It creates a happiness and builds something to work towards. However, some parents chase after goals in which they just are not suited for. For instance, in “Death Of A Salesman“, Willy, the father of Biff and Happy, creates a false sense of a positive outlook on searching for a career and what it takes by saying that, “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead.” (Miller Line 625-627). In fact, these ideas are the exact opposite of what it takes to be successful in the business world. Willy thinks that if he were to tell the truth to his kids, they wouldn’t respect him for not being as successful as he claims to be.
The American Dream “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller tells the success struggles of Willy Loman. Willy is married to Linda and they have two sons: Biff and Happy. Throughout the play, the Loman’s next door neighbor, Charlie, is very concerned about Willy and constantly tries to help. Willy is a traveling salesman that hasn’t provided a much for his family to thrive on. He is obsessed with this ideal of greatness and an “American Dream” that is completely unattainable due to his imagination.
Even when asking for a raise, he lies to his boss and say’s his boys are doing well knowing they cannot provide for him. He fails Biff in Boston and it is ironic that Biff eventually recognizes that he and his family are “average joes” but Willy never wants to accept that reality. Willy Loman is no
In a somewhat sub-plot, Biff wants to try again at his city life and get a good job that will not only take care of his families’ financial problems, but will also make his father proud of him. Another sub-plot suggests that Willy once had an affair, this somewhat strained his relationship with his son. The overall inciting incident of the play is when the mother tells Biff about what’s really going on with his father. That they’ve been borrowing money to pay their bills, their father drives all over the country and doesn’t actually sell anything. She also tells her two sons about how their father is suicidal and she has found a piece of rubber tubing in the basement that he will use to kill himself.
Be liked and you will never want,” (25). Time, however, proves Willy wrong when Bernard manages to land himself a successful career because of his good grades while charm and popularity gets Willy’s sons nowhere. Indirectly because of his fixation on popularity, he is alienated from Biff. Although Biff had been extremely close to him when he was young, his relationship with his son disintegrated after the latter found out about his affair. His obsession with
Willy Loman and the Common Misconception of the “American Dream” Throughout Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman chases after the popular “American Dream” of the 1900s-to be a successful businessman with the white picket fence around your house, modern technology (such as cars and refrigerators), and the satisfaction of being able to provide for your own family. Unfortunately, this chase causes the Loman family to fail in their jobs and eventually leads Willy to commit suicide. It is easy to blame Willy for his death by simply calling him crazy, however there are many different factors that added to Willy’s fragile state. Fred Ripkoff states that in order to understand the identity crisis of Loman (and other Miller characters), that “it is necessary to understand shame’s relationship to guilt and identity.” (1). Willy struggled with finding his identity because he was so caught up in his chase for his “American Dream”.
7. Why is there so much more conflict between Biff and his father? There is so much more conflict with Biff and his father because Wily wants to mold his son Biff into a success that he thinks the American Dream holds for him. Although his tries throughout this molding he fails. Another reason why there was so much conflict was because Biff caught him cheating on his mom.
Green light is always there, representing the unreachable Daisy. Nick sees how Gatsby is stuck in time represented by the broken clock, which also means how useless Gatsby is in the world he is currently living because he has no control of his life. While In Death of a Salesman, Willy also looks upon Dave Singleman who is a salesman he met before, as his hope of American Dream and model of success. He believes that being well liked is the key to success and Singleman seems to achieve that. Ignoring the fact there is nothing successful about Singleman.
Willy Willy Willy Willy Loman is an older miserable grump who tries to act like he is everything but deep down inside it is killing him because he knows that he is not. Willy has two sons, one by the name of Happy who is womanizer and is just some desk jockey in New York City. Other son is Biff, maybe not the brightest son but he is determined and just wants to work a honest job not trying to become rich. Willy wants his sons to become successful salesman who are well liked and follow in his foots steps and it kills him that they are not especially with Biff wanting to be a farmer out west. Willy is depressed and insecure and causes many arguments with his sons.
Happy also observes that Willy talks to the absent Biff about his disappointment in Biff’s unsteadiness. This stems from the fact that Biff went from job to job after high school and is worried that he has wasted his life so far. He is disappointed in himself and in the disparity between his life and the notions of value and success with which Willy indoctrinated him as a boy. Happy has a steady job in New York, but it doesn’t satisfy him. He and Biff fantasize briefly about going out west together.