Nuclear Family In Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller

Throughout history, the definition of “family” has grown and evolved to fit the needs of the time. Whether this include aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, or simply spouses, each arrangements produces its own benefits as well as challenges. In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the Loman family fits the mold of a “nuclear family,” defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children” (“Nuclear Family”). However, certain connotations and images follow this title, such as a white picket fence, the father as a breadwinner, football-star children, submissive wife, solid income, etc. Lomans wished and ultimately failed to create all of these notions, leading to the inefficiencies …show more content…
Willy Loman consistently refuses to view his wife, Linda, as his peer, continuously commanding she “stop interrupting” or declaring “will you stop” when she simply attempts to make a positive remark (Miller 47). Regardless of this, Linda refuses to view her treatment as anything less than normal, standing up for him until the very end of his days. This may simply reflect the time period, where women were viewed as far inferior to men. Even the wage gap displays this, with women in 1940 earning $0.62 to every man’s dollar. While this trend has remained constant into this generation, now $0.74 to every dollar in 2010, an improvement exemplifies greater equality ("1940-2010: How Has America Changed?"). In my own household, my parents view each other as peers; both work, both perform chores, both take care of the children, “changing the understanding of gender roles in the household,” etc. (“Gender Roles”). They genuinely care for what the other has to say, since their marriage is founded on mutual respect, love, and trust. This directly contrasts the Loman family, since Willy refuses to show any appreciation to Linda and Biff, the eldest son, even states that Willy “never had an ounce of respect for [Linda]” (40). Since Willy and Linda did not base their marriage upon sound …show more content…
Granted, Willy refused to accept help from anyone, even turning down Charley’s multiple offers, some of which were “just for the hell of it” (75). Instead of seeking help, Willy allows pride to cloud his logic and prevent him from addressing the very problems his family faced. However, in the time period following this play, particularly during the late 1950s to early 1970s, women began to challenge this impractical male pride through the second wave of feminism, since “many [women] felt relegated to secondary status because of their sex” (Ault). In this movement, “a growing level of social consciousness developed to challenge society 's belief in male superiority,” leading to the shift in family dynamics through “increasing the number of women in the workplace, and concurrently transforming societal understandings of gender roles” (“Gender