Death of A Salesman

The American Dream

A white picket fence surrounds the tangible icons of the American Dreams in the middle 1900's: a mortgage, an automobile, a kitchen appliance paid for on the monthly - installment - plan, and a silver trophy representative of high school football triumph. A pathetic tale examining the consequences of man's harmartias, Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman" satisfies many, but not all, of the essential elements of a tragedy. Reality peels away the thin layers of Willy Loman's American Dream; a dream built on a lifetime of poor choices and false values.

Although the characters are not of noble birth nor possess a heroic nature nor experience a reversal of fortune, many of the elements in "Death of A Salesman" fulfill the criteria of a classic tragedy. The downfall and crisis points in the play are directly linked to the Loman family's combined harmartias, or personal flaws. The Loman's have unrealistic ideas regarding the meaning of success. To Willy, the foundation of success is not education or hard work, but rather "who you know and the smile on your face." Moreover, Willy ridicules the education Bernard has earned, declaring that his sons, Biff and Hap, will get further ahead in the business world because "the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked, and you will never want." Willy idolizes two men: his brother, Ben, who walked out of an African jungle a rich man, and an 84-year-old salesman who could "pick a phone in twenty or thirty cities and be remembered and loved, and finally honored by hundred of mourners at his funeral." To Linda, success is paying off a 25-year house mortgage, no matter the cost to Willy's peace of mind. She encourages Willy to ask for undeserved raises, and ignores the truth: Willy borrows money to make ends meet. For Biff, the idea of success is an easy loan from an ex-employer he has stolen from; for Hap, success is obtaining a promotion by waiting for "the merchandise manager to die." Inevitably, the Loman's unrealistic idea about success is one of the steps in their downfall.

Equally as damaging, the Loman family lacks the ability to make the necessary and suitable choices to pursue the American Dream. Although Willy is skillful with his hands and believes "a man who can't handle tools is disgusting," he chooses a lifetime career as a salesman, based on the fanciful image of his father who abandoned Willy as a child and on the image of an 84-year-old salesman who dies alone in a train car to Boston. Willy takes pride in the craftsmanship he put into their house, yet believes a salesman such as his father is "better than a carpenter." Furthermore, he questions the purpose of building because "some stranger'll come along, move in, and that's that." Ironically, Willy is a better carpenter than a salesman. He boasts on what an impact he makes on his clients, but in reality one of the reasons he has a sexual rendezvous with a secretary is to get through to the buyers. Willy makes another poor choice because of his hubris, or false pride, when he turns down Charley's job offer. Similarly, false pride and the inability to make appropriate choices lead to Hap and Biff choosing unsuitable occupations. Opportunities vanish when Biff chooses to steal, and when Hap chooses to date the executives' girlfriends. The Loman's inability to make a suitable choice is a direct link to their downfall.

Another significant link in the Loman's downfall is their lack of honest values. Theft, adultery, and cheating are the foundation of the Loman's values. Willy encourages the boys to steal from the apartment buildings, and even praises Biff when he steals a school football. Biff is encouraged to cheat on exams. Willy and Biff repress the memory of Willy's adulterous affair. In contrast, Charley and Bernard lead full and rich lives, based on honest and true values.

In addition to the link between a character's downfall and the character's harmartias, recognition, or personal discovery, is a crucial element of tragedy. In the requiem of the play, Biff had a glimpse of personal recognition, although Willy, Linda, and Hap never discover the truth about themselves. Biff realizes Willy had the wrong dreams. In accepting the truth about his father, Biff is able to make a decision about his own future based on a realistic view of his capabilities.

Is "Death of A Salesman" a tragedy or an illustration of pathos? By classic standards of tragedy the play fails only in the types of characters and lack of reversal of fortune, not in its examination of the consequences of man's harmartias. Realistic dreams, suitable choices, and honest values are the necessary tools to build the white picket fence of the American Dream.

*** Back to Sunny's Stories Back to Sunny's Place