Death Of A Salesman 2 Essay, Research Paper

Death of a Salesman Summary

Death of a Salesman is centered on one man trying to reach the American dream and taking his family along for the ride. Throughout their lives they encounter many problems and the end result is a tragic death caused by the need to succeed. During his life Willy Loman caused his wife, Linda, great pain by living a life not realizing what he could and couldn’t do. Linda lived sad and pathetic days supporting Willy’s unreachable goals. Being brought up in this world caused his children, Biff and Happy, to lose their identity and put their futures in jeopardy.

Willy lived everyday of his life trying to become successful, well-off salesman. His self-image that he portrayed to others was a lie and he was even able to deceive himself with it. He traveled around the country selling his merchandise and maybe when he was younger, he was able to sell a lot and everyone like him, but Willy was still stuck with this image in his head and it was the image he let everyone else know about. In truth, Willy was a senile salesman who was no longer able to work doing what he’s done for a lifetime. Willy should have settled with what he had and made the best of things. He shouldn’t have tied to compete with everyone and just made the best decision for him using intelligence and practicality. Many of Willy’s problems were self-inflicted; the reason they were self-inflicted was because he wanted to live the American dream. If he had changed his standards or just have been content with his life, his life problems would have been smaller.

Willy’s problems in life were usually caused of his chase towards the American dream. Every problem he had and every upsetting or hostile moment he experienced was also inflicted upon Linda, his wife. The hell she went through everyday was because she was loyal. Linda took each day one at a time and each day was filled with stressful worrying about Willy. Linda tried as best she could to try and help Willy, but it wasn’t her fault she was not able to get through to him. Willy did not respect Linda or give her the recognition and respect she deserved. She spent the days mending her silk stockings and worrying about her husband s welfare. Meanwhile Willy played her dirty with numerous mistresses and gave away Linda’s stockings. Linda agrees with everything Willy says and stays content throughout the whole play.

Biff and Happy’s futures, when they were small, depended on the way they were brought up. Willy was the only one with any say in the way the kids were brought up. Linda went along with whatever Willy said. Willy taught them that if they were handsome and successful, opportunity would come to them. Happy learned nothing from Willy’s demise but insists that his father had “the only dream you can have- to come out number-one man”. Biff and Happy idolized their father when they were young. The stories they were told made them picture their father as a popular, successful, well-known salesman.

As Biff grew up, he found himself being told things about his father like “A salesman has to dream, it comes with the territory.” At the end of the story when Linda says they we free, Biff is free to realize his dream of owning a ranch out West, where he can live close to the natural world. Biff also realizes that his father had the wrong dreams and didn’t know who he was. Biff is sure he won’t make the same mistakes his father did. Meanwhile, Happy is more like his dad, determined to stay in town and prove himself to everyone.

Although the Loman’s lives were full of many problems, the problems were not all caused by Willy striving for the American dream. Willy’s problems, that usually affected the whole family, were caused by little decisions made throughout his life. He had a choice of whether or not to do something; he just made the wrong decision most of the time because he wanted to live the American dream. The majority of problems Willy encountered were decided with the idea of the American dream in mind, although the end result of the problems were not purposely meant to turn out as bad as they usually did.

In conclusion, Willy Loman put his family through endless torture because of his search for a successful life. He should have settled with what he had and been happy, if he did he and his family would not have gone through so much pain and he wouldn t have committed suicide.

One dream is not worth all the pain and problems he caused. He should have learned to be content with what he had and realized what he could have accomplished and given up on his dream, because once you have a wife and kids, you do for them first before you do for yourself.