If Only He Knew "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul." (KJV Bible, Mark 8:36) In “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, Willy spends his entire life looking for the approval of men and chasing after a dream of success that he allows his brother Ben to define for him. He never realizes that he has everything he needs right at home. Willy has the love and approval from his wife and kids. All that is missing is his awareness of it and to embrace it. The delusion of Willy’s mind robs him of the most important things in life: love, truth, and happiness. There is no doubt; Willy’s family loves him unconditionally. Linda accepts him for who he is faults and all. She is a model example of an excellent housewife.
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It’s as though he subconsciously is aware of his life being the total opposite of happiness that he calls his son Happy to compensate for the insufficiency. Willy just doesn 't understand that making money and being accepted by people doesn 't define happiness. Willy loses his joy long before he begins his journey as a man. He punishes himself for not making the choice to follow in his brother 's footsteps. He defines happiness as happenings needing to happen to be happy. It 's apparent that Willy isn’t happy unless something is happening. He was very clear with that when he stated, "A man 's life has to add up to something" (Miller 1458). This is the motor that drives Willy to the grave. He convinces himself that he has to make up for not walking into a gold mine, or striking oil, or even being an inventor of flutes like his father. All of these unfulfilled hopes and dreams on the inside of him rob Willy of his happiness, but most of all, his sanity. The sound of the flute, that only Willy can hear, drives him insane. Symbolically, it represents a constant reminder of his father 's success and Willy 's failure to duplicate
It’s as though he subconsciously is aware of his life being the total opposite of happiness that he calls his son Happy to compensate for the insufficiency. Willy just doesn 't understand that making money and being accepted by people doesn 't define happiness. Willy loses his joy long before he begins his journey as a man. He punishes himself for not making the choice to follow in his brother 's footsteps. He defines happiness as happenings needing to happen to be happy. It 's apparent that Willy isn’t happy unless something is happening. He was very clear with that when he stated, "A man 's life has to add up to something" (Miller 1458). This is the motor that drives Willy to the grave. He convinces himself that he has to make up for not walking into a gold mine, or striking oil, or even being an inventor of flutes like his father. All of these unfulfilled hopes and dreams on the inside of him rob Willy of his happiness, but most of all, his sanity. The sound of the flute, that only Willy can hear, drives him insane. Symbolically, it represents a constant reminder of his father 's success and Willy 's failure to duplicate