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").
The "American Dream" is "the belief that through the pioneer virtues of hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, and fortitude, one might find happiness through wealth" ("Death of a Salesman"). This is the center of our lives as Americans; we all want to accomplish it one way or another. The concept of the American Dream shown in the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is believed by Harold Clurman to be divided into two meanings; the historical dream and the business success dream. In our society the biggest achievement is when you buy your own house, and live with a stable job, it does not have to be a high paying job but one that allows you to pay your bills and live a decent life, if you have this then you have achieved the historical dream. In the other hand if you have a high paying job in the corporate world; meaning a white collar job, and although you might or might not own a house but you earn more than enough for your living expenses then that is consider to be the business success dream. Willie Loman had already achieved the historical dream, he had a house, car, family and a job, but he gets obsessed with the business success dream and tries or at least he think he does try to accomplish it but he dismantles his family in the process.
Immigrants come to America believing this. ... Willy Loman states: I'm fat. ... Willy Loman had one chance in his life to become successful. ... - (135) Willy expects this will allow Biff to achieve success. ... In conclusion, Willy Loman tries his best to gain wealth. ...
Oedipus, Macbeth, Lear, Hamlet, Othello "or Willy Loman. ... Gradually, the audience members become Willy Loman, and his struggle becomes their own struggle. ... Willy Loman is incapable of discerning what is real from what is not. ... Willy Loman speaks not of "success," so much as of being "well liked" (Miller 1324). ... He knows our lower middle class as few others do, and Willy Loman is his supreme character creation. ...
Willy Loman: A Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a character exhibits traits of good moral, but possess a fatal flaw that brings upon his or her own downfall. ... Further supporting the characteristics of a tragic hero, Willy's tragic flaw is his interpretation of how to attain success and the American Dream. ... Willy's admiration of Dave Singleman's popularity and ease of success further illustrates his obsession with being "well liked."" ... Willy is focusing on the rewards of success when he should be focusing on the process to gain wealth, creating his tragic flaw. ... For...
Willy Loman represents those who have striven for success, but in struggling to do so, have found failure in the most bitter of forms. ... Willy's path towards the American Dream, was marred by impractical ideals. ... Evidently, Willy Loman's inability to attain the American Dream had much do with his impractical and misconstrued values. ... Furthermore, Willy Loman followed the wrong dream. ... The American Dream defines the heart and soul of aging Willy Loman, a man confronting failure in a success-driven society. ...
Arthur Miller's, Death of a Salesman, is a tragic example of a battle, fought by the protagonist Willy Loman, between reality and illusions perpetuated by his pursuit of the American Dream, success. ... Willy Loman is a 60 year traveling salesman who was employed by the Wagner firm for 34 years. ... Ben was the epitome of success and of lost opportunity for Willy Loman. ... Willy Loman tragically drives to his death in pursuit of the reward, a twenty thousand dollar life insurance policy, he hoped would allow Biff to become the success he never was in life. ... Willy Loman's l...
Willy Loman and Okonkwo, the chief protagonists of the drama Death of a Salesman, and the novel Things Falls Apart, respectively, are both classical examples of a tragic hero as they struggle to achieve success in societies that seems completely turned against them. ... Willy Loman is constantly trying to figure out where his life went wrong, but denies that he has actually failed. ... The two protagonists, Willy Loman and Okonkwo, in addition are ready to lay down their life to secure their personal dignity. In Willy Loman's case, he feels he has only a very small amount of dignity le...
Willy's Useless Advice About Success Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is a play that illustrates a family that lives in a dream world but ultimately comes into reality. Like many people of this country, as well as others, the Lomans strive to live out the American dream. ... With all of his heart, Loman believes in the American dream of effortless success, fame, and fortune. ... The American dream is not conquered without work, but Loman does not ever accept this fact. ... Willy Loman commits suicide and leaves a twenty thousand inheritance so Biff could live out Willy's...
Why is Willy Loman doomed not to succeed? ... Willy Loman spends his life and dies in attempt to realize this dream, yet fails to accomplish happiness or success. ... According to Willy Loman, money is the measure for success and the only means for happiness. ... As a result, Willy Loman understood the American Dream in terms of happiness and therefore, could never attain it. Thus, one could say that due to his misinterpretation of the American Dream Willy Loman was doomed to fail. ...
In addition, Arthur Miller's father lost his job during the Great Depression just like Willy Loman does in the play. ... Willy Loman firmly believes that being well-liked is a key attribute in reaching success. ... Willy Loman desires to parallel his life after one salesman, Dave Singleman, who he views as the exemplification of success. ... Craving for success, Singleman exhibits the accomplishments, which Willy Loman longs to achieve. ... Willy's poor choice of a job forces the entire Loman family into a life of financial hardship. ...
