Willy American Dream

At first glance, one may read this satirically jovial skit with the impression of Willy Loman playing both antagonist and protagonist; but after reading the play several times, one may contend that Linda, Willy’s wife silently plays an antagonistic role. Willy, a 60- year old salesman whose wife Linda, continues to guise as the supportive wife, willingly or unwillingly discourages Willy from settling into the idea of the “American Dream.” As Willy consistently drifts in and out of reality, the reader follows the ideal of Willy’s “American Dream,” as well as its unrealistic shortcomings. Consciously, Willy tries to process the realistic notion of hard work, strength, sports, and popularity being the foundation for success but Linda’s constant

Willy has become fully engaged in his daydreams and consistently talks to people who are not real. Willy spends a large amount of time driving alone on the road, lost in thought, about what it takes to be successful, more so, what Willy needed to accomplish to become successful. Subconsciously, Willy yearns to reach for more than a mediocre life but Willy also feels that a lack of popularity is the primary reason for one’s ability to gain the success. Linda, who is clearly content with a mediocre life, tries to mask over the realities of Willy’s inability to be content with the status quo (not being successful). Linda provides a petting voice to soothe a burning desire of Willy’s forward thinking state of mind, which yearns advancement and change. For examples, when Willy describes the lack of focus on the road, Linda excuses the dazing off by saying, “it was the steering,” or “maybe it’s your glasses,” and “you’ll just have to take a rest,” (Miller, 2035) when Willy explains how the car ran off the road, although Willy clearly explains to Linda that the daydreaming was the cause, Linda was all-to-willing to give Willy a valid reason for the daydreaming. It can be argued that Linda, who has benefited from Willy’s hard work, did not see a point in upsetting Willy to the point of becoming unemployed. To that end, Linda begins to show a silent yet

Although Willy has achieved the “American Dream’ it was never confirmed as Willy was surrounded with people who never heard his cries for more than just the “American Dream.” Linda, the seemingly supportive wife, never even confirmed it. Biff for unleashes a long drawn out resentment for Willy after Willy offers advice to Biff to embark upon a new journey to borrow money to start a business, and Linda felt that it was not befitting of Willy to offer Biff advice on what to do and what not to do during the meeting. As Linda continued to stop Willy from offering his son advice, Willy became insistently intolerant of Linda’s disruption as it aired on Willy being unqualified as a seasoned salesman or incapable as a father to guide Biff in this journey. These examples may seem innocent to the naked eye, however, given years of countless incidents of being subdued by a person so close to you, especially given the fact that Willy did not grow up with family, this could drive a person to the brinks of insanity, which is what ultimately led Willy to feelings of discontent in his life as a middle-aged man with no means of support. Instead of Linda soothing Willy’s mind into a transition of change, Linda enabled Willy by encouraging a stagnant