Written by Arthur Miller, "The Death of a Salesmen" is a play perceiving the differences between dreams and reality. Specifically, a New York family with the father being a miserable, but ambitious salesmen, Willy Loman. Assessing the American Dream, the play also depicts the lives of average citizens in the 1940's. Willy Loman tries to ignore his past failures and ordinary traits by hiding his failures behind delusions. He only focuses on the tiny amount of success in his life, and feels the need to make up stories to make him seem like a big shot, when in reality he doesn't posses much history of accomplishments.
Willy focuses on the memories involving his kids having extreme talent in football. Feeding off those memories, he still believes that Biff has great potential in football. But when Biff corrects his father, Willy then believes that Biff has great potential in business. Without any relevance, Willy continuously comes up with many optimistic theories that one day, money won't be a problem.
All of the sudden, Willy thinks his kids are failures based on what his kids have told him.
Linda, his wife, tries to convince Willy that one of their more talented kids that he'll be just fine, and that he'll find his way.
Willy responds, "Certain men just don’t get started till later in life. Like Thomas Edison, I think. Or B.F. Goodrich. One of them was deaf. I’ll put my money on Biff." Willy is convinced that one day Biff will become a famous businessman and the family won't have to worry about money anymore.
Willy forms these these ideas of Biff becoming a major success out of thin air. He exaggerates his own pass for his boss and his family to keep social and financial satisfaction. When in reality, both his social and financial life are completely shot. He should've known it was perfectly fine to be in the state he was in, as long as he's happy. Although his children could've possibly made more of their lives, their lives would be nice if everybody was, especially Willy, had a positive attitude.
Willy focuses on the memories involving his kids having extreme talent in football. Feeding off those memories, he still believes that Biff has great potential in football. But when Biff corrects his father, Willy then believes that Biff has great potential in business. Without any relevance, Willy continuously comes up with many optimistic theories that one day, money won't be a problem.
All of the sudden, Willy thinks his kids are failures based on what his kids have told him.
Linda, his wife, tries to convince Willy that one of their more talented kids that he'll be just fine, and that he'll find his way.
Willy responds, "Certain men just don’t get started till later in life. Like Thomas Edison, I think. Or B.F. Goodrich. One of them was deaf. I’ll put my money on Biff." Willy is convinced that one day Biff will become a famous businessman and the family won't have to worry about money anymore.
Willy forms these these ideas of Biff becoming a major success out of thin air. He exaggerates his own pass for his boss and his family to keep social and financial satisfaction. When in reality, both his social and financial life are completely shot. He should've known it was perfectly fine to be in the state he was in, as long as he's happy. Although his children could've possibly made more of their lives, their lives would be nice if everybody was, especially Willy, had a positive attitude.