Understanding Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a...

Understanding Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman In order to really understand Willy Loman, from Arthur Miller’s play Death Of A Salesman, the reader must analyze the way his character is developed. Studying his thoughts, actions, how he relates to other characters and how other characters relate to him enables the reader to come to an understanding of the world in which Willy lives. Although Willy sometimes has flashbacks, examining them, as well as his thoughts, helps the reader to understand and relate to him better. Willy had very high, but unrealistic expectations for his boys, especially Biff; he thought that they would be guaranteed success. This is illustrated in the quote, â€Å"I see great†¦show more content†¦With all his hopes and dreams for Biff, Willy never paid much attention to Happy. Any praise and acts of approval were always focused on Biff. This is shown when Biff repeatedly says, â€Å"I’m losing weight, you notice Pop?† and Willy ignores him each time. Willy also has a lot of anger inside of him, which you can notice by his actions. When his boss Howard tells Willy that there is no job for him Willy gets very angry and bangs his fist on the desk in a rage. Willy relates to the other characters in many different ways. With Biff, Willy feels angry, but also scared. He believes that Biff is a failure and could have had a very successful life if he only tried and Willy conveys this message to Biff quite often. On the other hand, Willy thinks that Biff does not love him, perhaps because of the affair that Willy had which only Biff knows about. In the end, Willy is quite surprised when Biff shows that he loves him. He says, â€Å"Isn’t that remarkable? Biff--he likes me!† (pg. 133) These two characters have a very uncomfortable relationship. Willy relates to Linda in a way that reveals his character as well. The readers get the impression that Willy thinks Linda is a stupid woman. He acts reasonably towards her physically, but emotionally he doese not show any respect for her. When she tries to speak, he is constantly telling her to be quiet and to listen, for instance he tells her, â€Å"StopShow MoreRe lated The American Dream Conspiracy in Death of a Salesman Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesArthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of the failure of a salesman, Willy Loman. Although not all Americans are salesmen, most of us share Willy’s dream of success. We are all partners in the American Dream and parties to the conspiracy of silence surrounding the fact that failures must outnumber successes.(Samantaray, 2014) Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantlyRead MoreWilly And The American Dream1273 Words   |  6 PagesWilly and the â€Å"American Dream† Willy Loman is a traditional man who exemplifies the traditional American values. Willy Loman has reached the old in which he cannot continue fighting for success as a traveling salesman. Confronted with termination of his job as a salesman, Willy began to have flash backs of his past life. At this important part Willy’s presence of his older son Biff has returned home for a visit, and Willy’s old desire for his son to be a traditional success in life is renewed.Read MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1027 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Tragic Heroism of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller This literary study will define the tragic heroism of Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman. Biff is initially a victim of Willy’s continual harassment to make more money and find a better career. In this family unit, Biff must endure the unrealistic and fantasy-based elusions of his father in his fanatical pursuit of the American Dream. However, Biff soon learns of Willy’s extra-marital betrayalRead MoreThe Jagged Edges of a Shattered American Dream in Death of a Salesman1377 Words   |  6 Pageswho start with nothing. This is something that Arthur Miller conveys in his play Death of a Salesman. Before the Depression, an optimistic America offered the alluring promise of success and riches. Willy Loman, Millers main character suffers from his disenchantment with the American dream, for it fails him and his son. In some ways, Willy and his older son Biff seem trapped in a transitional period of American history. Willy, now sixty-three, carried out a large partRead More Willy Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman946 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman  Ã‚      Willy Loman, the central character in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is a man whose fall from the top of the capitalistic totem pole results in a resounding crash, both literally and metaphorically. As a man immersed in the memories of the past and controlled by his fears of the future, Willy Loman views himself as a victim of bad luck, bearing little blame for his interminable pitfalls. However, it was not an ill-fatedRead MoreAnalysis of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1581 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Arthur Millers play Death of a Salesman was a hit nearly from its debut, and its importance to American literature and theater has not diminished in the over half a century since its first performance in 1949. However, the specific areas of the play that have most intrigued critics have changed over time, as different historical, social, and literary concerns lead critics to come up with different interpretations. By analyzing three different critical responses to Death of a Salesman, it will beRead MoreArthur Millers Dissatisfaction with the American People Expressed in Three of His Major Works1632 Words   |  7 Pagesand responsibilities which often lead to conflict and tragedy. Every man has his own way of dealing with issues. After the Second World War, people had the opinion that play writer Arthur Miller transferred the theater. The work Miller created was influenced by the worldly depression and the war that started after. Arthur Miller â€Å"tapped into a sense of dissatisfaction and unrest within the greater American people; his probing dramas proved to be both the conscience and redemption of the times; allowingRead MoreComparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson 1403 Words   |  6 PagesFences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller are two plays that could be considered very different in terms of their plot. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. If the reader or audience looks past the plot into the theme and symbolisms used they can see that the plays are more similar than they are different. In spite of the different cultural backgrounds of each protag onist they bothRead More Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman Essay example1245 Words   |  5 PagesDehumanization in Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Alienation and loneliness are two of the frequently explored themes in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.   Yet they can also cause other effects which are just as harmful, if not more so.   In Death of a Salesman, two of these other results are dehumanization and a loss of individual freedom.   This is a very complex web of emotions, but as Miller said, â€Å"Death of a Salesman is not, of course, in the realistic tradition, having broken out into quiteRead MoreLiterary Analysis: Death of a Salesman Essay1705 Words   |  7 Pagesby the main character of the Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman. This tragedy takes place in Connecticut during the late 1940s. It is the story of a salesman, Willy Loman, and his family’s struggles with the American Dream, betrayal, and abandonment. Willy Loman is a failing salesman recently demoted to commission and unable to pay his bills. He is married to a woman by the name of Linda and has two sons , Biff and Happy. Throughout this play Willy is plagued incessantly with