The American Dream Death Of A Salesman Essay

The American Dream. What is the true definition that comes with it? In all honesty, it depends on who you ask. There are tons of ways that people decide to interpret the so-called American dream, but the truth is that there is no real, “textbook definition”. Throughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman film, the audience learns that Willy and his son, Biff have different views of what true success looks like. Willy believes that it is vital to have a job in business, a wife and financial stability. Biff then reveals his point of view, mentioning how he doesn’t want to live his father’s life, or follow his version of the American dream. Miller’s play portrays the idea of how there is no true definition of the American dream, which is demonstrated

He was not intrigued or interested in the “classic” salesman life. Willy had high hopes, yearning for his son to pursue a successful career in business, but this simply wasn’t Billy’s dream. The American Dream can be portrayed in many different ways, and it certainly varies from person to person. It is so important to realize that people will have different goals based on their interests. Biff’s mindset about his father’s reality suddenly changes, once he finds out about Willy’s affair. He is now resentful of his father, and wishes to veer off the business path, even though he knows that’s what Willy would have wanted from him. Biff’s brother, Happy, is taking on the life that was expected of him, but Biff is not the same. Though part of success involves being financially stable, the salesman's career, family and lifestyle should not be tied directly into the “definition” of the American Dream. Biff’s American Dream was different from his Father’s, Mother’s and Brother’s, which is how it rightfully should be. Finding one’s true self, identity, hopes and dreams is an important part of success, which the Loman family needed to come to terms with. The real world includes variety, and the truth is that everyone has their own American Dream. This is what Biff had in mind, and finds out that he does not desire the life that his family members wanted. Toward the end of the film, Biff declares to his Father that he does not want to live as someone that he is not. In other words, he desired to be his own self, disregarding the influence and pressure of Willy and Linda. He finds himself at work, wondering if this was truly who he wanted to be, and decides that he does not want to be stuck in this reality of an American Dream that is not his