Fred Rogers Mental Illness

Fred Rogers, a childhood inspiration to many generations and more commonly known as Mr. Rogers once said “[t]here is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the struggle with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth”. This is apparent throughout the novel written by Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman, that his characters continuously ignore this advice. The novel goes through the life of a salesman and his family who experience mental illnesses. As the characters cope with their assigned mental illness, we see the attitudes and actions of those around them that deal with this topic. The Loman family all experience a sort of mental illness that should be addressed by a therapist. Willy needs therapy to assist with his complications

Similar to when he defended Linda against Willy’s comments, he tells Willy how he feels about his decisions. “I ran down eleven flights with a pen in my hand today. And suddenly I stopped, you hear me? And in the middle of that office building, do you hear this? I stopped in the middle of that office building and I saw – the sky. I saw things that I love in this world. The work and the food and time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and I said to myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? What am I doing in an office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am! Why can’t I say that, Willy?” (Miller 132). Biff is the only Loman member who is able to break free from the delusions they have created for themselves as well as those around them. He realizes that he doesn’t need to go through the life that his parents created for

To break down the old barriers he has created to satisfy his parents, he would have to attend a therapy session to combat his old way of thinking. The mental and emotional state of the Loman in the fictional play, Death of a Salesman, shows the attributes of individuals who required therapy. Willy’s case of schizophrenia, as well as Linda for her mental abuse from Willy, Happy for his people pleasing attributes, and Biff for being placed as the catalyst character in the novel and the only one to reach reality. Throughout the play, it is apparent that no matter the mental illness or circumstances that the Loman family is in, they require to see a therapist. With the instability in their relationships with each other to the uncontrollable thoughts that lead them spiraling in reality, a therapy session would allow them to find some sort of control over their illness. Out of everyone in the family, Biff is most complicated when it comes to diagnosing him. He seemed to be the most stable character throughout the play, with the exception of some mid-life crisis’, and was the only member to move past his delusions and face