In today's capitalistic world, society is lead to believe that fame and fortune are the most desirable rewards life can offer. People so desperately wish to have the life of fame that they will sacrifice their essence to achieve it. In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses the spiritualistic downfall of the Loman family to emphasize the burdens that American society suffers, due to its unending, and almost unreachable desire for wealth and power, in a brutal capitalistic world.
Willy's dire struggle to achieve even a morsel of the American Dream forces compromises to be made within his morality; these compromises cause his family to accept false hopes and ideals. As Willy's boys are growing up, they are taught that "...the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead."(33) Willy's belief that selfishness will lead to success is a false idea, which will ultimately lead to loneliness, and there is no success in being alone.
Arthur Miller, American playwright
The Statue of Liberty front shot, on Liberty Islan...
Biff Fowler and Linda Glover Marry December 26, 19...To be successful one must hope to do the right thing, and that is not how Willy sees life. By impressing his false belief upon his children, Willy is ensuring their future to be one of failure, or hardship. Willy further allows his children to fall victim to his false lessons of life, by allowing them to chop up the neighbor's tree for their own gain. Willy not only allows it he brags to Charlie about "...the lumber they brought home last week. At least a dozen six-by-tens worth all kinds of money."(50) Willy's disillusions of right from wrong are impressed upon his children, further strengthening their disoriented education of life. Willy believes it to be true that Stealing is one way of getting ahead, but it is not the true way, So many people are victim to the same disillusion...