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Submitted by: Tanya Compare and contrast the theme of illusion vs. reality in the play. Choose several symbols, characters or issues that reflect this theme. In Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman the Loman family cannot distinguish between reality and illusion, which creates a major theme and source of conflict in the play. No one lives a perfect life, the Loman family has problems and situations they must face sooner or later. The ways in which individuals deal with personal conflicts differ as some ignore their problems, while others face the problem to create a solution.
The Loman's used illusion to erase what was miserable to them in reality. This is evident through the characters and symbols in the play. The Loman family is a clear example of the issue, illusion and reality. They suffer from a loss of identify, as Willy is an imaginative salesman who reverts to his imagination when his reality is falling apart.
Willy is fooled by his and his sons identities, he believes that they are great men who have what it takes to be successful and beat the business world. A theory of his includes that if a person is well liked and has a great deal of personal attractiveness, then all the doors will automatically be opened for them, meaning that hard work is not the way to achieve success. Willy unlike Charlie believed that appearances and popularity were fundamental characteristics of success. He failed to teach his sons about ambition and determination which results in failure for Biff and Happy and created success for Bernard, as he was taught of the realities of success. Thats just what I mean. Bernard can get the best marks in school, y understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him.
Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like adonises. Because the man 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 tokyo, and I go right through. (Pg. 33) Willy is fooled in believing that he is a successful salesman.
He is in an illusional world as he is living the life of Dave Single man, who is a well liked successful businessman. Also he believed the untruth that it was more prestigious to be a less than adequate businessman than a content handyman. Willy wanted his funeral to be like Dave Single mans which was attended by hundreds of salesmen and buyers. He had trouble distinguishing between the past and present as he would remember conversations he had with his dead brother Ben. While life was too hectic, Willy would travel back in time to an illusional world to remember happier moments in life. Ben, that funeral will be massive!
Theyll come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire. All the old-timers with the strange license plates that boy will be thunder-struck, Ben, because he never realized Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey I am known Ben, and hell see it with his eyes once and for all. Hell see what I am, Ben! Hes in for a shock, that boy! (Pg. 126) Those illusional dreams were escapes back to the past where the American Dream did exist for him, when times were happy and when he didnt have to worry about losing his job. Willy lied to people about his sons and their career. He made people think that they were very skilled and would conquer the world and follow in their fathers footsteps in the business world.
Lick the world! You guys together could absolutely lick the civilized world. (Pg. 64) Willy made his sons believe that they will be successful when they grow up, but failed to teach them the methods to achieve success. Stealing was okay in the eyes of Biff and Happy because their father did not teach them otherwise and made them think that they were not doing anything wrong. The lack of discipline and respect towards each other was another illusion for the Loman family. Linda always made her family seem so picture perfect. She denied that something was wrong with Willy, hoping that if she would ignore the problem it will eventually disappear.
Linda is a na ve woman, she thought that Willy was out of that phase of committing suicide and thought that has actually getting better. Listen, I was just dying to tell you. You know that little rubber pipe I told you about? That he connected to the gas heater? I finally decided to go down the cellar this morning and take it away and destroy it.
But its gone! Imagine? He took it away himself, it isnt there. (Pg 75) Happy, the gullible younger son of the family is a splitting image of his father. His father is his greatest influence, as he is constantly with different women trying to find his way in life, even though he is confident hes on the right track. Happy is not Willys favourite, as it is evident that Willy lives through his eldest son Biff. He tries to impress his parents by also creating false hopes for himself and living in an illusional world.
Im losing weight, you notice Pop? (Pg 33) Im gonna get married, Mom. I wanted to tell you. (Pg 68) Happy also tries to keep on Willys good side and keep him content, even if it means encouraging the lies and illusions that Willy lives in. Like his father, he is destined to live the life of a failure, trying to achieve something that will never happen. Im gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream, the only dream a man can have to dome out number one man. He fought it out here, and this is where Im gonna win it for him. (Pgs. 138 - 139) Biff, the eldest son shared the same ideas as Willy.
He valued being well liked above everything else and sees little value in being smart and honest. Biff strived to achieve separation from his fathers deadly dream as he realizes the reality of life as he recognizes that he is not successful and worth. One of Biffs flaws is his tendency to steal. Biff stole a football from school. Willy made his son believe that the coach will probably congratulate him on his initiative.
Biff was a very good football player and had scholarships to two universities. After listening to his fathers expectations of his sons, Biff was brain washed in becoming a businessman in order to make Willy proud. Eventually Willy wanted to start a new life for his family believing that if he committed suicide he would receive insurance money to create some stability for his family. He realizes that he is a useless asset to his family, and that his dreams of being a successful businessman are also useless. Funny, yow? After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive. (Pg. 98) The Loman family in reality cannot or will not become successful.
Willy had the wrong dream, he loved to work with his hands as he had completed large improvements on the house. He was aware of the joy physical labour brought him, but he suppressed those desires to fulfill the meaningless position of a struggling salesman. Unfortunately he was not a good salesman, the only selling he was good at was selling lies to his family. I havent got a story left in my head Biff. (Pg 107) Willy followed the wrong dreams and Biff realized this at his fathers funeral. He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong. (Pg. 138) Biff also realizes that his father was never truthful to them.
The man dont know who we are! The man is gonna know! We never told the truth for ten minutes in this house. (Pg 131) Biff was taught all the wrong things in life and lacked the characteristics needed to be successful, he now knows how fake his life has been. One cannot make it in life if you do not work or study hard to accomplish what you want.
You have to set goals for yourself just like Charley and Bernard did. Bernard worked hard all through highschool to become what he is now; a successful lawyer. These two men might not have the looks or popularity but at the end succeeded and accomplished their goals and dreams in life. Willy cannot bring enough money home to pay his bills, the sales firm he works for no longer pays him salary and after thirty-four years with the firm they got rid of him. You cant eat the orange and throw the peel away- a man is not a piece of fruit. (Pg. 82) Willy tries to avoid what is happening in reality.
He tries to escape by going into a happy world of the past, but it doesnt get rid of the problem, it temporary makes him feel problem free but reality will always be there until the end to haunt him. By Willy teaching his sons to steal only caused trouble for them in reality. 5 Biff even spent time in jail because he was not taught that stealing was wrong and it was okay to do so. Linda tried to keep the family together by ignoring the reality of things because it will eventually end up hurting them all, she tried to be the peacemaker but it didnt work. Reality hits her when she finds out that Willys suicide attempt wasnt over.
When? Oh, then you took it. Oh nothing, its just that Id hoped hed taken it away himself. Oh, Im not worried, darling, because this morning he left in such high spirits, it was like the old days! Im not afraid anymore. (Pg. 75 - 76) The Loman's is not a picture perfect family.
Willy had an affair with a woman in Boston at a business trip, it was the day that Biff had discovered his father with another woman in a Boston hotel room that caused great hatred between Biff and his father. Willy tells him; Shes nothing to me Biff. I was lonely, I was terribly lonely. (Pg. 120) After this incident, things were never the same between Biff and Willy. Biffs perspective of his father and everything that he believed in changed as he realized he will never be a successful businessman because it is not his dream, rather his fathers. Willy lies to his family because he doesnt want them to think of him as a loser, Biff gets mad at him for not seeing the reality of life and tells him, Will you let me go, for Christs sake? Will you take that phoney dream and burn it before something happens. (Pg. 133) Biff knows that his father will not succeed in his illusional dreams of being a successful businessman.
Pop! Im a dime a dozen, and so are you! (Pg. 132) By standing up to his father, Biff finally freed himself of living his life through his fathers lies and deceit. Happy has no sense of reality, as he too lives his life through false hopes and expectations. He realizes how lonely he is and how unstable his life is. My own apartment and car, plenty of women and still, goddammit, Im lonely. (Pg. 23) He will never succeed in the outside world because he still believed his fathers false hopes and dreams.
Willys dream of millions of people attending his funeral did not happen, there was no insurance money as suicides are not granted any monetary finances which means Willy died for nothing. Willy nobody's worth nothing dead. Did you hear what I said. (Pg. 98) Like Willys false expectations, illusion vs reality is also evident through symbols. Flute music is playing while Willy is drifting off into the past, which makes him feel happy and relaxed. When the music goes off, the troubles and reality kicks in and comes back. The football trophy is an overwhelming pride for Biff, its his fame and fortune.
Biff enjoyed playing football but in a sense he played for his father because being a successful football star and earning lots of money was very important to Willy. The running shoes are the all American dream to go to University. Biff printed University of Virginia on his sneakers because Willy made him believe that with scholarships to three universities they are not gonna flunk him. In reality Bernard was right. Listen Biff, I heard Mr. Birnbaum say that if you dont start studying math hes gonna flunk you, and you wont graduate.
I heard him. (Pg. 32) Biff failed because he didnt work hard enough academically to achieve good marks in school. Charley was a symbol of friendship, he was always there for Willy, when he needed money or someone to talk to. Charley, youre the only friend I got. Isnt that remarkable? (Pg. 98) Charley proved to be the only friend Willy had as he was his only friend who showed up at Willys funeral. A person who Willy looked at as successful was his brother Ben.
He showed up in Willys subconsciousness every now and then. Ben was a very rich man and made it seem easy for the Loman's to become successful. Why, boys, when I was seventeen, I walked into the jungle and when I was twenty-one I walked out and by God I was rich. (Pg. 98) Money meant happiness and success in Willys mind when in reality money cannot buy love nor happiness. The jungle is symbolic of life and diamonds is symbolic of success. As Willys life is crashing down around him, he says; The woods are burning! I cant drive a car.
This means that Willy is trying to steer his life in the right direction but can not as his life is spinning out of control. The fountain pen was a symbol that made it seem that it is possible to steal success, when in reality you have to work hard to earn your own success. The silk stockings were what Willy gave to his mistress which meant infidelity. Linda mended her stockings to represent her trying to fix the family into being happy and loving to one another. Willy at the end of the play planted seeds in the backyard of his fenced house.
He needed to leave something behind for his sons to remember him by. Willy never achieved success, even though he planted his garden before he died, many people have assumed it will not grow. The Chevy car was Willys attempt of committing suicide, from the beginning to the end of the play he tries to escape the realistic world by killing himself. He succeeded in doing so as the Chevy remains a symbol of his final escape of his own tragic life. The theme of illusion vs reality was a major conflict in the play it is clearly shown through symbols and the relationship between the characters. Willy was fooled in believing that his dreams will someday be his reality.
Instead of concentrating on his happiness, and the happiness of his sons, he focused on materialistic objects. Willys denial to see things for what they are is what eventually caused his downfall. The Loman family was not living a truthful life, it was all an illusion. They made it seem that they were a happy family who wanted to believe that they will succeed in success.
Lies, stories, and deceit were ways they tried to push reality away, but guess what, it did not work. In your life everyone will have to face reality, it might be too late for you to realize it. The Loman's had trouble distinguishing between illusion and reality and this is what caused the painful death of Willy and love that his family had for him. 32 e
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