Death of a Salesman- Essay-Reflection Essay

In remnant of Salesman, the conflicts that the characters face through out in the play, can be interpreted as reflections of the problems in Americas society directly. The majority, if not all of these problems can be traced back to Willy Loman as the source. Willy Lomans longing to be successful (either actually through himself or through his sons) was the origin of all the other problems, and was the reason he could not control himself and he ruined his life and his family.The most straightforward societal problem face in the play is greed. Willys obsession with having money is a perfect figure of the larges part of society, the part whose lives revolve around acquiring money, and having the best. The people have unrealistic expectations just like Willy. In Act 1, Willy is hallucinating around his brother Ben and he says, The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and hes rich (41).Willy and countless people in todays society, have unrealistic expectations, and ar neer honestly satisfied. They are willing to do anything to get to the top, raze if it means hurting others, and most of the date they are left with nothing. Just like Willy in the garden, muttering, Nothings planted. I dont have a thing in the build because they have done nothing substantial with their lives and have not planted anything (122). They apply all their time concerned with money and neglected to invest in anything concrete, like real love, and having a family. They have no real lives outside of materialistic things, just like Willy.Willys constant disregard for others and their lives is another voice of a problem Americas society faces being represented in the play. In todays society, it is seen as expectable to push others down, and rig your self first. In Death of a Salesman, Willy does this constantly when it comes time to be honest and care for his family. Willys actions greatly affected his family, a nd were the reason for numerous of thrusting, bright and Lindas problems. When he was fired, Willy said, I was fired and I am looking for a little good news to tell your mother, because the adult female has waited and suffered(107).Willy, like many people with any sort of conscience today, regains bad and wants to tell Linda that he was fired (something that willdrastically effect his entire family, especially considering their already unfinished financial problems), notwithstanding this want is smothered by his need to have good news. This want is essentially just a ploy to thrust him feel better about himself, so once again Willy puts Linda second to his own needs, which is really the reason for all the waiting and suffering she had to do. This disregard, is also obvious in todays society, one persons actions can affect the whole community. Like in the case of all the terrible decisions George provide. George Bush made decisions for the country, that were not for the comm on good, but his good, and now America is left picking up the pieces now that hes gone.Many people implore that a major problem with the order of todays society is that people no longer respect their elders. Arthur Miller, obviously saw this occurring even in the 1950 when he wrote the book. Willy raised Biff and Happy, putting all in hopes, dreams and inhabitations into them. But when they were old enough no to have to depend on them anymore, they walked outside(a) from him. Linda even acknowledges it and says, It sounds old fashioned and silly but I tell you he put his whole life into you and youve turned your backs on him(60). Biff and Happy used their mother to become who they were, but when he needed them to live, they walked away from him. This is even more obvious of the problems faced today when looked at as if Willy represents all the older people in our society. The elderly are looked down upon, are thought to be crazy, and have their jobs, license and overall most rea l concessions, taken away for no reason other than age. We discriminate against people who should be our equals and treated with respect.Peer pressure, is not just something that effects school aged children on the playground. Adults are pressured every day by, family, friends, co- wrenchers into doing things that do not necessarily want to do. This is a tremendous problem in society because most of the time when people are doing something they do not want to do they are going to be upset. This feeling of being upset, usually leads to emotions that are more drastic such as being stressed and just completely lost and unhappy. Willys pressure on the Biff and Happy is the perfect example of this pressure to do things you usually would not do. Willy constantly says through out the play, the man who makesan appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want, this pressure to be well liked is what pushed Bi ff to neglect his school work and Happy to only care about pleasing woman and his father (30).Willy always pushed the boys to have and to be the greatest at everything they did. But in the end Willys pressure pushed the boys to make reckless decisions and made them feel like they could never do enough to please their father. Biff took to stealing and even admits that his fathers pressure got to him in Act 2 when he says, I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody (131). Pressure can sometimes be positive, like when it pressure pushes you to give your best effort, and sometimes negative, like when it causes you to conform excessively. As in the case of Happy, who by the end of the play, even after his father kills himself is determined to follow in Willys foot steps and even says, Its the only dream you can have to come out number-one man. He fought it out here, and this is where Im gonna win it for him (139).The bigges t complaint that is heard from adults about todays youth is the constant feeling of entitlement. Even when unjustified. Willys mentality on his life is a perfect example on teens unjustified feelings of entitlement in todays culture. In the scene where he goes to talk to Howard about his job, Willy says, You cant eat the orange and throw the peel away-a man is not a piece of fruit. (82). Willy feels that Howard (the son of the father who had at one time promised Willy that he would be rewarded for his service to the company) has gone back on the word of his father by forgetting the salesman in his golden years, throwing away the peel after feeding the orange, so to speak.But what Willy does not realize is that Howard owes him nothing, and neither did his father. Anything people do out of kindness is simply that, kindness. Students sometimes think that just because they received a good mark in a class that it will automatically be the same the next quarter, and arent always willin g to do the work needed to earn the grade. But what Willy and countless others dont realize is that no one is owed anything. During and argument Willy has with his son, Biff makes the comment, Pop Im a dime a dozen, and so are you This infuriates Willy who counterattacks, I am not a dime a dozen I am Willy Loman, and you areBiff Loman (132). Seen through Willy and people thought the world, entitlement is an illusion that blinds our work/life ethic and us.Death of a Salesman shows both family and societiatal conflicts however, these conflicts are definitely more powerful when looked at as societal problems .It forces you to evaluate the ethics and principles of the culture we live in. and how they eventually reflect the things we truly hold important. However the reflection is not just the problems, but also all the damage that results from making those the most valued things. Death of a Salesman is a disheartening play but it is an honest reflection of our society.BibliographyMiller , Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York 1949. Print.