Arthur Miller's classic tragedy "Death Of A Salesman" represents the result of an accumulation of social wrongs and injustices brought on because of Willy Loman's external quest for success. It concludes with the death of a very miserable man. However, all through his tortured life, Willy was aware of both his family, and social obligations, never losing sight of what society expected of him.
Willy Loman had two mentors: a former fellow salesman, in addition to his brother Ben. Their success caused him to create a warped value system, which he then passed on to his sons. Willy's sons, Biff and Happy, were continuously affected by their father's expectations. While the play focused on the psychological damage inflicted on Biff, it also showed that Happy suffered as a result of his father's beliefs and attitudes.
The mother, Linda, while trying her best to be the perfect wife and mother, goes to great lengths to bolster her husband. She does this in times of crisis, and in their everyday lives, placing their son's importance to a position of lesser value.
Willy Loman and his son Biff were old-fashioned. They were from the same social mold. This was because of their respective desire to meet the unspoken demands of responsibility that were hopelessly unreachable. In spite of the fact that Biff watched his father slowly wither away under the pressures of social performance, he did not learn from the experience. This simply served to continue the dance that existed between success and failure. One could quickly argue that Willy's primary focus was upon providing for his family, for whom he believed he had sacrificed his entire life.
It was through this slanted view of existence, that Willy ultimately lost his way along the path of happiness. This occurred while in continuous pursuit of his own social acceptance. This sense of responsibility rubbed
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