Crumbling Dreams in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Troy?s relationship with his father was one, which produced much tension, and had a strong influence on Troy?s relationships with his loved ones as an adult. He had very little respect for his father because his father did not, in Troy?s mind, make his family a priority. At an early age, Troy?s father beat him ?like there was no tomorrow? because he caught Troy getting ?cozy? with a girl (549; I,4).

Willy Loman has the ups and downs of someone suffering from bipolar disorder: one minute he is happy and proud- the next he is angry and swearing at his sons. Their relationships are obviously not easy ones. Willy always has the deeper devotion, adoration, and near-hero worship for his son Biff; the boy, likewise, has a great love for his father. Each brags on the other incessantly, thereby ignoring the other son- Happy- who constantly tries to brag on himself in order to make up the lack of anyone to do it for him. This turns sour however, after Biff discovers the father he idolizes was not all he had thought him to be.

Willy wants Biff to be the successful man that he never was and feels that Biff will not achieve success in the occupation he has taken. Furthermore, Willy was unable to admit his faults. His pride was so great that he even lied to his own family, borrowing money weekly from his neighbor, Charley, and then saying it was his salary. He tried to justify his affair with a strange woman when caught by Biff. He...

After finding out about Biff’s reaction of burning his favorite University of Virginia shoes that symbolize Biff’s hopes and dreams for the future, Willy realizes what impact the affair had on his son. Willy’s lack of acceptance of reality affects his relationship because he never owned up or admitted he had an affair. This weighs heavy on Willy because the hate from his son will always be there. Biff loses all respect for his father and sees not only a failed business man, but in general a failed man. Throughout it all, Willy’s wife still remains supportive of him and constantly reminds him of her love for him.

Willy’s pride and dignity is transferred to his son, Biff. Unfortunately, Biff had not been the successful son his father had hoped for. In Act II, the scene in Frank’s Chop House, Willy Loman falls apart further as Biff deconstructs his father’s fantasy with the truth. Biff tells Happy that his father has got “to understand that I’m not the man somebody lends that kind of money to. He thinks I’ve been spiting him all these years and it’s eating him up” (Miller, 2375).

He idolized his father and could not believe he would do this to his mother. To spite his father, Biff did not finish school and Willy took this as spitting on him. Through the years the resentment grew to the point they had a non-existent relationship. Willy's relationship with his sons is a contributing point to both the plot and characterization. It seems neither one has lived up to the dreams he has for them.

As a teenager Biff idolized his father, but their relationship changed after Biff discovered that Willy was cheating on Linda. Biff realizes that Willy is not the man he presented himself to be, and as a result Biff is left without a role model. Because of this realization, Biff gives up on his dreams and drifts from one job to the next, never progressing in any aspect of his life. This causes conflict between Biff and Willy. Biff has failed in the business world and has accepted his failure as his own fault.

His distorted perceptions of the American Dream ultimately ruined his life and the lives of his family. Sadly, Willy definitely failed as a father. He obviously favored his eldest son Biff over his youngest son Happy, and this constant neglect drove Happy to become more like his older brother as an adult in order to win his father’s approval. We can see this through his philandering behavior, something Biff was known for in high school, the golden years. Biff, on the other hand, had it worse because his father sold him lies about his importance in the business industry, which forced Biff to admire Willy and strive to be like him one day.

Fences presents many aspect of life that we experience day to day basis. Respect appears to be one of the key aspect of Fences. Troy wants respect from his family because he is the man of the house while acting insensitive and uncaring to his wife, Rose, his brother, Gabriel and his son, Cory. Troy had an abusive father, he never like him. Troy run away from his house to be on his own at a very young age because he never receive the love and respect he desires from his family, so he come around to repeat what his father had done because of the failure to see that the time had changed around him.

She sticks by Willy's dreams because she loves him even though his dreams are totally unreachable. Biff initially wants the American dream but then quickly realises that it is not for him. He realises that dreams are unrealistic and false and he is the only Loman to find his true self. Happy wants the American dream and is too blind to see that this dream is the thing that killed his father off. He also deeply wants to be loved by his father yet this is near impossible because Willy only likes Biff.