Death of a Salesmen

Death of a Salesmen

  • Submitted By: mgrogan7
  • Date Submitted: 11/25/2008 10:59 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 499
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 482

The play, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller depicts a conflict between a parent, Willy, and his son, Biff. Willy Loman, in a sense, ruins his son, Biff, by placing his false values on him at a young age. Willy sees Biff as the more athletic and handsome of his two sons, so he places most of his dreams in Biff. The source of the conflict is brought on by Willy simply wanting Biff to be successful in life; however, Willy Loman is unsure of the proper steps to becoming successful, which contributes to the theme that looks and personality only get one so far.
Willy Loman places a false importance on personal attractiveness and popularity. To Willy, being good-looking and popular is all-important. Willy naively believes that if a person is attractive and well liked, the entire world opens up for him, guaranteeing success and answering the American Dream. Unfortunately, Willy passes his philosophies about attractiveness and popularity to his sons. As a result, the handsome Biff, a star football player in high school, feels like he can get by in life on his looks and personality. He finds out, however, that these traits do not bring the American Dream to him; he flunks math and cannot go to college, starts stealing, and amounts to nothing in life.
Another source of conflict occurs in a hotel room in Boston, where Willy is on the road, and is having an affair with a woman. Someone is knocking on the door, but he says he is not expecting anybody. Willy tells the woman to stay in the bathroom as he opens the door. Biff enters the hotel room whining to Willy how he flunked math. Biff begs Willy to talk to Mr. Birnbaum, his teacher, to convince him to pass Biff. Biff hears the woman laugh, and she enters from the bathroom. Willy tells Biff that the woman is staying in the next room, which is being painted, so he let her take a shower in his room. Willy throws the woman out, as she claims Willy promised her stockings. Willy tries to explain that the woman is a...

Similar Essays