Literary Analysis on Death of a Salesman Essay

In Death of a Sales piece of music by Arthur Miller, the strife betwixt a cause and male child shapes the over tout ensemble meaning of the work and explains all of the adverse events that occur throughout. The sources of Willy and pulls conflicts, which include laggers delusional perception of the populace as a result of inclinations deep-rooted in him by his arrest, drones discovery of his fathers affair, and Biffs lack of business winner all bundle and result in the ultimate rivalry between the father and watchword. Altogether, these start out for greatly to the formation of the concept that person-to-person dreams and desire to achieve success keep often blackballly interfere with personal relationships, and causing mickle to loose sight of what is important in our lives, as Willy and Biff exemplify.throughout the play, there are flashbacks to Biffs childhood as a palmy athlete and motivated individual. Willys pride in his sons accomplishments is spare, as he eer praises him saying, Good work Biff (1561), all the same Willys lack of espousal of reality are as well. Frequently Bernard, a studious young boy, appears and reminds Willy of Biffs inadequate grades, yet Willy refuses to admit these downfalls and does not accept the reality of his sons situation. Willy merely tells Bernard, Dont be a pest, Bernard What an anemic (1560), and dismisses the negative statements made about Biff. Bernard constantly reappears almost as a symbolization of Biffs conscience, telling him to study or else he go forth not graduate. Willy does not help the situation and completely combats Bernards sudors by filling Biffs head with lies and selling him on the idea of the American Dream as something that is easily achieved, by giving innocent advice such as, Be liked and you will neer want (1561).It is apparent that Willy weighs the importance of be well-liked and socially accepted more heavily than developed hard work and success, a negative reflec tion of his character. Willy preaches his philosophy that, the homosexual who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets onwards (1561). This is purely ironic due to the fact that Willy is the man who creates a personal interest in the business world with men of high status, precisely when all of his friends pass a counseling he is left with nothing notwithstanding if a glorified past to remember. This false reality that Willy paints for Biff fosters the conflict between father andson due to the fact that Biff fails as a result of the way he was raised. Biff follows his fathers ways and words, and by the time he takes his first job he has been raised to speculate that success and happiness will just come to him without excessive effort on his part.As any son would look up to and extol his father, Biff took his fathers advice and therefore makes no excessive efforts and draw up forth minimal work expecting to become self-made merely because of his personality. This wizard of entitlement is clearly diminished when Biff fails to keep a job and ends up at home. Willy never takes the time to teach Biff a well work ethic, good values, and strong morals, because Willy himself has not even established these inside his own character. Therefore Biff steals, does not work hard, and finds it hard to make it in the real world. Willy himself does not know what is important in life, does not have morals, and does not value his family relationships, therefore he has no way of teaching Biff these vital tools for success and happiness. The resentment Willy feels because of Biffs lack of success becomes the main conflict throughout the play ultimately reflects negatively upon Willys lack of ability to achieve the American dream himself, displaying Willys overall weak character.Biffs discovery of his fathers affair serves as a main turning top dog for him as a character, a turning point that sends him downwar d into a life of struggle and lack of achievement. It is at this point that Biff loses keep for his father and begins to recognize the lie that he is living, thereof making it a main source of conflict. Willy is in denial about his involvement with Biffs failure in life, and when indirectly confronted by Bernard about the misfortune in Boston asking What happened in Boston, Willy? (1600), Willy becomes defensive, saying, What are you trying to do, satanic it on me? Dont talk to me that way (1600). After being told about Biffs reaction upon his return from Boston and the anxious of his favorite University of Virginia shoes that symbolize Biffs dreams and take tos for the future, Willy realizes the extent of extend to that Biffs discovery of the affair had. Willys lack of acceptance of reality adversely affects his relationship with Biff because he never takes responsibility for his affair or even has the courage to admit it to Biff.As a result, when Biff discovers a woman in his fathers hotel room, he confronts his father, Youfake You phony little fake You fake (1618) and all Willy can do is attempt to exercise his authority as a father which ultimately fails. Frequently throughout the play, Happy makes references to the man Biff employ to be, asking him, What happened, Biff? Wheres the old humor, the old confidence? (1552). training about his fathers affair and seeing it firsthand that twenty-four hour period in Boston was the turning point for Biff, the point where he grew up and realized that his father was a broken and defeated man, not the successful business man he portrayed himself as and used to be. As a result of this, Biff loses all respect for his father, and alternatively Willy begins to detest Biff as well. Due to his discovery of the affair, Biff not only sees his father as a failed businessman, but a failed man. A man without money does not make him a bad man, but an adulterer who betrayed a woman who gave him everything cannot be for given in the eyes of a son. passim Willys continuous failures and defeats, his wife still remains supportive of him and loving, constantly reminding him of her affection for him. Despite this, Willy still yearns to have what he does not and thus pursues an extramarital relationship with the other woman. It is clear that Willy finds some kind of informality and validation in this affair with a woman who makes him feel wanted, yet his wife does the same therefore it is clearly a matter of greed. Willys sense of failure, his belief that he has no right to his wife, despite Lindas love for him, is what motivates Willys deceptions, and those of his sons after him (Bloom, Blooms Modern vituperative Interpretations Death of a Salesman).This event contributes to the overall meaning of the work as a symbol of the failure of the American Dream by Willy, not only in terms of personal success but overly in terms of family relationship and his familys success. Not only does Willy fraud on hi s wife, loathe his son, and struggle to keep a job, but he has let his values go and seems to have no moral excavate of right and wrong. It shows that he has failed in the business aspect of his life, and also in his morals.Finally, Biffs lack of success in the real world contributes largely to the conflict between him and his father. After having countless jobs over a period of several years, Biff returns home with loss of all hope of finding a steady job to support himself. Willy is disappointed by Biffs lack ofability to succeed, and, It is to Biff, the returning son, to whom Willy relates most affectively. (Hadomi, unit of ammunition Between Father and Son.) It is because Willy can see so much of himself in Biff and relates so heavily to him that these resentful feelings arise.Biff reflects his fathers failed ideals and expectations for himself, which are represented in Willys fantasies and flashbacks regarding Biffs successful and glorious childhood, as well as expectations t hat Willy originally had for himself. Willy sees his failed life and go as a middle-aged man, and recognizes similar traits and qualities in Biff. Although he never expresses these, it is apparent that Willy largely sees himself in his son and thus takes out his kindle for himself on Biff, resulting in constant fighting and conflict.The conflicted relationship between Willy and Biff exemplifies the theme of the work that in ones pursuit of maestro and material success, it is easy to become preoccupied with superficial aspects of life art object simultaneously losing sight of what matters most. Willys preoccupation with his quest for material fulfillment ultimately results in a flawed relationship with his family, and ultimately with his son Biff when Willy sees him following in his footsteps. This conflict between father and son is what shapes the theme of the work and serves to highlight Millers purpose and the great meaning of the play that nothing is more important than fam ily. (Word Count 1517)