Willy Loman And The American Dream Analysis

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Willy Loman’s perception of the American dream is also played in part by his view of financial stability. As a salesman, Willy’s profession is based on being able to sell himself and his character in order to make ends meet to support his family. Aside from being well-liked, Willy’s validation as a success also stems from his prospects in being the provider for his family. He believes that the idea that dedication and hard work will provide financial stability. This is because he struggles to provide for his own family. His wife is often seen patching up torn stockings and that infuriates Willy because he cannot provide the means to get her new stockings. This is why Willy Loman believes in the concepts of hard work. He believes that if success …show more content…
He desperately wants these ideals to pay off for his son, who already appears to be well-liked. Willy remarks about this, stating, “Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such— personal attractiveness, gets lost. And such a hard worker. There’s one thing about Biff— he’s not lazy” (224). Willy Loman infers about the importance of hard work and how the greatest country in the world can ultimately make a luxurious lifestyle a reality. Willy struggles to provide a decent lifestyle for his family. He wants that opportunity for his family and he makes it known extensively throughout the play. This is Miller’s establishment of Willy’s character. Willy’s life ironically comes to an end after he consoles his family after his economically status experiences a drastic change. He can no longer provide that luxurious life for his family and his hopes and dreams are dashed when his son reveals the truth about that ideology. Willy Loman’s perception of the American dream is shattered when his son reveals the truth. Biff, states, “I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are …show more content…
His social and financial stability, which is a product of his efforts is ultimately destroyed not only his failures and shattered reality, but his family’s truth on an ideal that he holds so dearly. Willy realizes that his American dream is an unrealistic expectation and it is ultimately unobtainable. This causes Willy to experience a midlife crisis. His perfect family, who he aspires to impress, are the ones who essentially put the final nails in his coffin as they inform him of his actual reality rather than his rose-colored ideology. Finally realizing that his reality has been shattered, Willy hopes to prove his worth and his dream through death, however, this representation clearly proves that his experience and the ideology tailored to it as nothing more than wishful thinking. Consequently, this proves to be too much for Willy and he decides to end his life after arguing with his family over the state of his social and economic situation. Willy’s death directly represents the death of that falsified American dream. His family, who informs him of his failure and their experiences and how they differ from Willy’s framework survives. Therefore their survival, ironically, represents the survival of the American dream for its truth. Though Willy’s dream is survived by his family, his mark on their lives is massive, which is all the success he could’ve ever hoped

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