got up at the blackboard and imitated him. I crossed my eyes and talked with a lithp.
WILLY (laughing): You did? The kids like it?.
BIFF: They nearly died laughing.
WILLY: Yeah? What"d you do?.
BIFF: The thquare root of thixty twee is.(Willy bursts out laughing; Biff joins him) And in the middle of it he walked in!.
(II, p. 1757).
As seen in this dialogue, Biff has no respect for his teachers. If he has, then he might have been able to graduate and receive a football scholarship, enabling him to go to college. Biff has been a celebrated football player at his school, fulfilling his dad's hope of being well liked and attractive. Yet, possessing these attributes is not enough to allow Biff to graduate. When Biff finds out that he won't be able to graduate, he finds his dad in Boston and asks for his help. However, Biff discovers that his dad is having an affair, destroying his faith in his dad.
