Memories And Dreams In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

The Lomans have memories and dreams throughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Particularly, Willy and Biff have false memories about the past, and Willy has day-time reminiscences. These fabricated memories are, in general, optimistic, but their consequences are not as positive. The Lomans’s self-deceptive view of their history is unhealthy for their well-being. Biff and Willy attempt to feel better about their former mistakes by ignorantly assuming that the past was better than the present. However, these efforts only cause their present situation to become worse. They affect both themselves and the people around them in a distressing manner. Willy also has daydreams throughout the course of the play. These dreams have, like his and Biff’s conception about their past, negative consequences. The dreams and memories of the Lomans are dangerous for their circumstances.
The Lomans’s unrealistic memories about the past are dangerous for their present situation. Their memories lead to many of their actions. This happens even when their memories are not realistic. In Act Two, Biff goes to Bill Oliver to request funding for his and Happy’s sporting goods business idea. Biff is convinced that he was once a salesman for Oliver. Later, he asks Happy, “How the hell did I ever get the idea I was a salesman there?” Biff …show more content…
Willy and Biff remember things that were not as positive as they think. This causes both men to bring about decisions based on an imagined history. They both expect things from their contemporary situation because of what they obtained from their preceding situation. Willy also has visual reminiscences of the past that interfere with his relationships. He interacts with these memories without shame in front of his peers, which causes his interactions to be confusing during his significant relationships. The Loman’s memories and dreams are dangerous for the family’s