Theme Of The American Dream In Death Of A Salesman

In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the playwright targets the theme of The American Dream and how it affects Willy and his family. Miller uses this time period to help develop the theme of The American Dream within the play. In 1949, America experienced an economic boom due to their success in WWII. Miller uses the character of Willy to demonstrate to the audience what the average individual in America was going through. Willy uses Biff as a representation of himself to reflect and symbolize on his ideal of the American
When this play was first performed, the time was post-WW2. America was strengthened economically, having returned from the war, men and their families wished of achieving the American Dream; economic success and social comfort. mirroring society Willy had a similar dream, but, unfortunately, he failed to achieve it. As Willy grew up, his American Dream was to be able to “pick up his phone and call buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, make his living” (Miller 81). Willy dreams go beyond being successful in the present time, he wishes to go as far as being able to provide for his family as he ages and goes beyond his grave. Willy never had a future working as a salesman, "There's more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made” (Miller 138). Willy values social comfort in the American Dream, he believes that social comfort can only be achieved once you become a successful salesman in New York. Even Though Willy never had success in the salesman business he continued to do it for the rest of his life for the sake of being held at a high regard by society. Biff comes to realization that Willy never belonged in the salesman business, he assumes Willy became a salesman due to social comfort and popularity it provided an individual once they are
With failure comes consequences, unfortunately Willy fails to acknowledge severity of his. Near the end of the play Willy’s advice seems unreliable in Biff’s eyes due to Willy’s failure to acknowledge his defeat in life and many of his past mistakes that only Biff knew about. Willy chased his American Dream for far too long leading to the destruction of him and his