How does Arthur Miller, through 'Death of a Salesman' deal with the theme of the 'American Dream'?
             Death of a salesman is a play about one mans strange dream, which is shattered by his worthless son. The dream destroyed the son - Biff, and had its roots in the complex structure of contemporary existence. 'The inside of a man's head' was the first title for this play which I think shows what the play is really about. This shows that inside Willy's head was like a tangled mass of roots without end or beginning.
             For Willy and Linda life's accomplishments and sources of pleasure are very simple. They lead very average lives for the time and any depth is ignored on their part. The first scene emphasises this point. The main focus in their lives is their morgage on the house. For twenty-five years Willy and Linda have worked hard to pay it off so they feel they have attained the sense of freedom or the 'American Dream'. This dream is something that all Americans aspired too especially at the time when the play was set. Willy feels that you "work a lifetime to payoff a house. You finally own it and there's nobody living in it". He says this after hearing that his two sons, Happy and Biff have gone out for the evening and there is only one payment left on the house.
             The key thing, which leads to Willy and Linda's depressions, is their inability to face reality in the present. Their lives are lived in the future, and even in this scene as Willy states; "You wait, kid; before it's all over we're gonna get a little place out in the country," we see his ability to constantly speak of unpractical dreams. Their last payment on the mortgage gives closure to this life filled only with dreams, and will allow them to realise some of their idealistic thoughts. Their entire lives have been concentrated on this house, their one meaningful possession; therefore this last payment is an accomplishment beyond any other.
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