DEATH OF A SALESMAN AND THE AMERICAN DREAM

Andressa Kelly Almeida dos Santos

Concerning the ideas of the American dream, economic success and social
ascendancy are elements attributed to the American identity. A landmark of the United
States is the Crisis of 1929, which brought misery into the lives of Americans. Given
the economic recovery, the ideology of prosperity coming from the Americans' hard
work was disseminated as an instrument that would bring wealth to North American
society (Churchwell, 2021). Thus, literature and theatre not only incorporated these
ideas into the plots, but also criticized the social dynamics of the period.
Published in 1949 by Arthur Miller, ''Death of a Salesman'' tells the story of
William Loman who is an old salesman who starts to have hallucinations and dreams of
his successful years. Thus, this essay aims to analyze the deconstruction of the
American dream and meeting the ideas of family and work
To create a wealthier society capable of building a stronger family. Material
possession an important role in spreading the American dream and family happiness.
The play describes Loman's wife: "'Linda is sitting where she was at the kitchen
table, but is now mending a pair of her silk stockings’’ (MILLER, 1949). Therefore,
a salesman's wife cannot buy new socks and therefore be mending old stocking. Thus,
question the success that Willy Loman has been working hard. Thus, it does not match
the American ideal of someone being so poor that they cannot buy an ordinary item.
Meanwhile, Willy Loman, a typical businessman, and the family man have
had an extramarital affair for fifteen years. The play shows that Loman treats his
mistress differently from his wife. Hence, he buys her new socks for his lover: "And
thank you for the socks. I love lots of socks’’ (MILLER, 1949).The play deconstructs
Loman as a typical heroic protagonist but also shows the fragility and futility of the
ideal of the family according to the American dream (BLOOM, 2009). Loman neglects
and alienates his family for the self-assertion of masculinity until success.
The businessman, a devoted wife waiting for her husband at home, and
children raised to succeed, is the idealization of the American family. According to the
American dream, the protagonist Willy Loman has a family within these standards.
However, when the play shows the decadence of Willy Loman, it is observed that he
has not stopped realizing the American dream. In summary, the analyzed piece
demonstrates how the ideologies of social welfare coming only from work and
dedication are not enough to build society. Considering that, the result of the search for
prosperity and economic success that the American dream proposes will have
consequences similar to Loman's. In conclusion, Willy Loman's suicide represents not
only the death of the American dream it exemplifies how it is used to kill the criticality
of society.

References

BLOOM, Harold. The American Dream. Editor, Blake Hobby, 2009.

CHURCHWELL, Sara. A Brief History of the American Dream | Bush Center. A Brief
History of the American Dream | Bush Center. Disponível em:
<https://www.bushcenter.org/catalyst/state-of-the-american-dream/churchwell-history-
of-the-american-dream.html>. Acesso em: 18 jul. 2022.