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Arthur Miller is a highly proclaimed author who believes that success is based on an opinion rather than a set of rules to live by. In his play, Death of a Salesman, Miller presents a realistic approach to the ideas behind the American Dream. Death of a Salesman has three basic themes supported by the motifs. In addition to these three themes and motifs there is a central idea running through the play. As the play progresses, the motifs merge in such a way as to support the themes and primary idea. In Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman, he reveals three major themes that contribute greatly to a primary idea included in the play.
Miller brings out a theme concerning phoniness in the play. The lack of ones ability to come to realization with beliefs and ideas can lead to phoniness, which can eventually lead to destruction. Materialism and success is another theme that is expressed throughout this play. Miller uses Willy Loan to exhibit that the fabrication of material possessions leading to success is a falsehood. Another idea Miller expresses is that Americans have a tendency to idolize heroes who are attractive, wealthy, well-liked, and successful. Arthur Millers primary idea behind this play is that when one buys into the wrong dreams expressed in the themes, one ultimately denies meaning to their life.
If ones life is based on false ideas, and their dreams on lack of reality, then one may be better off dead than alive. Miller is making a point that one should build their life so that it has a product that is real, and can be seen. One of the major themes in Death of a Salesman concerns phoniness. Willy Loan is an elderly failing salesman who cannot see who he really is. He believes that he is a great man who has what it takes to be successful and beat the business world.
One of the motifs that supports this idea is when Willys son, Biff, says I cant get near him [Willy]. Biff believes that he is not able to get close to his father in any way because of the deceptive show Willy puts on all of the time. Willy is a man who is lost in the past and his mind is constantly tormented with the hopes and dreams he had years ago that have since fallen through. Willy buys into the American Dream fallacy, but his hopes fade when he fails to recognize what is really important in life. Biff realizes this and tells his father, Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens? Biff has lost much of his respect for his father because of the false values he realizes his father taught him.
This lack of respect causes Biff to dismiss his father and his wishes. Another motif that ties in to the main idea concerning phoniness is when Willy repeats one of his favorite sayings, Isnt that remarkable? This motif shows Willys inability to see reality. The only way Willy can live with himself is to dwell in a world of illusion. He has immersed himself and his family in a false sense of reality. When Willy states his famous line, his inability to see things as they really are produces his outward image of deceit and falsehood.
Also, as his life is crashing down around him, Willy remarks, The woods are burning! The salesman is confused because he thinks that he is doing everything possible to get out of the burning woods but, he falls into the wrong ideas and becomes a phony. These three motifs all contribute to Willys counterfeit attitude. The primary idea behind this novel is related to the phoniness idea because when Willy buys into all the wrong dreams he ultimately denies meaning to his life. His life has been based on lies and dreams that were centered on a lack of reality, which caused him to be a fake. He is ironically worth more dead than alive.
In this play, Miller is making a point that one should build their life in such a way as to have a product that can be seen. Another major theme that is expressed in Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman, is that in regard to Willys emphasis on the idea that materialism brings about success. A motif that helps to bring about this idea is stealing. Stealing is Willys philosophy of life. He believes it is okay to steal if you are well-liked. When Biff steals a football, his fathers excuse for him is that coach probably congratulate you on your initiative because he likes you.
Willy instills the unfit value in his children that because someone is successful, or well-like, they can pretty much do as they please. Another contribution to the themes of materialism and success is when Willy says that he is vital to New England. In reality, Willy is not well liked, and he has a very hard time selling. He tells Linda, The trouble is, Linda, people dont seem to take to me. Nevertheless, Willy still inflates his image for his sons and himself. He wants his sons to believe that success comes about by way of material possessions and being well-liked.
Another motif concerning these ideas is the all used up motif. Willy comments, Figure it out. Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and theres nobody to live in it.
Miller uses this motif to reveal that one will use their life up and have nothing to show for it. Willy starts to realize that his beliefs are not as favorable as he once believed, although he still tries to uphold the ideas for the sake of his children. This idea of having one working toward the American Dream and not realizing one will never get there until it is too late is a very prominent idea that supports the materialism and success theme. All of these motifs combine to form one central idea that if one buys into the wrong dreams concerning materialism leading to success, ones dreams may actually cause a downfall.
Death of a Salesman contains a theme concerning American hero worship. Americans tend to look up to people who are rich, nice looking, have a good career, have a nice personality, and are wealthy. Uncle Ben is a motif that deals with the theme of valuing people who are rich and successful. Ben represents everything Willy wishes he could be.
He is a mysterious, almost god-like figure, whom Willy idolizes. Willy describes his brother, Ben as, the only man I [Willy] ever met who knew all the answers. Uncle Ben is rich and very successful. Willy wishes so much that he could be like his brother, wealthy and respected, so that he would be living the true American Dream. Another motif that fits into the theme of American hero worship is personal attractiveness. Willy says that he doesnt know how Biff could not be successful, Biff Loan is lost.
In the greatest country in the world a young man with such, -personal attractiveness, gets lost. The way American citizens value beauty is shown through Willys statement. He believes that just because someone has nice features and is pleasant looking, they should automatically be successful and important in the world. His views are very much like other Americans who believe people should honor others simply based on looks. Appearance is so important to Willy that he tells his sons, Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like Adonises. In the Loan household, that is the key to the high country: be well-liked, look good.
The last motif that is significant to the American hero adoration theme is when Biffs younger brother, Happy, continuously tells his father, Pop, Im losing weight, you notice? Biff is the son Willy focuses on the most, and Happy is always trying to get his fathers attention. He repeats this line throughout the play knowing that Willy should congratulate him for his appearance. Miller uses these motifs to strengthen the bond between the theme and the primary idea of his novel. When Willy buys into all the wrong ideas of personal attractiveness, wealth, and success from all the wrong places, he ultimately extinguishes the significance of his life. His beliefs are lies and his dreams will never be achieved.
In Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman, he is making a point that one should build up their life in such a way as to have a product that can be seen. Miller uses the themes of phoniness, materialism, success, and American Hero worship to bring about the main idea that if one buys into the wrong ideas he will cause his own downfall. If one bases their dreams on unrealistic measures, ones dream will eventually fade because they will fail to see what is really important. Willy has lost at trying to live the American Dream and the play can be viewed as commentary about society. Willy was a man who was worked all his life by the machinery of democracy and free enterprise and was then spit mercilessly out, spent like a piece of fruit. However, it was his own fault for buying into the fallacy of the ever-so-popular American Dream.
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Research essay sample on Tells His Father Death Of A Salesman
