Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller. He began his career as a playwright at the University of Michigan. DoS is considered one of the first true American tragedies. The setting of the play is Brooklyn, New York.

Willy Loman: The Patriarch of the Loman family. Being crushed by his expectations.

Linda Loman: Wife of Willy. Loves him, but doesn’t help him.

Biff Loman: Son. Carries a lot of Willy’s expectations on his shoulders.

Happy Loman: Son. Mostly overlooked by his parents.

Ben Loman: His brother. Got rich in Alaska. Dead now.

Willy returns home from a grueling work excursion, and begins to talk about his disappointment in Biff for not making anything of himself yet. Later Willy falls into a daydream, envisioning Biff’s football days and remembering his promise to own his own business one day. It is also revealed that they aren’t doing that well financially. Willy begins to struggle with thoughts of his mistress, and her pesky stockings.

Biff and Happy then discuss their father with Willy. Biff tells his mother than that Willy is a fake, but doesn’t elaborate, and gets scolded.  Willy then unsuccessfully attempts to have his job relocated, and his failure is extremely frustrating. Willy then analyzes why Biff was such a “failure”. Biff and Willy leave their father at a restaurant to chase loose women.  In a flashback, Biff discovers Willy’s infidelity.

Willy then has a conversation with Ben, stating Biff will do well with that 20,000 in insurance money. Willy then commits vehicular suicide.  At the funeral, Linda says “ We’re free…”.

Arthur Miller’s style is very honest. Nothing is masked from the reader, which is beneficial when a book has social aims. The tone of the book overall is a very depressing one. Most people can identify with the unending pressure that is eroding Willy. My favorite symbol in the book is the stockings. The stockings represent the shame Willy deals with due to his sexual tryst with his mistress and its effects on Biff.

Quotes:

“We’re free”- Linda Loman

Linda’s quote at the end of the novel is Miller’s way of pointing out that the cycle is continuing. Her life was ruined by the pressure of the American dream, but she refuses to recognize it. This combined with Happy deciding to continue in his father’s footsteps demonstrates that the events of DoS are likely to repeat.

“He’s liked, but not very well liked”- Willy Loman

Whenever Willy says that it reaffirms one of Willy’s fundamental beliefs about the American dream, that also happen to be false. Willy values personal charisma over hard work, and that leads to all the failure to meet expectations.

Theme:

The materialistic, shallow version of the American dream is responsible for degrading society.

Miller repeatedly establishes that Willy’s ideals are skewed. Willy places far too much emphasis on charisma, and not nearly enough on work ethic. This is pointed about in the book by Miller when Bernard becomes very successful. Its reinforced by the fact that Biff skated through school and is now struggling. Willy’s cheating also points to a flaw in his character, he can never really claim to love his children if he is caught by his eldest son in the act and makes the son carry that burden, rather than just telling the truth to his wife. The use of seeds as a symbol also reinforces the theme. Willy languishes at the fact that he can’t make them grow, he can’t put food on the table through hardwork.