Primal Instinct In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

The forces that effect an individual’s actions originate from human nature, the instinctive traits that all humans possess. With certain aspects of human nature, many individuals may be inhibited to act for his own self-interest for fear of ridicule and distaste from others. However, couldn’t acting in a way that satisfies this primal instinct also be considered in the interest of the individual? In this essay I will discuss this paradoxical question of whether human nature inhibits or encourages the actions of the individual, and conclude that the answer cannot be definitively answered, but only contemplated in an attempt to find a personal balance between the two.
An individual’s actions must first be properly explained and understood in …show more content…
The primary question when pondering its ability to inhibit and encourage this self-interest, stems from whether it conforms to one’s self or one’s instinct. Does the force inhibit an individual’s actions by restricting his motive to behave as he pleases? Or does it encourage self-interest by satisfying the primal need to be accepted? These questions cannot be definitively answered due to its paradoxical nature; however, I believe the answer lies as a mix between them. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Biff does not wish to continue living by Willie’s values of what success is. Willie believes in the value of financial prosperity as a means of achieving success, which is complacent with that of main stream society. He most content, however, working with his hands, and perhaps may have been much more happy working as a carpenter. Biff, realizing this, directs Willie to rid himself of this false notion because he feels, as he understands the world, it is completely unrealistic for Willie to accomplish. In this regard, the force restricted Willies ability to perform according to his own self-interest and pursue society’s view of a good life. Contrastingly, throughout the course of the play, Willie only seems happy when discussion about, or opportunity for, monetary success arises. As a proud man, Willie yearns to be observed by others as an accomplished and successful, which warrants acting out of certain personal preferences to achieve this. From this example, it can be philosophically debated whether the force had a negative or positive impact on Willie. More apparently, Willie gave up his personal talents in a failed attempt to achieve society’s view of success. However, I cannot confidently say that Willie would have been happier working as a low income carpenter, because his entire life