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How Does The Past Affect Willy Loman's Life

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Vladimir Shpunt Mrs.Terry AP Lit 08 May 2023 Title of Your Report Many works of literature define a character by their personality and the way they are affected by their past circumstances. In some cases, these characters change as a result of a false sense of reality in which they either strive for unattainable goals or lack the realization of important lessons that would help them change into a better person. William Shakespeare once said, “The past is prologue” (Goodreads), which is demonstrated by Willy Loman, Biff Loman, and William Bloom, as their past gives effect to their future. While the past may have positive effects on a character’s development in the present, the past may also have reverse abilities in which a character fails to …show more content…

This fear, along with a false pride of his son’s accomplishments, forced Willy into a mirage in which he lived his life. Willy’s aspirations to be successful were directly influenced by the success of his brother. After declining his offer to go to Antarctica, Willy was never able to accept his mistake, driving him to reshape his lifestyle in an attempt to recreate his brother’s success. His drive would be fed by the belief that his son Biff is becoming more successful than he is. However, this was the effect of the “mirage” that Willy thought his life was. Willy’s realization of his reality stemmed from the incident of being caught having the affair. His future would therefore be completely reshaped as a result of his actions of his past. Willy explains that “There’s more people! That’s what’s ruining this country! The competition is maddening! Smell the stink from that apartment house! And the one on the other side…” (Act 1), as he cannot accept the changing society which reflects his inability to escape the past of trying to be successful and allow his family to prosper. The changing society is a symbolic allegory that shows a fading dream that Willy was working very hard to preserve, resulting in his eventual …show more content…

This forces Biff to conceal his failed attempts from Willy which ultimately leads to a negative effect on their relationship at the end of the play. This cognitive dissonance demoralizes Biff as he fights with his conscience of whether or not he should tell Willy that he has failed. Biff’s conscience would ultimately prevail as he realizes his father’s mistakes and their effects on the family. Biff explains in anger, “I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are you. You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like the rest of them! I’m one-dollar an hour, Willy! I tried seven states and couldn’t raise it. A buck an hour! Do you know what I mean? I’m not bringing home any prizes anymore and you’re going to stop waiting for me to bring them home!” (Act 2), which shows the moral dilemma that haunted Biff as a result of his father’s influence. The past recognition of Biff’s false achievements and Willy’s previous affairs would be elicited as a result of this argument, changing the dynamic of the family and destroying both Biff’s and Willy’s

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Willy Loman and Edward Bloom are both unhappy with their realities, and fabricate elaborate lies as a way to manufacture a life more suited to their expectations. Edward lies in order to make his dull reality become more interesting and exciting, whereas Willy lies in order to make his ordinary life seem more in line with that of the American Dream. The fact that Willy lies to himself and his family around him in order to seem “well liked” shows this holds great importance to him. When Willy eventually begins to realize how little his life is like his expectations, and how little he feels he has accomplished, he feels as if he is boxed in, and has to “break [his] neck to see” the hope and opportunities he felt in the past with this feeling

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This cancelled his plans to be a collegiate football player. Ever since then, things have kept going on a downhill path for Biff. Willy and Linda both notice this and it devastates them. But, instead of helping his son, Willy becomes agitated for the rest of his life. He expected his son to be better but, Biff did not want to be better.

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