Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

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THEME
Reality versus illusion
Throughout the play "Death of a Salesman," several themes are explored, with one of the most prominent being the dichotomy between reality and illusion.

While Linda, Biff, and Happy all struggle to differentiate between what is real and what is not, it is Willy who suffers the most from this predicament.

For years, Willy has clung to the belief that he and his sons, particularly Biff, will one day achieve great success. Despite being an unsuccessful salesman, he refers to himself as the "New England man."

Even though Biff has not accomplished anything significant by the age of thirty-four, Willy insists on telling others that his son is achieving great things out west.

Willy's brother, Ben, is a recurring figure in his troubled mind, providing advice on how to succeed in the business world.

Willy feels compelled to live up to Ben's standard, but this proves to be an impossible task by the play's end.

Only Biff comes to the realization that he is "a dime a dozen" and recognizes his true potential. He is the only member of the family who is ultimately able to break free from the illusions that have ensnared them all.

American Dream
Miller's play touches upon the concept of the American Dream as one of its secondary themes. However, Miller appears to critique this ideal as nothing more than a capitalist construct.

The protagonist, Willy, spends his entire adult life working for a sales company, only to be fired when he becomes unprofitable.

When Willy confronts Howard, his boss (who represents free market society), he states, "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away—a man is not a piece of fruit."

In this statement, Willy expresses his disappointment in Howard for forgetting about him in his old age, much like throwing away the peel after consuming the fruit.

As a result, Willy struggles to adapt to the changing times and the unforgiving business environment of New York.