True Identity In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

Many individuals are often easily influenced from the beliefs of others despite having contravening ideologies that vastly differ from those of society. As a result of the immense pressure they experience from others, they succumb to this outside pressure society has put upon them and are incapable of retaining their own identity. In the play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller suggests that when individuals are unable to fulfill the expectations others have put upon them, they experience internal self-loathing and self-blame due to their inability to embrace their true identity. Biff has always felt a sense of contentment and satisfaction while working on the farm as he believes this represented his true identity. However, this sense of gratification is immediately annihilated whenever Willy constantly degrades him for the farm work he pursues outdoors and instead, persuades him to become a successful salesman. This causes Biff to abandon his true identity and aspirations as he attempts to mold himself into the prominent, important salesman that Willy wishes him to become. Individuals will often feel a sense of contentment as they continue to embrace their own ideologies and prospects about their future. In …show more content…
However, as they go to extreme measures in order accomplish these ambitions of others, individuals begin to abandon their former true adorations in life which provided them with a sense of gratification and pleasure. As a result, an individual’s true identity becomes dominated by other unrealistic expectations they wish to achieve. It is only when they have experienced numerous failures and hardships in life will individuals eventually discovering the true identity they had once carelessly abolished. As feelings of self-loathing and self-blame begin to arise, individual’s begin to yearn for the past enjoyments that had signified their true