In Arthur Miller's play a Death of a Salesman the main character Willy Loman lives in a dream world of his own. This world is often made of memories, but Willy is lost in his own thoughts when he is not remembering. He listens to others only when he wants to. One way or another he tries to silence whoever is talking to him. However the real world and the people in it do not readily conform to Willy's dream world thus causing him to very often be in a state of irritable vulnerability. Willy was the youngest male in his family, and was left behind by his father and his older brother, both of whom were stronger people then he was. Willy grew up in a household, like the one he has now, it is male dominated and dominantly male. There also seems to have been no love in Willy's upbringing, which would explain why he is so uncertain about how to love.
Arthur Miller, American playwright
Arthur Miller in Washington Square Park. The photo...
English: , Republican representative from Nebraska...This state of irritable vulnerability and poor upbringing causes Willy to be both a victimizer and a victim. Willy victimizes his whole family including himself throughout the play.
Willy victimizes everyone in his family one time or another but he also victimizes his two sons together. Willy accomplishes this by lying to the boys about how great of a salesman he is and by allowing the boys to steal, without suffering the consequences. Willy lies to the boys throughout the whole play. He tells them he is a great salesman, "one of the greatest." To make these lies more believable Willy makes up big stories to tell to them, "I met the mayor of Providence today... He was sitting in the hotel lobby... He said 'Morning!' and I said, 'You got a fine city here, Mayor.'...