There have been countless books, movies, TV shows and plays about families and their attempt to reach success or the “American Dream”. Generally, the characters are successful in their goals. This is not so in “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller. In the play success alludes the Loman family despite that fact that it is something that they aim to achieve in their own ways. There are probably a number of reasons for this but this paper will look at how expectations and responsibility or the lack of responsibility can have a negative effect on a person’s life and how it could have been the contributing factor to the family not achieving the American dream that Willy and his wife Linda wanted.
Arthur Miller was born in Harlem in 1915. His parents …show more content…
He also expected that his father was faithful to his mother. He is responsible for what happened in his life despite the fact that situations did not meet his expectations. He had a choice to ignore his father and to study for the math tests. He also could have retaken the test. He then chose to look for his dad, which is not wrong on its own. However, upon discovering Willy was having an affair he does not try to convince Willy to leave the other woman instead he leaves. This is Biff’s biggest mistake because he only left in order not to have to deal with the situation that he and his family were …show more content…
Going as far as to tell Biff that he is not welcome at the house if he cannot get along with Willy. However, when she converses with Willy she does so in a nervous, delicate manner almost as though she is afraid of what will happen if she upsets him. When Biff’s return caused Willy’s mental state to become more erratic she blames it on their sons not being successful enough. She feels that if Biff and Happy are able to achieve the corporate success that Willy wanted for them that Willy’s sanity would fully return. We can see signs of her being correct about this when Willy’s moods seem to improve when Biff is doing good in the “business world”. We can see her immovable devotion to her husband even when she tells Biff “Biff, dear, if you don’t have any feeling for him, then you don’t have any feeling for me” and “He’s the dearest man in the world to me, and I won’t have anyone making him feel blue.”
Arthur Miller was born in Harlem in 1915. His parents …show more content…
He also expected that his father was faithful to his mother. He is responsible for what happened in his life despite the fact that situations did not meet his expectations. He had a choice to ignore his father and to study for the math tests. He also could have retaken the test. He then chose to look for his dad, which is not wrong on its own. However, upon discovering Willy was having an affair he does not try to convince Willy to leave the other woman instead he leaves. This is Biff’s biggest mistake because he only left in order not to have to deal with the situation that he and his family were …show more content…
Going as far as to tell Biff that he is not welcome at the house if he cannot get along with Willy. However, when she converses with Willy she does so in a nervous, delicate manner almost as though she is afraid of what will happen if she upsets him. When Biff’s return caused Willy’s mental state to become more erratic she blames it on their sons not being successful enough. She feels that if Biff and Happy are able to achieve the corporate success that Willy wanted for them that Willy’s sanity would fully return. We can see signs of her being correct about this when Willy’s moods seem to improve when Biff is doing good in the “business world”. We can see her immovable devotion to her husband even when she tells Biff “Biff, dear, if you don’t have any feeling for him, then you don’t have any feeling for me” and “He’s the dearest man in the world to me, and I won’t have anyone making him feel blue.”