Essays --

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman shows us how one mans blind faith in a misconception of the American Dream becomes an obsession of accomplishment that destroys his life and nearly that of his family.Millers main character Willy Loman somehow comes to believe that success always comes to those who are well care and good looking. His downfall is that he does not equate success with hard work and pers foreverance. This faulty thinking keeps him from achieving his goals of wealth and status. His boys Biff and Happy are taught the aforesaid(prenominal) faulty values and are destined to fail as well.The devastating effects of Willys obsession are seen throughout the family starting with Willy who begins to lose his mind and his self-assurance that he will someday prevail. He is torn between denial that he is ultimately a failure and desperation to succeed at any cost. In Willys opinion a man without success is nothing.Linda, Willys adoring wife weathers Willys ups and downs with pa tience and hope that someday he will realize that he is successful. She believes that a home, a loving family, and food on the table are all anyone needs. Linda says to him why must everybody conquer the world? Youre well like and everyone loves you (p292). She is often act to point out his accomplishments, but, he turns a blind eye.Happy, Willys youngest son is truly a mess. He follows in his fathers footsteps into the business world, where he is admittedly unhappy, yet continues because it is what is anticipate of him. He, like Willy believes that success is the measure of a man. He says I gotta show some of those pompous, self important executives over there that Hap Loman can stain the grade (p 250). We see his blind desire to succeed and know hes headin... ...g Charley, theres more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made (p328).The final requiem of this play includes some brilliant lines. Most importantly, Lindas final words at her husbands grave Willy , dear I cant cry, why did you do it, I search and search and I search, and I cant understand it, Willy. I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear, and therell be nobody home. Were separated and clear. Were free...Were free... (p329). Linda knew all along what was important, and now Willy has died before ever realizing how much success he really had a true friend in Charley, and the love of his wife and sons. His home, paid for and fixed up with his own two hands. If anything can be learned from the life of Willy Loman, it is that sometimes what we wish for is not what we need, and by striving blindly we might miss what we have.