1 August 2004
The Futile Attempt at the American Dream
Zig Ziglar once stated that the “most practical, beautiful, workable philosophy in the world won't work—if you won't,” which means that one needs hard work to accomplish any goal despite its meticulous planning. In Arthur Miller’s tragedy, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman merges his past memories with his present experiences in hopes of achieving his long-awaited American Dream of making easy money. He searches for the point that sent his life tumbling downhill, while he lives his present, hoping that his son Biff will fulfill the Dream. However, Willy’s method of sales by selling himself rather than his product pressures him to suicide. Therefore, attempting to obtain the American Dream by trying to fulfill high expectations, making hopeless ambitions, and using a superficial mindset leads to an economic and personal demise.
Willy refers to many lucky businessmen in anticipation of reaching his own American Dream. For example, he compares himself to his neighbor Charley, a business owner, claiming that he will one day own a company “[b]igger than Uncle Charley!” (18). The big talk of Willy’s that is rarely satisfied creates his mental instability. Furthermore, he believes the success genes run in his family, because his brother Ben ended up wealthy after just four years in the jungles (33). Willy gives up the opportunity to go to Alaska with Ben for the salesman life but never strikes the same success that Dave Singleman, the renowned business entrepreneur, or Ben had. Even Willy’s father “made more in a week than a man” can ever make in a lifetime (34). Consequently, a more dramatic ruin follows when Willy cannot fulfill these shoes and aspirations.
Besides the set examples that he wants to follow, Willy’s ambitions do not coincide with reality. Although he may have stumbled upon the salesman life, he is not interested in the career itself, but instead, only in its possible rewards. Thus, he has “the wrong dreams” (111). A man cannot make a living out of a career if he has no passion for it. The method of obtaining Willy’s dream is rather idyllic, because it involves little work. He believes that as long as the man knows what he wants, then he will get it (28). Purely glitz and glamour, Willy’s method fails him. When he ages, he relies on his son to resume the botched dream. However, Biff, like his father, just does not “fit in business” (44). He also fails to achieve Willy’s vision of the American Dream. To hope for so long and realize that the dream may never come true, Willy predictably sacrifices his life for an amount worth more than he can ever make tangible.
Willy’s optimism is predictable for he has a superficial psyche that provides him with no chance at the success he wants. He believes that a good exterior image will take man a long way, because “the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead” (21). Nevertheless, he is proven wrong when the young, ostracized Bernard fairs well as an adult who gets the opportunity to argue cases in front of the Supreme Court (73). Willy’s arrogance is also noted in the tragedy despite how rough the times are. He refuses a job offer from Charley even though he is unemployed (75), constantly steering in the direction of his dream rather than making the most out of his opportunities. He also handicaps Biff, because he continually praises Biff even for his misconduct. Hence, Biff can never take orders from anyone as an adult (105). Willy exalts Biff in order to boost Biff’s confidence and ego, and although Willy may deny it, a strong character does not guarantee success. The wrong image that Willy attains from a prosperous business guru also leads to his suicide.
Ultimately, Willy Loman falls to his death with the combination of high hopes and expectations, unrealistic goals, and artificial traits. With nothing more that he can do for his American Dream, Willy will “end up worth more dead than alive” (76). It is only through genuine, hard work in which an American can accomplish the Dream.