Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman

It is not the situation that creates a man, but how he chooses to meet that situation that creates his environment. American playwright Arthur Miller's 1949 dramatic play "Death of a Salesman", as published in Perrine's Literature Structure, Sound and Sense, explores life of post-war America and the effect that America's new found prosperity has on men. Men began to feel obligated not to just provide for their family but also to give them extravagances that society was coming to believe every household was entitled to. The play addresses the conflicts within one family by examining the cost of Willy's blind faith in the "American dream" and the repercussions that this faith has on his two sons, who are estranged from their father. The Loman men typify multitudes of American men in the 20th century who were unable to achieve the American dream because of their misguided thinking that the American dream is attainable through superficial means, such as being wealthy and well liked.

Like many men in the 1940's, Miller's protagonist character, Willy Loman, who has been a salesman for his entire career, attempts to grasp success through the belief that he must be well liked to achieve this goal. Despite his best efforts, it becomes clear that Willy Loman is not popular or well liked. Willy says to his wife Linda, "Oh, I'll knock 'em dead next week. I'll go to Hartford. I'm very well liked in Hartford. You know, the trouble is, Linda, people don't seem to take to me." Linda replies, "Oh, don't be foolish." Willy continues, "I know it when I walk in. They seem to laugh at me" (1490-1491). This dialog shows that Willy feels like he is a failure because he has worked hard to become well liked, but no matter how hard he has worked, he is ignored and laughed at. Willy is always measuring himself against his neighbor Charley, who is a success in business even though Charley is not well liked. Willy cannot understand why Charley is a success in business, and Willy thinks he will become a bigger success one day because he will work on being well liked. When Willy talks to his sons about his dream to have his own business, he brags that his business will be "Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not-liked. He's liked, but he's not--well liked" (1487). Loman tells his two sons "Be liked and you will never want" (1489), giving them the idea that the key to success is being well liked, that by being well liked, doors of opportunities leading to great success will open. This is Willy's preferred work ethic and the one he passes down to his children.

Willy's belief in being well liked has also been transferred to Biff, his oldest and favorite son, which exemplified the fall out in so many families of the time. Biff has spent his life trying to live up to his father's impossible vision of himself that never existed. For example, Biff echoes his father's words, "He's liked, but not well-liked" (1488) when he dismisses his friend Bernard for only general likability. Willy ingrains in Biff that people can do anything as long as they are well liked. Living up to this standard has made Biff a man who struggles to be good and overcome his negative desires. Biff, developed an addiction to stealing because he is unable to live up to his father's vision. Biff says, "I stole myself out of every good job since high school" (1549). Biff, however, is a likeable character because he shows real initiative on the personal development front. Rather than seeking money and success in business, Biff wants a more basic life working with his hands. After trying to get a job to please Willy, Biff has an epiphany. "Why am I trying to become what I don't want to be?" (1549). He tries to get his father to see him for the man he has become. "Pop! I'm a dime a dozen," he says (1550). Biff is letting his father know that he wants to be seen for who he is. Biff reminds the reader that the classic American dream is not every man's dream, that he does not have to become a likeable business success: