Betrayal
Willy's primary obsession throughout the play is what he considers to be Biff's betrayal of his ambitions for him. When Biff walks out on WIlly's ambitions for him, Willy takes this rejection as a personal affront. Willy, after all, is a salesman and Biff's ego-crushing rebuff ultimately reflects Willy's inability to sell him the American dream - the product in which Willy himself believes in most faithfully. Willy assumes that Biff's betrayal stems from Biff's discovery of Willy's affair with the woman - a betrayal of Linda's love. Whereas Willy feels that Biff has betrayed him, Biff feels Willy, a "phony little fake", has betrayed him with his unending stream of lies.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Death of a Salesman - Themes analysis
Abandonment
Willy's life charts a course from one abandonment to the next, leaving him in greater despair each time. When Ben leaves to Alaska, Willy develops a fear of abandonment, which makes him want his family to conform to the American dream. His efforts to raise perfect songs, however, reflect his inability to understand reality. The young Biff, whom Willy considers the embodiment of promise, loses his trust in Willy and Willy's ambitions for him when he finds out about Willy's adultery. Biff's ongoing inability to succeed in business furthers his estrangement from Willy. When, at Frank's Chop House, Willy finally believes that Biff has landed a job, Biff shatters Willy's illusions and abandons him.
Willy's life charts a course from one abandonment to the next, leaving him in greater despair each time. When Ben leaves to Alaska, Willy develops a fear of abandonment, which makes him want his family to conform to the American dream. His efforts to raise perfect songs, however, reflect his inability to understand reality. The young Biff, whom Willy considers the embodiment of promise, loses his trust in Willy and Willy's ambitions for him when he finds out about Willy's adultery. Biff's ongoing inability to succeed in business furthers his estrangement from Willy. When, at Frank's Chop House, Willy finally believes that Biff has landed a job, Biff shatters Willy's illusions and abandons him.
Death of a Salesman - Themes analysis
The American Dream
Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers to be the promise of the American Dream - that a "well-liked" and "personally attractive" man in business will indubitably and deservedly acquire the comforts offered by modern American life. Oddly, his fixation with the superficial qualities of attractiveness and likability is contradicting with a more gritty, more rewarding understanding of the American Dream that identifies hard work without complaint to be the key to success. Willy's interpretation of likability is superficial - he childishly dislikes Bernard because he considers Bernard a nerd.
Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers to be the promise of the American Dream - that a "well-liked" and "personally attractive" man in business will indubitably and deservedly acquire the comforts offered by modern American life. Oddly, his fixation with the superficial qualities of attractiveness and likability is contradicting with a more gritty, more rewarding understanding of the American Dream that identifies hard work without complaint to be the key to success. Willy's interpretation of likability is superficial - he childishly dislikes Bernard because he considers Bernard a nerd.
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