Success in money and business, family happiness, and a substantial stature in society are all symbols closely associated with the illusive American dream. Also tied to this dream is the promise of its ultimate delivery, of its lastingness and longevity within and throughout life. Willy Loman, Arthur Miller's tragic hero in Death of a Salesman is eluded by this dream, and ultimately fails to achieve the triumph of a successful life, and the self-satisfaction of both family and individual attainment. Willy is defeated because of his failures to see through his own illusions of a successful job, thriving children and a happy life. Willy's failure to be true to himself led to his eventual emotional and spiritual bankruptcy, while a society dominated by business crushed his spirit and life. Willy is eventually conquered by his dreams of success, though contained in a life of hard work, drive for success, and assurance of a promising future. Ultimately Willy's failure is truly the failure of the American Dream to deliver its promise.
             A clear aspect of the dream's failure to deliver is through the unmistakable fact that in modern business loyalty to a company means nothing when production diminishes. In Willy's case he himself defines success with respect to income, retaining a job, and fiscal security. In actuality he is an aging salesman who sells nothing, is abused by the buyers, and is belittled by his boss, half his own age. He decides that he is tired of traveling for business and is deserving of a job in the company's main office in New York. His boss, Howard, after disrespecting him and almost utterly ignoring his faithfulness to the firm, fires him with total disregard of Willy's thirty-four years of loyal service. Finally used up he is thrown in the trash like an old orange peel. His financial struggles continue with late bills, and the inability to pay for his insurance; he is going deep in...