Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller

In Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman,” there are many themes present throughout, most notably the theme of the American Dream. Readers are introduced to the American Dream most importantly through Willy, the main character. The power of the American Dream over society begs readers to ask the question, how has the American Dream influenced Willy Loman’s life and death as a salesman? While the American Dream may be a great desire in life for Loman, it creates a product out of a human and thereby turns Loman’s economic wealth into the only significant aspect of his life. Before examining Willy Loman as a character, it is important to consider where the inspiration for this character came from. Arthur Miller grew up during the Great
Depression and his family faced many hardships during this time. (Koprince, 318) His disdain for capitalism combined his disbelief in the American dream led to the birth of Willy Loman. Miller explored various themes throughout “Death of a Salesman,” including “the quest for self-fulfillment, marital discord, the role of technology in the modern age, and the anxieties of the average man.” (Koprince, 318) Couple these themes with the idea that the American Dream is weighing heavily on Willy Loman’s life, it is easy to see how his mental state deteriorates. Willy Loman is the “archetypal American little man – the ‘low man’” (Koprince, 319) and his psychological decline stems from his fear that he has failed as a husband, father, and provider—he has failed to achieve the unachievable American Dream. (Koprince, 319) Loman has spent his life trying to achieve the American Dream. This desire springs from the so-called Dream his peers have achieved. Ben, his brother, realized this Dream when he “struck gold” out in Africa, in reality he actually hired local people to mine the diamonds he made his riches off of. Ben’s “dream” was achieved through deceit. Howard Wagner has also been an important influence in Willy Loman’s life. He succeeded in reaching his Dream by inheriting his father’s company. In both instances, Miller portrays these characters as symbols of capitalism. Ben showcases the drive for success that Willy lacks. He makes risky decisions such as leaving his family to enter the wilderness, but he comes out successful. In Howard’s case, his Dream relies heavily on his monetary values. He expresses this through his obsession with his new tape recorder, something that “mystifies” Loman and “epitomizes the current technology and which heralds a new era in business communication,” (Koprince, 320) an era that Loman cannot comprehend or succeed in. Howard fires Willy without a second thought, stating, “it’s business kid, and everybody’s gotta pull his own weight.” (Koprince, 320) Miller’s disdain for consumerism and the American Dream are highly apparent at the center of “Death of a Salesman” through Willy Loman.
“His tragedy is not that he can’t make money as a salesman any longer, or that his eldest son thinks he’s a fake, but that he has thoroughly accepted, even in his dreams, the ideology of a way of life that is killing him and the rest of his family. His tragedy is that he lies to himself until the end of his life.” (Walsh) These themes reflect back to Miller’s personal life growing up during the Great Depression and the hardships his family faced during this time. (Walsh) In Death of a Salesman, Miller’s contempt for American capitalism is also seen within consumerism by the idea that Willy’s job is to sell himself. Miller said that, “[e]verybody is selling and everything is for sale” including the character of Willy (Kullman). By sleeping with secretaries in order to increase his sales, Loman rationalizes this behavior by claiming that it will make him a better father and husband in the long
run. Willy’s selling of himself is also a critique of American morality.
Miller is criticizing people who “[buy] into values of a group when they conflict with their [own] personal values” (Walsh). From the play, we can infer that Willy, although he may have wanted to be a salesman, never should have been one because of his interest in working with his hands (Miller). He complains about the suffocation he feels “with not a breath of fresh air in the neighborhood” but enjoys looking at the scenery on his way to work and letting “the warm air bathe over [him],” demonstrating the underlying fact that Willy is more of a rural laborer than a city businessman (Miller 3-6). Because he is trying to follow the common idea of the American Dream, Willy feels that he must succeed in business to be great. In order to do this, Willy cheats on Linda and betrays his family’s trust. He also lies about how well-liked he is and how much money he makes. Miller is showing the ludicrous ideals that American society has instilled in Willy, which created his skewed perception of success. Miller believes success is only accomplished by an honest day’s work. Before attending the University of Michigan, he worked for two years in order to pay for his tuition (Bigsby). This fueled Miller’s belief that the common man in the United States is exploited by the capitalist business world that surrounds
him.