Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949, 1977) portrays a man who struggles with the task of having a good family relationship at home with his wife and two sons, and procrastinating being a successful salesman. The play reveals how procrastination can destroy an individual's life. Through an analysis of the character of Willy Loman and his actions in the five major periods of his life (i.e., sending Biff to college and showing interest in his football ability, paying the last house payment on the house, getting fires from his job of some thirty-odd years, having Biff catch him cheating on Mrs. Loman, committing suicide by running his car into a tree), the theme is developed. Willy Loman made everything in his life much harder than it really was. He seemed to complain and procrastinate about everything. Take for example when Willy was supposed to speak with Biffs math teacher to better Biffs grade in the class. Willy said, I'll tell you what Biff, Let me go down there and have a talk with her and see if I can't just fix that grade in there for you! How would you like that, Huh? (1273). Biff really thought his father would go down to the school and straighten everything out with his teacher. Willy Loman never even set the first foot in the doorway towards Biffs school. This showed the power of procrastination that was dwelling over Willy's personality. Willy couldn't even hold up to his end of the deal for his own son. Mr. Loman had broken another promise from procrastination, but this time it was his own son. Every week Willy Loman has to borrow $50.00 from his next-door neighbor Charley. Every week when Willy borrows the money he tells Charley that next week he will pay him back. For over 5 years Charley has been hearing this same sentence come out of Willy Loman's mouth every week when he comes to borrow $50.00. The problem is Willy has been working for the same sales firm for over 30 years.
