Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is regarded as an American Classic. In fact, after its appearance on Broadway in 1949, it became known as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. After its tremendous success on Broadway, in 1985 Death of a Salesman was adapted into a film. Death of a Salesman appears to be about a struggling salesman, Willy Loman, trying to get and maintain the American Dream. However, this movie is really about a man in denial, his sacrificing wife and their one realistic son.
In the beginning of the movie, Willy is introduced as an exhausted salesman that has apparently gone mad. In fact, when reality is too much for Willy to bear, he searches through his memories for simpler times. Unfortunately, this often leaves …show more content…
Three things are very evident when these grown men are introduced. Neither one is happy with their lives, nor are they emotionally developed fully (they are both back living at home). Additionally, Biff has some sort of grievance with his father. In an attempt to escape their displeasing present lives, they talk dreamingly about going into business together, perhaps running a farm. Both boys spend time reflecting on their more youthful days. The boys continue to formulate their futures, until they hear their father screaming downstairs. Unable to tolerate the noise, Happy goes downstairs to comfort his father. At this point in the movie, viewers are able to see what Willy’s delusions consist of.
In Willy’s delusion everything is great. Both sons are back in high school and the only thing that matters is if he was “well liked”. As the movie goes on, Willy’s visions continue to get more and more vivid. Chester E. Eisinger describes Willy’s dreams in the following excerpt. “One dream schema is the urban dream of business success. The other is the rural- agrarian dream of open space, a right relation to nature worked out in terms of the garden concept.” (critical readings). As willy’s delusions progress, they continue to provide more insight into why he has them to begin …show more content…
Eisinger claims that Willy “is lost because he does not know who he is.” (critical readings) Realistically, Willy is not as successfully as he lets on, he cheated on his wife and has two sons that cannot sustain themselves. Nothing in his life is a glamorous as he wants it to be. It is no wonder that Willy prefers to live in his head. At least there, he can be the salesman, husband and father that he thinks he is.
Eventually, Both Linda and Biff realize the truth about Willy, and in their own way accept it. Linda tried her best at evading the upsetting situation, whereas Biff found his place and preferred to be realistic and acknowledge his father for the man that he really was. Even though each character handled Willy differently, there motives were the same. Linda and Biff loved their family and wanted to spare each other from the pain that Willy had
In the beginning of the movie, Willy is introduced as an exhausted salesman that has apparently gone mad. In fact, when reality is too much for Willy to bear, he searches through his memories for simpler times. Unfortunately, this often leaves …show more content…
Three things are very evident when these grown men are introduced. Neither one is happy with their lives, nor are they emotionally developed fully (they are both back living at home). Additionally, Biff has some sort of grievance with his father. In an attempt to escape their displeasing present lives, they talk dreamingly about going into business together, perhaps running a farm. Both boys spend time reflecting on their more youthful days. The boys continue to formulate their futures, until they hear their father screaming downstairs. Unable to tolerate the noise, Happy goes downstairs to comfort his father. At this point in the movie, viewers are able to see what Willy’s delusions consist of.
In Willy’s delusion everything is great. Both sons are back in high school and the only thing that matters is if he was “well liked”. As the movie goes on, Willy’s visions continue to get more and more vivid. Chester E. Eisinger describes Willy’s dreams in the following excerpt. “One dream schema is the urban dream of business success. The other is the rural- agrarian dream of open space, a right relation to nature worked out in terms of the garden concept.” (critical readings). As willy’s delusions progress, they continue to provide more insight into why he has them to begin …show more content…
Eisinger claims that Willy “is lost because he does not know who he is.” (critical readings) Realistically, Willy is not as successfully as he lets on, he cheated on his wife and has two sons that cannot sustain themselves. Nothing in his life is a glamorous as he wants it to be. It is no wonder that Willy prefers to live in his head. At least there, he can be the salesman, husband and father that he thinks he is.
Eventually, Both Linda and Biff realize the truth about Willy, and in their own way accept it. Linda tried her best at evading the upsetting situation, whereas Biff found his place and preferred to be realistic and acknowledge his father for the man that he really was. Even though each character handled Willy differently, there motives were the same. Linda and Biff loved their family and wanted to spare each other from the pain that Willy had