Willy American Dream

To begin with, one can say that Willy once represented the ideal American man who had a stable job and a great family. Once the story begins, we know that things had changed drastically. Both his age and mental health were massive factors for his downfall, but there is more that helps determine this change in his character. He now represents the image of those who fail to achieve their dreams, as for Willy, it can be said that it’s the American dream. As Willy states in the play, “Sure, Sure! If I’d gone with him to Alaska that time, everything would’ve been totally different” (Miller 1448). This shows how much he wanted to become rich, succeed in life, and how he regrets his decisions. In a way, Ben becomes the person he wished to be. This …show more content…
Biff once represented the image of the typical high school jock, but now he fails to find his identity. He fails to achieve what his father wished for him to achieve. As stated by L. M. Domina in her critical analysis, An Overview of Death of a Salesman, “…as the play progresses readers understand that one specific biographical moment (and his willingness to keep this moment secret) provides the key to his puzzling failure”. Their relationship and his life deteriorated once Biff discovered his father’s affair. His father was his motivation, his idol, and friend. As stated by Linda, “And you! What happened to the love you had for him? You were such pals! How you used to talk to him on the phone every night! How lonely he was till he could come home to you!” (Miller 1454). This shows how close they once were and how it suddenly, thanks to Biff’s discovery, all …show more content…
She is naïve but loves her family unconditionally. It’s evident that they’re her motivation. In the play, there is nothing wrong with her compared to the other three, she could even be considered the victim in this dysfunctional family. Seeing how nice she is to her family, especially her husband, makes one feel sorry for her. As Biff exclaims, “Stop making excuses for him! He always, always wiped the floor with you. Never had an ounce of respect for you” (Miller 1453). Not only did Biff say this to her because of the secret of his father’s affair, but also because Willy was rude to Linda. As seen on page 1458 of the play, Linda tries to light the conversation up and Willy keeps yelling at her to “Stop Interrupting!” (Miller). Even though he treats her like this, she just takes it all. She loves him so much that maybe if she ever were to know of his affair, nothing in her would