A Dreamer’s Nightmare
The play “The Death Of A Salesman” conveys the tragedy of the American Dream. Willy Loman’s high hopes and blind ambition lead to despair and suicide. Similar to most ambitious self seekers, Willy Loman struggles to identify himself as a middling salesman and alters reality in order to fulfill his unrealistic version of the “American Dream.” The “American Dream” can spark ambition and perseverance in people with high moral values and ideals. It can also destroy a person with unrealistic goals and shallow values just like Willy Loman. His pursuit of the American dream leads to his destruction and tragedy because of his misconception that personality and good looks determine success, his delusions of grandeur and …show more content…
Unable to come to terms with his failure as a salesman, Willy resorts to conceit and inflated reality to fit his concept of success in his chosen. Willy insists that he is the man of his position when he malevolently assures his family that “they don’t need [him] in New York. [He] is the New England man. [He] is vital in New England” (Miller 14). Willy’s boasting expose a sense of vulnerability. His comment masks the truth that he is no longer vital in the company, he just down plays it by stating that he is not as effective in New York since he is a better fit for the New England territory. According to critic Daniel E. Schneider, Willy’s ego helps him “to avoid pain, to repair the frustrations and humiliations of everyday life with which the common man is so familiar, and of which he is so frightened that he tries to glide over them, hoping they won’t add up into...despair and illusionment” (251). Schneider indicates Willy’s pride as being like morphine that takes away the pain of failure and exhaustion. Furthermore, Willy Loman intends to be a good father and provider. Like most parents, he has hopes and dreams for them. However, his pride leads Willy to fail as a father as he passes down his egotistical character and convinces his sons to believe that his mediocre position in life is substantial. He continues to mislead his sons when he boasts that his …show more content…
However, one must proceed cautiously in the process of achieving success, whether it is measured in financial wealth or recognition. In this success-driven society, many can relate to Willy’s spiral to desperation and worthlessness when they compare themselves to others. Disappointment and sorrow soon build up fueling a destructive hunger for success. Willy Loman falls prey to the modern American Dream: salesmanship. Willy Loman is a highly ambitious but mediocre salesman past his prime who cannot settle for anything less. However, driven by corrupt ideals, delusional thoughts, and false idolatry, the American Dream remained elusive. As a result, Willy can never come to terms with his failure as a father for failing to instill solid values into his sons and failure in his chosen career. The promise of the American Dream turns into a nightmare that pushes Willy to his limits mentally and commits suicide as his desperate move to find
The play “The Death Of A Salesman” conveys the tragedy of the American Dream. Willy Loman’s high hopes and blind ambition lead to despair and suicide. Similar to most ambitious self seekers, Willy Loman struggles to identify himself as a middling salesman and alters reality in order to fulfill his unrealistic version of the “American Dream.” The “American Dream” can spark ambition and perseverance in people with high moral values and ideals. It can also destroy a person with unrealistic goals and shallow values just like Willy Loman. His pursuit of the American dream leads to his destruction and tragedy because of his misconception that personality and good looks determine success, his delusions of grandeur and …show more content…
Unable to come to terms with his failure as a salesman, Willy resorts to conceit and inflated reality to fit his concept of success in his chosen. Willy insists that he is the man of his position when he malevolently assures his family that “they don’t need [him] in New York. [He] is the New England man. [He] is vital in New England” (Miller 14). Willy’s boasting expose a sense of vulnerability. His comment masks the truth that he is no longer vital in the company, he just down plays it by stating that he is not as effective in New York since he is a better fit for the New England territory. According to critic Daniel E. Schneider, Willy’s ego helps him “to avoid pain, to repair the frustrations and humiliations of everyday life with which the common man is so familiar, and of which he is so frightened that he tries to glide over them, hoping they won’t add up into...despair and illusionment” (251). Schneider indicates Willy’s pride as being like morphine that takes away the pain of failure and exhaustion. Furthermore, Willy Loman intends to be a good father and provider. Like most parents, he has hopes and dreams for them. However, his pride leads Willy to fail as a father as he passes down his egotistical character and convinces his sons to believe that his mediocre position in life is substantial. He continues to mislead his sons when he boasts that his …show more content…
However, one must proceed cautiously in the process of achieving success, whether it is measured in financial wealth or recognition. In this success-driven society, many can relate to Willy’s spiral to desperation and worthlessness when they compare themselves to others. Disappointment and sorrow soon build up fueling a destructive hunger for success. Willy Loman falls prey to the modern American Dream: salesmanship. Willy Loman is a highly ambitious but mediocre salesman past his prime who cannot settle for anything less. However, driven by corrupt ideals, delusional thoughts, and false idolatry, the American Dream remained elusive. As a result, Willy can never come to terms with his failure as a father for failing to instill solid values into his sons and failure in his chosen career. The promise of the American Dream turns into a nightmare that pushes Willy to his limits mentally and commits suicide as his desperate move to find