Death of a Salesman - Sympathy?

WILLY - "Tell you a secret, boys. Don't breathe it to a soul. Someday I'll have my own business, and I'll never have to leave home any more" (Death of a Salesman, 1559).


Upon first finishing the play, I felt absolutely no sympathy for Willy. I believed that he was prideful and cruel to his family. While most of me still believes that to be true, a part of me feels bad for Willy. He got sucked into the trap of society. He believed that wealth and "success" were the only important parts of life. Because of how he believed that he had to live his life, he missed the beautiful parts of his life, like his wife and sons. He had all these grand dreams, like most people have, and he just couldn't let them go. It's like he never had a chance.

Death of a Salesman - Social Commentary?

5. Some critics have viewed Death of a Salesman entirely as a social commentary. To what extent do you consider this evaluation valid or invalid?

LINDA - "I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And there'll be nobody home. We're free and clear." -page 1630


I believe that Death of a Salesman is in fact a social commentary. One of the main things it comments on is the American Dream. For many, that says that people have to be rich, own all the greatest appliances, and be on top of their career. This is the dream that Willy has for his life and for his family. However, I believe that Miller is commentating that this is not what the American Dream is all about. I believe that in the end of the play, Biff embodies what the Dream should really be about: freedom. Biff is finally free from his father's expectations and is now able to live as he chooses. I believe that Miller is saying that the American Dream has been skewed by what the media and society believe is important, when the real dream is about freedom (Biff's ability to finally determine his own life) , family (Linda's enduring dedication to her family), and comradeship (Charley's willingness to always help Willy).

Death of a Salesman - Tragic Flaw

2. Regardless of your answers to question 1, there can be little doubt that Willy Loman is the victim of a "tragic flaw." Can you isolate that flaw? Is it Willy's own tragic flaw that causes his downfall? It it society's? Is it a combination of both?


CHARLEY: You want a job?
WILLY: I got a job, I told you that. [After a slight pause] What the hell are you offering me a job for?
CHARLEY: Don’t get insulted.
WILLY: Don’t insult me


I believe that Willy's tragic flaw is his pride. He has all of these grand dreams, but his pride prevents him from making these dreams true. He refuses to take any small jobs that would lead to the important ones. He wants to simply be on top and considers it a disgrace to be anywhere else. His pride also prevents him from seeing any problems with his life until it's too late. As shown by his memories, he believes that Biff is perfect, and even when Biff has flunked math and doesn't evolve into Willy's definition of successful, he still refuses to see his son as anything else. Willy believes that he is better than everyone else. He thinks that he is more successful than Charley even though the opposite is true. Charley was offering him a job, but his pride refuses to let him take it.