Willy Loman

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The Past Or The Future
Life consists of a series of moments compiled together. The past can allow an individual to succeed in the future but may also become a hindrance if they dwell upon it. The actions of an individual are the building blocks of their life but cannot let their past define them. Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman suggests that to achieve success and prosperity an individual must reconcile and let go of the uncertainties of the past.

The past can prevent individual from moving forward in turn denying them the possibility to achieve success. Willy Loman, a burnt out salesman who sacrifices his purity for the business,is consumed by his past achievements. At the beginning of the play it is evident that Willy has no concept …show more content…

This uncovers that he was only able to focus on the past and developed an ignorance to his current relationships. This is most evident at his funeral when no one shows up. Willy forgot about the people who were actually in his life because he got lost in figments of his past. This concept is best displayed in the play when Willy is talking to Ben who is a figment of his imagination instead of communicating with his family. Willy is constantly trying to make himself seem like a high class salesman and a more successful person then he is. It is evident that he is living a false reality in the past when he is talking to Howard about working in New York office. “ Your father came to me the day you were born and asked me what I thought of the name of Howard, may he rest in peace.” This quotation allows the reader to understand that Willy is dependent fully on his past. Willy was unable to move forward and achieve prosperity in his work life because he felt as if his past achievements were enough to ensure that he would be secure in his job.Willy was so caught up in his false reality he could not see what was actually occurring in his life. Throughout the play Willy struggles with the aspect of letting go of the past and it ultimately leads to his

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