Willy Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death...

Willy Lomans Distorted Values in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Willy Loman, the central character in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, is a man whose fall from the top of the capitalistic totem pole results in a resounding crash, both literally and metaphorically. As a man immersed in the memories of the past and controlled by his fears of the future, Willy Loman views himself as a victim of bad luck, bearing little blame for his interminable pitfalls. However, it was not an ill-fated destiny that drove Willy to devastate his own life as well as the lives of those he loved; it was his distorted set of values. If Willy Loman had valued acceptance over popularity, individuality over conformity and devotion over†¦show more content†¦After all, he had not managed to obtain it and neither had his sons. Yet if Willy had loved his sons unconditionally instead of doling out his love in accordance with his their successes, he might not have felt like such a failure himself, because if nothing else, he would have been a success as a father. Willy Loman could honestly take no pride in the values he had instilled in his two sons. Case in point: As he preaches that likeability, above all, is the ultimate goal of mankind, he neglects to qualify his statements by adding that one should be liked for being himself, not by adapting like a chameleon to whatever the surrounding circumstances dictate. The following passage superbly demonstrates Willy’s twisted perceptions of what it means to succeed in life. WILLY: Thats just what I mean, Bernard can get the best marks in school, yunderstand, but when he gets out in the business world, yunderstand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like Adonises. Because the men who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me for instance, I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. Willy Loman is here! Thats all they have to know, and I go right through (p. 33). Perhaps Willy’s philosophy that charm, popularity andShow MoreRelatedWilly Loman And The American Dream Analysis1075 Words   |  5 PagesDream In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of the Loman family. 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