Dangers Behavior Exposed in Death of a Salesman
Everyone has personal problems that they must face. In the play, Death of a Salesman, the author, Arthur Miller, explores the ways in which some people deal with these problems. Miller reveals Willy Lowman’s tendency to ignore problems as long as possible. Willy never really does anything to help his situation; he just uses flashbacks to escape into the past. Through his flashbacks he returns to happier times when problems were scarce. He uses this escape mechanism as if it were a harmless drug that allowed him to cope with living. As the play progresses, the reader learns that even a harmless drug can be dangerous because of the potential for addiction.
The first time Willy is seen lapsing off into the past is when he encounters Biff after arriving home. The conversation between Willy and Linda reflects Willy's disappointment in Biff and what he has become - a bum. After failing to deal adequately with his feelings, he escapes back into a time when things were better for his family. It is not uncommon for someone experiencing a low point in life to reminisce about better times. This enables him to rouse himself so that he can deal with the problems he encounters in the present. Willy Lowman takes it one step further. His refusal to accept reality is so strong that, in his mind, he is transported back in time to relive the happier days of his life. It was a time when Willy and Linda were younger, no one argued, the financial situation was less of a burden, and Biff and Happy enthusiastically welcomed their father back home from long road trips. After a flashback, Willy's need for the "drug" is satiated and he is reassured that everything will turn out okay, and th...
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...and disillusioned sons.
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Willy's first flash to the past was when his son, Biff, returns home from the west. Willy discusses his disappointment in Biff with his dear wife Linda. When Willy fails to cope with this misfortune successfully, he returns in his head to a time when everything was going well and life was more fortunate to him. It is perfectly normal for one to remember more fortunate days at the more dispirited times of life, as long as they can return to the present and deal with the reality of the situation. However, Willy never does return to the original problem, he just continues on with life, fleeing from the troubles that cross his path. His refusal to acknowledge reality becomes so significant, that he honestly believes the past, and he lives his entire life through a false identity never looking at the truth of his life.
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Cardullo, Bert . "Death of a Salesman and Death of a Salesman: The Swollen Legacy of Arthur Miller." Columbia University in the City of New York. The Columbia Journal of American Studies, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. .
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The first time Willy is seen dazing off into the past is when he discovers Biff arriving home. The conversation between Willy and Linda reflects Willy’s disappointment in Biff and what Willy thinks he has become basically a bum. After failing to deal with his feelings, he escapes to a time when things were better for his family. It is not uncommon for one to think of better times at low points in their life in order to cheer them up so that they are able to deal with problems, but Willy Lowman takes it a step ahead. His stubbornness to accept reality is so strong that in his mind he is placed back in time to relive one of the happier days of his life. It was a time when no one argued. Willy and Linda were younger, the financial situation was less of a burden, and Biff and Happy welcomed their father back home from being on a long work trip.
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Gioia, Dana, and X.J. Kennedy. "Death of a Salesman" Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, Compact Edition, Interactive Edition. 5th ed. New York: Pearson; Longman Publishing, 2007. 1212-1280. Print.
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Murray, Edward. “The Thematic Structure in Death of a Salesman.” Readings on Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc., 1999.
Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Compact Literature. Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2013. 1262-331. Print.
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