Death of a Salesman Analysis

The American Dream can kill you if Not Dreamt Correctly

In the play 'Death of a Salesman' by Arthur Miller, the playwright focuses on a plethora of themes including: “The American Dream”, shame, guilt, self-identity, and realism. Willy Loman, a failed salesman, is the central character whose main problem is believing the propaganda of a society which only has room for well-liked people. The play's theme demonstrates how a victim of 'The American Dream' can be destroyed by false promises which not only impact on one's business life but also set up conflicts within personal relationships. The significance of these themes, still very relevant to many societies today, is heightened by Miller's skillful use of a range of key techniques, including setting, characterization and symbolism.

Society measures success by how big your house is, how fancy the car you’re driving looks, and how much of the newest clothing and technologies/appliances you own. Unfortunately, people have been 'ultimately misguided' by this, and Willy is a prime example of how heavily depending on fixation can cause more harm than good. The mindset of the American dream is the main theme of a “Death of A Salesman”. It causes Willy to make choices that are not in the best interest for himself and family. Throughout the play, he dreams about being success and having a substantial amount of money, but in reality, he struggles with being able to successfully support his family financially.

Moreover, another reason for Willy’s downfall is the fact that he feels guilty for not being a successful salesman. After working as a salesman for years, he has nothing to show for it. He has a house with appliances that he struggling to pay off, and car that he bout trying to ‘keep up with the Jones’ that he’s still trying to pay off. The Loman family was living paycheck to paycheck every week. Every time Willy thought he had a fairly successful day, thinking he was finally getting ahead. Willy would tell Linda...