Summary Of The American Dream In Death Of A Salesman

Everyone has a dream. Some choose not to pursue them and some do. Those who do not, tend to be regretful. Those who do seem to always be hardworking and well rounded. In Walt Whitman’s poem, “I can hear America singing”, he wrote how he heard joyful working Americans and noticed the similarities of their personalities and their jobs. In “Of Mice and Men”, John Steinbeck’s writing portrayed his idea of how the workers, George and Lennie’s American dream did not work out for them. His characters are examples of American workers who are not happy with their jobs and unfortunately could not pursue their dreams. Arthur Miller wrote “Death of a Salesman”, to illustrate the hardship, frustration, and depression that go and hand in hand with unfulfilled
The main character, Willy wanted to achieve his American dream to show people he was just as powerful as his brother. Willy’s flaw is that he thinks way too much about what others believe about himself. He has constantly stated throughout the play how he will be successful and will shock the world, “Don’t say? Tell you a secret, boys. Don’t breathe it to a soul. Someday I’ll have my own business, and I’ll never have to leave home any more.” (Miller 65). Willy’s attempt to chasing his American Dream showed how Whitman’s argument does not apply to all. Willy has opportunities to succeed in his life. He was his own enemy throughout the play and Miller makes it clear that he never has a set dream and just hopes to be what society wants him to be, “You wait, kid, before it’s all over we’re gonna get a little place out in the country, and I’ll raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens” (Miller 88). Willy Loman struggled to achieve his dreams like all Americans do. Although Willy meant good, he lacked in confidence and was truly insecure. Miller would hear a different sound than Whitman for Americans, more of a tragic suffering as his characters