American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Introduction

Arthur Miller, a devoted writer, demonstrates his concern for the well-being of American society in his play Death of a Salesman. This work serves as a perfect example of how the pressure to achieve the American Dream can dominate one's mind and lead to tragedy.

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

The protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, is an average white American family salesman whose life starts to spiral out of control due to his relentless pursuit of success. Throughout the story, there is a continuous struggle for financial stability and fitting into the right place in society. Death of a Salesman exemplifies the Marxist perspective, which suggests that happiness is measured by success in the working world. By analyzing the life actions and backgrounds of the book’s two main characters, Willy and Biff, this conclusion can be made.

According to Karl Marx's theory, which has evolved into a social theory, society is divided into two classes: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Marxists believed that capitalism would lead to uncontrollable consumerism and greed. These ideas are reflected in Willy, who has been consumed and almost blinded by capitalist ideals, where money, power, and social standing are perceived as the most important aspects of life. Inevitably, Willy is shown to be part of the proletariat class; hence, he lies to convince himself that he is of higher status than he actually is. The Marxist perspective can also be heavily applied to Biff's character. Biff is more of a "hands-on" individual who would honestly prefer working outdoors on a farm or land. Willy cannot fathom why Biff wouldn't want a high-paying, respectable job like his father. Both Willy and Biff start the play in a state of false consciousness, leading to their estrangement. Unlike Biff, Willy essentially never emerges from this state and ultimately takes his beliefs to his grave.

The Illusion of the American Dream

Death of a Salesman challenges the typical idea of the American Dream and reveals the negative aspects that can accompany it. Willy’s state of false consciousness primarily stems from his belief in a version of the American Dream that is almost nonexistent in modern-day America. Willy strongly desires the possibilities of success that essentially define the American Dream; he focuses on the firm belief that such accomplishments can be achieved through charm, style, and popularity. In fact, he asserts, "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" (Miller, 1949, p. 33).

Time proves Willy's idea completely wrong when it is shown that Bernard achieves a successful career due to his good grades and attitude, while charm and popularity get Biff and Happy nowhere. Indirectly, because of Willy’s obsession with popularity, he becomes alienated from Biff. Biff had been extremely close to him when he was younger, but their relationship slowly starts to fall apart after Biff discovers his father's affair. Willy’s strong stance on popularity leads him to encourage Biff to prolong their conversations when it was crucial for Biff to focus on getting good grades in school to avoid failing.

Willy also states in the play, "How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a life? A farmhand? In the beginning, when he was young, I thought, well, a young man, it’s good for him to tramp around, take a lot of different jobs. But it’s more than ten years ago now and he has yet to make thirty-five dollars a week!" (Miller, 1949, p. 47). This demonstrates how Willy believes that financial success defines a successful man.

The Consequences of False Beliefs

The idea of the American Dream is also present through Willy’s various ideas on achieving success in the workplace. Willy is convinced that being well-liked will lead to success and wealth. The irony lies in the fact that Willy is an older man who is not particularly attractive and lacks many friends. This contributes to Willy’s mental and physical decline. Because Willy is not popular or wealthy, he descends into madness. He spends his last days in a dream-like, fantasy state because he cannot accept his reality and live with it peacefully. His suicide is primarily motivated by his desire for his family to have money, as he believes this is the only way they can truly be happy. Willy disregards the fact that he is leaving his loved ones behind, all because he wants them to achieve the American Dream that he believes he never could.

References

• Miller, A. (1949). Death of a Salesman. New York: Viking Press.