Willy Loman
Appreciating past events, and, retreating to it, are two different actions which should be distinguished. To think about the past for nostalgia is completely normal, though, to use it for the purpose of escaping the current day is destructive. Arthur Miller’s play; “Death of a Salesman”, exhibits the repercussions of denying the present reality, which prompts the individual to dwell upon the past for contentment, eventually leading to utter devastation.
What does it really mean to deny reality? Through the play, Willy Loman illustrates this crippling behaviour. Willy shows that he is incapable of accepting the present truth that he is unsuccessful and unrespected. He dwells on the past and believes his previous “achievements” should score him recognition and prosperity. Willy tries to use these memories to advantage. He had tried this feat when he begged his boss for an in town job. Willy found justification for a guaranteed job just because he “named” his boss; “Your father came to me the day you were born and asked me what I thought of the name of Howard, may he rest in peace.” (p.1247) Willy does not understand that his past has no …show more content…
effect on achieving respect with his current unsuccessfulness, and ironically, this tendency of his outcasts him from the business world. This trend does not only occur with his work life, but with his family too.
Willy’s constant denials have seeped into his family life.
He realizes he is no longer respected by Biff, mainly because of his affair. Due to these circumstances, Willy recollects memories from his past to satisfy him. One these memories is when Biff would try and impress Willy through football; “...just for you, I’m going to break through for a touchdown.” (p.1223). This is significant as Biff is ignoring the fact that he is “supposed to pass.”(p.1223), just so he can impress his father. Picture yourself in Willy’s shoes. For instance, my Dad was once, in essence, in denial, for being laid off. He reconciled through memories to appetize him, though he did not let it take him over as he used it as motivation to successfully find a new job. This is completely contrasted from Willy’s case. Is Willy’s actions and behaviour
justified?
His tendencies to lash out on people when in denial have taken him over, and has negatively impacted his family and friends. Willy constantly treats Linda as if she has no feelings, and yells “Will you stop!”(p.1240) with impudence. Also, his mental instability worsens as he is mixing up his fantasies with reality. Whilst playing cards, he “sees” Ben in his own mind. This causes him to misunderstand the game and eventually accusing Charley of cheating. These are the behaviours that lead a man to his own demise. Relationships with friends and family will increasingly grow apart, and, as illustrated through Willy, will cause traumatizing results.
Willy’s behaviours do teach us a lesson to take in for the real world. Even if it was just a play, it could happen to one of us, or people we know. Through Willy’s actions, we can recognize when someone is in the wrong state of denial. Escaping to the past while rejecting the present truth obstructs one's brain. We must help that individual before it is too late, for themselves, and others around them.
What does it really mean to deny reality? Through the play, Willy Loman illustrates this crippling behaviour. Willy shows that he is incapable of accepting the present truth that he is unsuccessful and unrespected. He dwells on the past and believes his previous “achievements” should score him recognition and prosperity. Willy tries to use these memories to advantage. He had tried this feat when he begged his boss for an in town job. Willy found justification for a guaranteed job just because he “named” his boss; “Your father came to me the day you were born and asked me what I thought of the name of Howard, may he rest in peace.” (p.1247) Willy does not understand that his past has no …show more content…
effect on achieving respect with his current unsuccessfulness, and ironically, this tendency of his outcasts him from the business world. This trend does not only occur with his work life, but with his family too.
Willy’s constant denials have seeped into his family life.
He realizes he is no longer respected by Biff, mainly because of his affair. Due to these circumstances, Willy recollects memories from his past to satisfy him. One these memories is when Biff would try and impress Willy through football; “...just for you, I’m going to break through for a touchdown.” (p.1223). This is significant as Biff is ignoring the fact that he is “supposed to pass.”(p.1223), just so he can impress his father. Picture yourself in Willy’s shoes. For instance, my Dad was once, in essence, in denial, for being laid off. He reconciled through memories to appetize him, though he did not let it take him over as he used it as motivation to successfully find a new job. This is completely contrasted from Willy’s case. Is Willy’s actions and behaviour
justified?
His tendencies to lash out on people when in denial have taken him over, and has negatively impacted his family and friends. Willy constantly treats Linda as if she has no feelings, and yells “Will you stop!”(p.1240) with impudence. Also, his mental instability worsens as he is mixing up his fantasies with reality. Whilst playing cards, he “sees” Ben in his own mind. This causes him to misunderstand the game and eventually accusing Charley of cheating. These are the behaviours that lead a man to his own demise. Relationships with friends and family will increasingly grow apart, and, as illustrated through Willy, will cause traumatizing results.
Willy’s behaviours do teach us a lesson to take in for the real world. Even if it was just a play, it could happen to one of us, or people we know. Through Willy’s actions, we can recognize when someone is in the wrong state of denial. Escaping to the past while rejecting the present truth obstructs one's brain. We must help that individual before it is too late, for themselves, and others around them.