Death Of A Salesman

Death Of A Salesman

In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, Willy is depicted as living in his own world.

The play centers around the end of Willy's life, when the real world comes crashing

through, ruining the false reality he had created for himself and his family. Throughout

the play, Willy Loman uses the concept of being well liked to build a false image of

reality, as shown through his teachings to his son, what he considers successful, and his

reasoning for committing suicide.

I believe that the main downfall of the Loman family was Willy's refusal to face

reality. There are many examples of Willy's inability to face reality within the novel. He

lived in a fantasy world. One of the key examples was when Howard fired Willy. Willy

was a horrible salesman who never was able to sell anything and deserved what was

coming to him. He just couldn't' see this because he wouldn't face the facts. Another

prime example of Willy not being able to face reality involved his oldest son Biff.

If Willy had faced reality he could have quit his job with Howard and the company

and gotten a job with Charlie. Charlie was always offering Willy work, but he never took

it because he was "such a good salesman." Once Willy lost his job, he was depressed,

but tried to shrug it off. He never did take a job with Charlie, even after he lost his job.

Again he could not face the reality, but in the end this led to his tragic flaw, suicide.

Willy believes his suicide will resolve the disorder in his life by assuaging any pain he

caused Linda, winning Biffs' respect, and demonstrating his popularity as a salesman and

individual. In reality, he denies Linda a debt-free husband, Biff a reconciled father, and

Happy an improved role model. Thus Willy's refusal to accept life on its own terms

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