Death of a Salesman

A detailed Summary of Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman: Flawed Character or A Flawed Society?

Progressions in science in this century have led to remarkable innovations in business. Advancements in business, however, do not necessarily signify progressions in the ways that people live. Some people can never meet the standards that society sets for them. Most encounter a society with a standard of living that is unparalleled throughout history. The main character in Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman, lives a life of incredible grief and hardship, aggravated by worlds of promise that he cannot ever seem to meet; yet his tragedy is due more to society's negative influence than to actual faults in his own character.

Willy Loman is host to many flaws and deficiencies ranging from suicidal tendencies to psychotic disorders; however, these faults do not totally account for his tragic death. Society's expectations play a huge part by stripping him of his dignity. Society robs him of his lifestyle and his sons took away his hope for the future. Willy's most important ambition is to take himself and his family from a life of nothing to a life full of material goods and prestige. The lifestyle that he hopes to lead turned out to be impossible. He wants to ha

Willy's life is based on empty dreams. He believes that he has been cheated by society and it's workings, but that his misfortunes can be a lesson to his sons Biff and Happy. He thinks they can be successful where he was powerless. He sees his suicide as an unselfish act since he thinks his family will collect insurance money to save their house and better their lives. What he doesn't realize is that Biff and Happy are just as ineffective as he is. They share his belief that things will somehow work out and their lives will miraculously turn out fine. Often society falsely portrays an easy way out to everything. Things like loans and credit cards that allow you to worry about the consequences of your actions later are a fine example of this. They seem like a great idea until a bill arrives in the mail. It is easy to be convinced, as Willy is, that everything will essentially be ok.

The pride that Willy once felt from being a salesman is tainted by what he feels is society's under appreciation of a salesman's character and personality. Willy believes that in the world of salespeople, your success doesn't depend on what you know, but who you know. His reliance on this statement is at the core of his downfall. He basically relies on not having to do much work as long as you have the right connections, which he does not.

The standards that society placed around Willy led directly to his undoing. Lack of compassion and the inability to succeed led him to a state of unhappiness that he couldn't turn himself around from. Even though Willy Loman did have a good number of faults, the main reason he fell apart as he did was because he felt pressure from society to be something he just didn't have the power to be. He couldn't be rich, he couldn't get a better job, and he couldn't support his family

Some common words found in the essay are:
Willy Loman, Biff Happy, Biff Loman, Linda Willy, Willy Ben, Society Progressions, willy loman, Death Salesman, death salesman, standards society, social status, little regard, biff happy, lack compassion,

Approximate Word count = 1235
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English