Death of a salesman and the American

Dream
Death of a Salesman is considered by many to be the
quintessential modern literary work on the American dream, a
term created by James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book, The Epic
of America. This is somewhat ironic, given that it is such a dark
and frustrated play. The idea of the American dream is as old as
America itself: the country has often been seen as an empty
frontier to be explored and conquered. Unlike the Old World, the
New World had no social hierarchies, so a man could be whatever
he wanted, rather than merely having the option of doing what his
father did.
Rather than being a direct representation of the concept, or even a
direct critique of it, Salesman challenges the effects of the
American dream. This myth exists in the American society - how
does the prevalence of this myth change the way in which we live
our lives?
On one hand, Bernard's success is a demonstration of the idea in
its purist and most optimistic form. Through his own hard work
and academic success, Bernard has become a well-respected
lawyer. It is ironic, however, that the character most obviously
connected to the American dream, who boasts that he entered the
jungle at age seventeen and came out at twenty-one a rich man,
actually created this success in Africa, rather than America.

Bens American Dream:

Therefore, To Willys older brother Ben, the American Dream is

the ability to start with nothing and somehow make a fortune:

BEN: William, when I walked into the jungle, I was seventeen.

When I walked out I was twenty-one. And, by God, I was rich!
Willy is envious of his brothers success and machismo. But
Willys wife Linda is frightful and concerned when Ben stops by
for a brief visit. To her, he represents wildness and danger. This is
displayed when Ben horses around with his nephew Biff. Just as
Biff starts to win their sparring match, Ben trips the boy and
stands over him with the point of his umbrella poised at Biffs
eye. Bens character signifies that a few people can achieve the
rags to riches version of the American Dream, but Millers play
suggests that one must be ruthless (or at least a bit wild) in order
to achieve it. There is the possibility that Ben created his own
success through brute force rather than ingenuity.

The other doubt cast on the American dream in Death of a

Salesman is that the Loman men, despite their charm and good
intentions, have not managed to succeed at all. Miller
demonstrates that the American dream leaves those who need a
bit more community support, who cannot advocate for themselves
as strongly, in the dust.

Willy Lomans American Dream:

To the protagonist of Death of a Salesman, the American Dream
is the ability to become prosperous by mere charisma.
Willy believes that personality, not hard work and innovation, is
the key to success. Time and again, he wants to make sure his
boys are well-liked and popular. For example, when his son Biff
confesses to making fun of his math teachers lisp, Willy is more
concerned with how Biffs classmates react:
BIFF: I Crossed my eyes and talked with a lisp.

WILLY: (Laughing.) You did? The kids like it?

BIFF: They nearly died laughing!
Of course, Willys version of the American Dream never pans out.
Despite his sons popularity in high school, Biff grows up to be a
drifter and a ranch-hand. Willys own career falters as his sales
ability flat-lines. When he tries to use personality to ask his
boss for a raise, he gets fired instead.

Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers the promise

of the American Dreamthat a well liked and personally
attractive man in business will indubitably and deservedly
acquire the material comforts offered by modern American life.
Oddly, his fixation with the superficial qualities of attractiveness
and likeability is at odds with a more gritty, more rewarding
understanding of the American Dream that identifies hard work
without complaint as the key to success. Willys interpretation of
likeability is superficialhe childishly dislikes Bernard because
he considers Bernard a nerd. Willys blind faith in his stunted
version of the American Dream leads to his rapid psychological
decline when he is unable to accept the disparity between the
Dream and his own life.

SEMINAR
MODERN DRAMA

DEATH OF A SALESMAN
AND THE AMERICAN
DREAM

Sudhanshu Sorout
A0706115228
B.A.(Eng.) Sem-II
Sec-D