Death of A Salesman

Drama | Arthur Miller
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Discuss the Themes, Including the American Dream in Death of a Salesman.

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Discuss the themes, including the American Dream in Death of a Salesman.

The American dream is much populated by the drama "Death of a Salesman"(1949), which was written by Arthur Miller (1915-2005). In the drama, the dramatist has laid bare about the American dream. That is why, at first, we should know about the American Dream.

American Dream: According to the American Dream, life should be developed and enriched for everyone, regardless of social class or birth status. The concept of the American dream arises with the Declaration of Independence in the United States, in which it has been declared that "all men are created equal".

The tendency for Quick Success: The tendency for quick success is one of the most visible characteristics of the American Dream. In the drama, the elder brother of Willy Loman Ben had been a successful businessman at the age of 21. He had got mine

of diamonds.

The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he's rich!

We can calculate that Ben is a perfectly successful man. In this way, Ben is the paradigm of quick success, and Willy Loman wants to be a successful businessman like Ben, but he fails in his life until his death. 

Running after Name, Fame, and Money: In "Death of a Salesman", Miller shows the success of Charley, Bernard, and Ben. Charley has become a successful man because of his careful and cautious approach to life, and Bernard has been a well-respected lawyer through hard Labor. On the other hand, we can see that Ben is a successful businessman. He boasts that he entered the ‘jungle’ when he was seventeen, and when he came out at twenty-one, he was wealthy by the grace of God. 

When I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich.

Ben had achieved success in Africa. These characters symbolize the American Dream since they have achieved name, fame, and wealth. Likewise, Willy, Happy, and Biff Loman wanted to succeed. But, regrettably, the father and sons have failed. For the money, Willy Loman commits suicide by the name of the car accident because, after his death, his family will get twenty-thousand dollars from the insurance policy, which will be very helpful for the family.  So, whatever the lifestyle is led by the play's characters is based on the American Dream. 

In termination, we can say that Willy Loman is an American man, and that’s why he has dreamed of the "American Dream". But he failed to pick up the American Dream. However, he sacrifices his life for his sons so that they can pursue the American Dream.

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Arthur Miller
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from Death of A Salesman