Comparison Of The American Dream In Death Of A Salesman

1051 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The american dream context

The American Dream in today’s society is a concept that differs for each individual. For some, it is to be rich and to have a financially stable career. For others, it may be to start a family that will carry on a legacy for generations. Even though for each this may be personalized, a constant connection that the American Dream has for all is the search for happiness. In the play Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller, the American Dream is a theme that’s interpretation varies from character to character. Thus, the life paths of Willy, Biff, and Bernard are all a result of their differences in opinions towards how to achieve the American Dream. For Willy Loman, the idea of living a successful life is done through creating a strong reputation. …show more content…

His true dream is to move out westward and tend to his own farm, his success being directly shown through the condition of his land. However, choosing this career path has earned him harsh criticism from his father, whose only wish is for Biff to be a salesman, like himself. Towards the end of the story, Biff “realize[s] what a ridiculous lie [his] whole life ha[d] been. [They’ve] been talking in a dream for fifteen years” (81). From the time he was in highschool, Biff had been conditioned by his father to believe that the only path to success is through popularity. His education was never a priority, thus resulting in him never having to work hard for anything in his life. Unfortunately, being a star football player never got him anywhere in life, it only hindered him from finding a more suitable life path. But in seeing his father’s failure, Biff has noticed that everyone has a different idea of what success is, and how to attain it. When rejected to work as a salesman for Bill Oliver, he says to his father, “I saw the things that I love in this world [...] and said to myself, [...] why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? [...] All I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am” (105). Although he has had a tough time executing it, all Biff just wants to do what makes him …show more content…

It has been instilled in him from his father that the path to happiness is through working hard and earning one’s own success. Despite his best efforts, he could not help Biff realize that he has to study sometimes and put in effort towards future happiness: “Just because he printed University of Virginia on his sneakers doesn’t mean they’ve got to graduate him” (20). Bernard sees through what Willy has been teaching his boys for their whole life. One cannot get their way in life by cheating the system and expecting to get away with it every time. Bernard is trying to teach Biff that one cannot just state they want success, and it will immediately be granted. Even though Bernard has put in years of effort towards his success, he still remains humble. When Willy speaks with him regarding his appearance in front of the Supreme Court, he says, “Oh, just a case I’ve got there, Willy” (70). Even though he has reached the highest honor a lawyer can, he keeps a modest attitude towards what he has achieved. He knows that hard work cannot be cheated and success cannot be found overnight. Bernard has worked his whole life towards becoming a lawyer and starting his own family, and people only see the results, not the

Show More
Related

  • Pursuit of the American Dream in Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman

    1321 Words  | 3 Pages

    People from all around the world have dreamed of coming to America and building a successful life for themselves. The "American Dream" is the idea that, through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit in terms of financial success and a reliable future. While everyone has a different interpretation of the "American Dream," some people use it as an excuse to justify their own greed and selfish desires. Two respected works of modern American literature, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, give us insight into how the individual interpretation and pursuit of the "American Dream" can produce tragic results.

    Read More

  • The American Dream in Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    Willy Loman, a hard worker aged to his sixties never accomplished this goal. He always talked the talked, but never achieved to walk the walk. Willy Loman would always talk about who he's met and how he has always well known and liked, but truthfully he never was. "Willy: He's liked, but not-well liked…I got on the road and I went north to Providence. Met the Mayor. (ACT I, lines 232, 234)…Willy: And they know me, boys, they know me up and down New England. The finest people. And when I bring you fellas up, there'll be open sesame for all of us, 'cause one thing, boys: I have friends. I can park my car in any street in New England, and the cops protect it like their own…(ACT I, line 242)." Willy can talk of meeting wonderful and powerful men, but his limits stretch to the Mayor of Providence. Willy Loman's dreams seem to outlive Willy.

    Read More

  • Self Deception In Willy Loman

    1601 Words  | 4 Pages

    The life of Mr. Loman is one of loneliness, and lies. An online source emphasizes about Willy, “Willy convinces himself that he is successful, well- liked, and that his sons are destined for greatness.” Willy’s mind is consumed with being popular, and having material wealth. The results of Willy’s internal problems resulted with his children that could not be stable in any aspect of their lives, his failing marriage, and him struggling throughout all of his adulthood. Edward states (an online source), “Willy spent his life pursuing the wrong dreams for him. The wrong dream slowly possessed his life.” And also states, “Willy appears to have been obsessed with his goal of being known as a great salesman rather than with actually being a great salesman.” Willy is constantly under attack with thoughts of his past, to the point he has such vivid flashbacks that he will openly be talking to him, but thinking is he talking to people of the past. An online source states, “Unable to cope with reality, he entirely abandons it through his vivid fantasies and ultimately through suicide.” Willy is aware of his mistakes, but spends his time looking forward to the ‘perfect’ future he has planned, but never changes his ways to achieve his goals. Mr. and Mrs. Loman realize how different and happy Willy is when he is working outside with his hands. Both characters recognize

    Read More

  • Death Of A Salesman: Societys Alienation Of Willy Loman

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    Likewise, Willy Loman's position in the working world is constricted, away from everyone else, and won't let him become successful. Willy was his own worst enemy, a man who couldn't accept himself. Society added fuel to the fire by not accepting him either. It is human nature to be judgmental of things, and especially people. Willy Loman was no exception to this.

    Read More

  • Biff's Changing Perception in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    475 Words  | 1 Pages

    Through a series of events, Biff gradually comes to a realization of what is necessary for success.  First, we are shown a part of his childhood where Biff is told that "the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead."  This idea appears in direct contrast to Bernard, one of Biff's childhood friends, who works and studies hard.  Biff decides that Bernard will not succeed because he is "only liked, not well-liked," and being well-liked is the cornerstone of success. Nonetheless, later in the play we see that Bernard has become very successful, underscoring one of the messages in the play, that success is not just a result of popularity.  Second, we are shown a scene in Boston soon after Biff has just failed math for the year.  He discovers his "heroic" father having an affair.  Biff comes to the painful realization that his father's values, his views, and everything that Biff had made the foundation of his life, are all completely "fake" and "phony."  Unfortunately, he has nothing with which to replace it.  Lastly, Biff decides to leave to try and find himself, but an argument develops between Biff and Willy.  Biff begins to see himself as like his father, "nothing," just an average man trying to make a living, and quite possibly failing.  Biff's earlier image of his father's greatness has crumbled entirely, leaving a lost young man trying to find his way.  Biff realized that he now needs to find his own values in life.  He has finally tasted reality and now must dive head first into the pot, without any real preparation.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The American Dream In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    Is it through the understanding of concepts and one’s place in life that drives people toward a successful life, or can they move through life with complete or partial misunderstandings, and still obtain success? This is explored within the play, Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman, who is an old salesman working off of commission, is not making enough money to provide the type of successful life he envisioned. His two grown kids are reminders of his failure to provide the support and characteristics a father should. Biff is returning home all because he has found a new path in life. He has finally understood that the office is not a place for him, even though his father supported and encouraged it. Willy then compares his son 's success to

    Read More

  • Comparing Death of a Salesman and The American Dream

    1230 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ve path in the form of Bernard, who unlike Biff and Happy, does well in school, is not well liked by others, and is a relatively unattractive man. However, his goals are more within reach because he is prepared to work hard and is less concerned with the opinions of others.

    Read More

  • Willy Loman's American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    671 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman focuses on the American Dream, or at least Willie Loman’s version of it. *Willie is a salesman who is down on his luck. He "bought into" the belief in the American Dream, and much of the hardship in his life was a result. *Many people believe in the American Dream and its role in shaping people’s success. Willy could have been successful, but something went wrong. He raised his sons to believe in the American Dream, and neither of them turned out to be successful either.

    Read More

  • The Collapse of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller,

    2029 Words  | 5 Pages

    Moreover, the psychological view of Willy Loman is shown as a person who works as a traveling salesman and decides to commit suicide because the “American Dream” overwhelms him. As Charley says in the story: “the only thing you got in this world is what you can sell”. He is a normal person “who embodies traditional American values of success.”(Hansberry) In fact, Willy Loman wants to a great extent believe that he is one of the finest salesmen, a winner in life and a great father. For Mr. Loman, the accomplish...

    Read More

  • Death Of A Salesman American Dream Analysis

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    Is it right to blame society when the stronghold of trust in the American Dream diminishes or dies? The critical point in Death of a Salesman was the mission for this dream. Miller depicts this in his character Willy Loman and his deceived mission of this dream. Arthur Miller's outline of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman was created in post bellum America. Around then, the thinking was more than essentially a declaration; it was a lifestyle. In attempts to further the onlooker's understanding of the story, one must portray the American Dream. After World War II, the United States thrived and flourished monetarily. The possibility of achievement was the establishment of the American Dream. The possibility of a free market framework was reborn and by living in a capitalistic free market, everyone in America had an open door to get rich and be productive. To put it fundamentally, the American Dream was portrayed as "an American flawless of a playful and powerful life which all may want: the American Dream addresses a reaffirmation of standard American hope. Arthur Miller makes the spectator grasp the dream is a lie, in light of the way that it is not for everybody. In the play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is an impeccable outline of somebody who is attempting to search for this dream. “Death” in the title insinuates Willy's authentic destruction. The play is tormented with conspiring and refusal of reality and self-image, in which don't permit Willy Loman to accomplish independent satisfaction. Willy Loman's life is far from merry and successful.

    Read More

  • The Devastating Impact of the American Dream In Death Of A Salesman

    1282 Words  | 3 Pages

    Corrupted by their father, Biff and Happy also can not attain success. Biff fails to find a steady, high-paying job even though he's 30, and he hates the business world, preferring instead to live on a farm in California. Happy, on the other hand, has a fairly well-paying, steady job, but still suffers from emptiness and a sense of being lost, a void which he fills by sleeping around with many women, some of whom are even married or engaged. Thus, Miller uses motifs, such as deception, theft, and hallucination, to show the pathology that all three of these characters experience in the wake of the American dream. Miller's use of lies throughout the book reveals the madness that results from the pursuit of the American dream.

    Read More

  • Failure of the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    933 Words  | 2 Pages

    Willy Loman equates success as a human being with success in the business world. When Willy was a young man, he heard of a salesman who could "pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, make his living." 8. This salesman is Willy's inspiration; someday to be so respected and so well known that he can still provide for his family, even at an old age. Of course, Willy is no good at being a salesman because his heart isn't in it.

    Read More

  • Family Issues in the Play Death of a Salesman

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    Biff Loman, a highly successful high school football player, was supposedly meant for great things after high school. However, Biff failed to graduate from high school due to failing a mathematics class, and also did not complete the class during summer school, because of the discussion he had with his father. The discussion was one that was eye-opening, as Biff learned that his father was unfaithful to his mother, “You—you gave her Mama’s stockings…don’t touch me, you—liar...You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!“ (95). This is the moment in the play where Biff lost all respect for his father. Due to not graduating, he lost his athletic scholarship to the University of Virginia. Since then, Biff has been working blue-collar jobs in the west while not making over thirty-five dollars a week. He is happy there but realizes that there is not much future in that line of work and ends up returning home without a job.

    Read More

  • The Failure of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

    1487 Words  | 3 Pages

    America has long been known as a land of opportunity. Out of that thinking comes the "American Dream," the idea that anyone can ultimately achieve success, even if he or she began with nothing. In "The Death of a Salesman", Arthur Miller uses the characterization of Willy Loman to represent the failure of his ideal of the American Dream. Willy’s quest for the American Dream leads to his failure because throughout his life he pursues the illusion of the American Dream and not the reality of it. His mindset on perfection, obsession with success, and his constant reminiscence of the past and predictions of the future, all contribute to his defeat in the end.

    Read More

  • The American Dream in "Death of a Salesman" and "Seize the Day"

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society the term “American Dream” is perceived as being successful and usually that’s associated with being rich or financially sound. People follow this idea their entire life and usually never stop to think if they are happy on this road to success. Most will live through thick and thin with this idealization of the “American Dream” usually leading to unhappiness, depression and even suicide. The individual is confused by society’s portrayal of the individuals who have supposedly reached the nirvana of the “American Dream”. In the play “Death of a Salesman” Willy thinks that if a person has the right personality and he is well liked it’s easy to achieve success rather than hard work and innovation. This is seen when Willy is only concerned how Biff’s class mates reacted to his joke of the teachers lisp. Willy’s dream of success for his son Biff who was very well liked in High School never actually became anything. Biff turned into a drifter and a ranch worker. In the play “Seize the Day” Tommy who is financially unstable also pursues the idea of getting to the “American Dream” and becoming wealthy. He foolishly invests his last seven hundred dollars and eventually loses it leaving him broke and out of work. In both plays following the American Dream is followed in different characters and in both the characters are far away from it leaving them broke and forgotten by almost everyone.

    Read More

More about Comparison Of The American Dream In Death Of A Salesman

Open Document