Death of a Salesman :: Literary Analysis, Arthur Miller

What encompasses the American Dream? Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman offers a realistic, stark picture of lives overflowing with dreams wished and dreams broken yet, there are no dreams realized here. Their dreams comprise glory and fearlessness over those which genuinely can be achieved. Although Willy, Linda, Biff and Happy, as individuals, still believe in the American Dream, its clear that it represents something different for each.Willy Loman has an innate ability for dreaming way beyond his capabilities. Throughout the play, Willys dreams represent more fantasy than truth, a look which his boys clearly imitate. Yet, despite the talk, there is an ongoing criticism for the world and the way things work. He brags about his sales for a trip, Im tellin you, I was merchandising thousands and thousands, but I had to come home (1224). Its difficult to tell if the stories Willy tells are what he believes to be true or what he imagines is correct as a result, he continually t ells lies to cover his shortcomings and mistakes. On the contrary, with all the thousands and thousands of dollars he is making, he complains about necessary repairs to mechanical objects around the house Once in my life I would like to own something outright before its broken Im always in a race with the junkyard (1244) Willys primary escape from reality involves his brother Ben, who typifies the American Dream however, Willys escape with Ben is purely a figment of his imagination. Opportunity is tremendous in Alaska, William. surprise youre not up there (1230). His imaginings about Ben, while they appear to be an illusion throughout the story, are thoroughly realistic in Willys mind. He truly believes that Ben has reached the pinnacle of the American Dream.Willy refuses to recognize that he does hand true abilities, as in the field of construction. He appears at times to have hope for the future, on the way home tonight, Id like to buy some seeds (1243). Nonetheless, th ere is a pinning undercurrent of fear for Willy, as Linda discovers, sure enough, on the bottom of the water heater theres a new little nipple on the gas pipe (1237). Although the illusions that Willy puts forrader are real to him, they are, nevertheless, simply that Illusions. Deep down he knows things are not as they should be, with his family, his job and his life.