"Death of a Salesman" illustrates what most people are up against. The reader sees the situations of civilization that he lives in himself, not the situations that Willy Loman, the salesman, encounters. Willy has conversations that are "inside his head", which Miller once considered to be the title of the play. The past and present weave into one.

The play is set during the 1950's. During this time, Senator Joe McCarthy was responsible for a movement known as McCarthyism. Readers during this era sometimes view Miller's play as an attack on capitalism. Willy unknowingly symbolizes a revolt against society. He instills this on his sons with the value he places on manual work, sports, fitness and capability to handle tools and build things.

Willy was an outdoorsman and did not realize it. In Act Two,Wil

The reader relates to the real life problems depicted in the play. These problems include money, family conflicts, power, happiness and what success really is. Like most American families, the Loman's live from one week to the next. Linda is always quick to point out how much is owed on everything. In Act One Linda informs Willy, "Well, there's nine-sixty for the washing machine. And for the vacuum cleaner there's three and a half due on the fifteenth. Then the roof, you got twenty one dollars remaining". The reader knows that when you feel like you are getting ahead in life, a problem occurs and you are right back where you started or even worse.

Yes, Death of a Salesman is a tragedy, but Willy Loman could have prevented the outcome. Happy remarks in the Requiem, "He had a good dream. It's the only dream you can have- to com out number one man." Charley offered him a job. Charley begs in Act Two; " I offered you a job. You can make fifty dollars a week. And I won't send you on the road." But Willy's selfish pride, answers, "I've got a job". I think Willy surmized his life in Act Two when he states; "The gist of it is that I haven't got a story left in my head". With no more lies or dreams to create, Willy Loman died. He died "The Death of a Salesman".

Family problems are realistic. Biff and Happy have a completely different view of success from Willy. Biff talks about his father in the Requiem, "He had all the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong". All Biff wanted was happiness. Biff tells Willy in Act Two, "Pop, I'm a dime a dozen, and so are you!" Happy wanted attention. In Act One and throughout Willy's memories, Happy shouts to him "I lost weight, Pop, you notice?" Willy wanted power and money. The children are happy and are content in life but Willy is not happy for them. He wants them to lead the life he wanted to lead.

The name Loman that Miller picked for Willy is descriptive in itself. He is the low man on the totem pole, economically and socially. Linda, his wife, in Act One states, "A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man". Willy represents the average low to middle class American during the 1950's. Willy's house is also a symbol of him as it is described as a small and fragile, seeming against a solid vault of apartment houses. These apartments are the society, uncarin

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1576
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)