The Importance Of The American Dream In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman
Living the fairytale happily ever after is either a truth or an illusion. If the statement is true, then what defines happiness? What happens to a person unable to achieve the high standards that are defined as happiness? The outcome of a person who cannot achieve the high standards that are defined as happiness brings unwanted feelings of low self-worth. But what exactly is the American Dream? Does it produce happiness or unrealistic dreams that lead to abandonment? This paper will argue that hard work does not always bring happiness and hands on success to achieve prosperity.
In the Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the Lomans are a very dysfunctional family. All have distorted ideas of what happiness is and what is essential to accomplish success. Characters portrayed in the play are the parents William “Willy” and Linda Loman, Biff the oldest son, Harold “Happy” the youngest son and the very wealthy Uncle Ben, Willy’s older brother. Other influential characters in the play include Willy’s only friend Charley, Charley’s nerd son Bernard, and the woman to which Willy refers to as Miss Harvey, his mistress. The head of the household, Willy, is an old struggling traveling salesman that leads a double life while working in Boston hoping to sell his way into success, wealth and freedom.
As seen by Willy, life should be a suitable, pleasing way that falls into the riches of wealth but poor choices lead Willy to his death bed. Bringing home a paycheck doesn’t
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