Death of a Salesman;Willy's Escapade

A detailed Summary of Death of a Salesman;Willy's Escapade

No one has a perfect life. Everyone has conflicts that they must face sooner or later. The ways in which people deal with these personal conflicts can differ as much as the people themselves. Some insist on ignoring the problem as long as possible, while some attack the problem to get it out of the way. Willy Lowman's technique in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, leads to very severe consequences. Willy never really does anything to help the situation, he just escapes into the past, whether intentionally or not, to happier times were problems were scarce. He uses this escape as if it were a narcotic, and as the play progresses, the reader learns that it can be a dangerous drug, because of it's addictiveness and it's deadliness.

The first time Willy is seen lapsing off into the past is when he encounters Biff after arriving home. The conversation between Willy and Linda reflects Willy's disappointment in Biff and what he has become, which is, for the most part, a bum. After failing to deal adequately with his feelings, he escapes into a time when things were better for his family. It is not uncommon for one to think of better times at low points in their life in order to cheer themse

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ng will turn out okay, and the family will soon be as happy as it was in the good old days.

The next flashback occurs during a discussion between Willy and Linda. Willy is depressed about his inability to make enough money to support his family, his looks, his personality and the success of his friend and neighbor, Charley. "My God if business doesn't pick up , I don't know what I'm gonna do!" (36) is the comment made by Willy after Linda figures the difference between the family's income and their expenses. Before Linda has a chance to offer any words of consolation Willy blurts out "I'm Fat. I'm very--foolish to look at, Linda" (37). In doing this he has depressed himself so much that he is visited by a woman with whom he is having an affair. The woman's purpose in this point of the play is to cheer him up. She raises his spirits by telling him how funny and loveable he is, saying "You do make me laugh....And I think you're a wonderful man." (38). And when he is reassured of his attractiveness and competence, the woman disappears, her purpose being fulfilled. Once !

Too much of anything, even a good thing, can quickly become a bad thing. Evidence of this statement is seen during Willy's next flashback, when the drug he has been using for so long to avoid his problems backfires, giving him a "bad trip", quite possibly a side effect of overuse. This time he is brought back to one of the most disturbing moments

Some common words found in the essay are:
Biff Throughout, Fat I'm, Bernard Willy's, Willy Linda, Death Salesman, Biff Happy, All-Scholastic Championship, Willy's Escape, Willy Lowman, Linda Willy, willy linda, flashback drug, death salesman,

Approximate Word count = 1008
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous