Death Of A Salesman portrays how people can dream of obtaining goals in life,
and be exact opposites in the manner in which they carry out their goals. The tragic play
lists four characters that want success in life, and the play shows how people must work
towards success in life. The words excellence and success have one common definition,
however, several different definitions are needed to explain what those words mean to
Charlie, Bernard, Biff, and Willy.
Willy Lowman has a last name that ironically describes who he is. Willy
Lowman is a low man. He lives life on the lower end of the success level. He has no
wealth, no attributes, no accolades, no property, and most importantly, has no signs of
success. He lives a life of a salesman. His profession describes his life. He is owned by
another man, paid by another man, and told what to do by another man. Willy gets used
his whole life, and is thrown away when he is not needed anymore. He lives life as a
dream, and as an illusion. He feels that personality and presence is key to success.
Willy's attitude is appearing and presenting yourself successfully to be successful. He has
the opposite mindset, and life, as Charley.
Charley is living proof that all of Willy's thoughts are wrong. Charley is a man
who doesn't work towards success, but still achieves it. He offers all the help in the
world to Willy, but Willy refuses because he can't show he isn't as good as Charley.
Charley doesn't obsess over his son. He lives life in the real world, and takes all the good
with the bad. He doesn't try to impress people, nor does he care what people think about
him. He lives his life the way he wants to live it, and nothing gets the better of him.
Biff is an image of his father. The saying "like father, like son" fits here because
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