What Is Willy Loman's Idea Of The American Dream

The American Dream is something that all Americans have heard of before. Many people seek out the American Dream, some are successful, but many people fail. In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of A Salesman, Willy Loman, the main character of the play, struggles to complete his own form of the American Dream. Throughout the play, Miller shows Willy Loman’s idea of what the American Dream really is. The playwright also displays Willy’s attempts to attain his American Dream. Furthermore, at the end of the play, Arthur Miller shows through Willy’s unfortunate death how Willy’s quest to achieve his version of the American Dream is really destined to end. The theme of the American Dream is used by Arthur Miller throughout the play to show Willy Loman’s

Willy Loman’s version of the American Dream is based on the few success stories he knew, such as Uncle Ben’s success in the jungle and Dave Singleman’s success as a salesman. Willy’s idea of the American Dream is portrayed as what he said in Act One, he says “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.” (Miller, ). This is what Willy Loman thinks it takes to be successful, Willy’s American Dream is being a liked character who has the ability to make contacts and be charming. He talks about these traits as being most important in order to achieve success in America. Miller implements this quote into the play in order to show what Willy’s version of the dream is. Willy also thinks there is a key or a formula to success, as when he sees Uncle Ben, he asks “Oh, Ben, how did you do it? What is the answer?”. (Miller, ). Willy asks Ben, the one successful person that he is close to how he became so successful. Willy believes that if he follows the advice from lucrative people like Ben, he too will become successful and complete his American Dream, however this is not the case. This is what Willy’s version of the American Dream is, but throughout the play, Willy takes action in order to try and achieve his own version of the American