A large controversy that revolves around the play "Death of a Salesman" is whether or not Willy Loman was actually a hero or a villain in the story. It certainly cannot be said that he is really one or the other because of the evidence that is given throughout. At some times he seems the pitiful victim of other people's actions but at others he seems to have only himself to blame. Most don't know whether to feel sorry for him or to hate him. Although there seems to be evidence to support both ideas, there seems to be more pointing in the direction of the latter.
Willy's first fault concentrates around the affair that he had. Maybe when it first started he had only intended it to be a business relationship, but it didn't end up that way.
Somewhere along the line he let it go further and then didn't break it off. Many things came of that one affair, that only he caused. First, is the fact that his son, Biff, caught him doing it, and was basically scarred for life from it. It was Willy's fault that Biff didn't attend summer school and, as a result, didn't graduate from high school. Second, is the fact that he was cheating on his wife, therefore being dishonest with her. Along with that, was how he treated her all the time at home, almost like she was incredibly inferior to him. Part of it had to do with the fact that he was having an affair, which made him ashamed, the other part was sheer ignorance. He felt that he couldn't face her because of what he was doing behind her back. Th
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