Summary and Analysis of DOS

Death of a Salesman

Summary:

~Author - Arthur Miller
~Setting - Late 1940s Brooklyn
~Plot - Willy Loman is a tragic character that spent his life searching for wealth, recognition, and likability. He did the job he thought he was supposed to do, he provided for his family and he tried to do much more beyond that. In his constant struggle to win the American Dream, Willy begins to slowly lose his mind a little. He starts having flashbacks (let's call them "trips" just for the heck of it) about his life and where he made his decisions. Without having a father, Willy admits to not fully knowing himself. He searches for guidance and help from his dead brother, Ben. Finally, we learn that Willy's ultimate downfall is after Biff learns that Willy was having an affair. While it was business related, Willy has lost all respect from his to-be-glorious son. Not only does that damage Willy, but it also sends Biff on a downward spiral reaching for something he cannot grasp. The difference is that Biff might actually change that instead of following down the same path as his father, like it is clear Happy Loman will do. Linda is the ever-loving mother that cares for Willy more than anything. Sadly, she is in just as much denial as Willy. She makes excuses for Willy so that she, too, doesn't have to face the truth. In Willy's last attempt to make his family right, he kills himself. To him, this gives the kids support they need.

Significant Characters:

~Willy Loman: Lost father who really never got a chance to discover himself. This leads to his downfall and eventual suicide.
~ Linda Loman: The loving wife who, on the surface, only cares for her husband's well-being. Really, though, she does it to hide the truth too.
~Biff Loman: The perfect son who, when he found out about the affair, lost all respect for his father and began to question who he was.
 ~Hap Loman: The insignificant son that is destined to the same self-destructive path as his father
~Ben: Willy's dead brother that Willy looks to in his time of need
~Charlie: Father of Bernard and foil to Willy
~Bernard: Foil to Biff. Works hard and gets above in the world, even thought he wasn't "well-liked"

Narrative Voice and Author's style:

~View: Not one single person knows all, but it is mostly told from Willy's perspective
~ Tone: The tone changes from very sincere and personal to harsh and hopeless.
~Imagery: All lead the reader to different symbols, themes and ideas
     *Stockings - created to symbolize wealth
     *The garden - it's dead and can't grow - garden of Eden connection
~ Symbolism:
     *Stockings - wealth
     *Directions - different opportunities
     *Ben - The ultimate success of the American Dream

Quotes
~ "Nothing's planted. I don't have a thing in the ground."
This shows that Willy realizes that he doesn't have any proof of his life's work. Willy's using the garden as a metaphor for his success and failure shows that he, with the failure of the garden, has failed in his career.
~ "Willy you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?" -Biff
In one of the last scenes, Biff is desperately looking for the one thing he needs from Willy: acceptance that Biff is not going to follow the false dream and be a salesman. With this quote, and Willy's reaction, Biff finally gets the closure he needed. Biff doesn't want to chance his fathers dream and end up just like him, that't not what is best. He understands that his destiny, like his father, was to work with his hands and be outside. Willy should have been a carpenter and by Biff choosing to do what he is destined, he gets away from Willy's false dream.

Theme: Not everyone can live the American Dream.

This is an obvious theme present in Death of a Salesman. He was supposed to have the life; working and selling for a living, being well known and liked, raising a salary for his family. But, try as he might, he still can't get there. Since he didn't get to have the experience of knowing himself, he got lost in it all. Had he been a carpenter he might have had different luck. Had he went with Ben, he might have had different luck. Willy is also caught up in the superficial idea that being well-liked equals success. But for those that think that way, the American Dream isn't always possible, like in Willy's case. The idea behind the American Dream is that as long as someone works hard enough, they will have success. Now, I don't like Willy, but he worked he butt off. Nobody can deny that. He strove to give the boys his best, even though that wasn't always what they needed. He built his house, he worked a job, he worked at lying about his job... he did everything. To the point where he was exhausted. He simply couldn't keep going and eventually that lead to his death.