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The failure of American Dream in Arthur Miller’s The Death of a Salesman

       American Dream is a common wish for an ideal society that not only Americans but also immigrants pursue. It includes the conception of classless community, the representation of economic prosperity and the prolongation of the free political system. People who reside in the American continent believe in this idealism of American dream, because they think that they can live with happiness when they work hard with freedom. With high expectation of affluent life style, most people with American dream seek for success in their lives. The success of American dream is believed to be possible when people have personal talent and passion regardless of political and economic system.

           However, as time passes, there occur negative critiques about the impossibility of American dream among scholars and writers. One of the most famous writers for his negative perception of darkness in American Dream is American writer, Arthur Miller. During this lifetime, he was keen to recognize the oppressive and selfish aspect of the existing society. He mostly dealt with the evil nature rampant in American society, which deterred the spread of American dream in reality. In his famous play, The Death of a Salesman, the protagonist Willy Loman is represented as an embodiment of failed salesman who loses the hope of American Dream. Even though he tries to sell products for the purpose of success for almost 34 lifelong periods, what remains in his life is the exhausted human value.

           Under the influence of Industrialization, the only way to earn money for Willy Loman is to sell products even though he is almost 63 years old. When American Dream first appeared in America, it was possible for everyone to get close to the success if he/she worked hard enough. It seemed to promise the brightness of future for them. However, for Willy Loman who sticks to the old-fashioned thinking, it is likely that he turns to be failed due to the lack of achievement in his job. As a normal person, he is destined to fail because of the personal defectiveness. The divided personal defectiveness prohibits him from getting out of this tragic circle in his life.

           Another factor that affects his failure of American Dream is his encounter of oppressive society with full materialism. Under this social atmosphere, Willy Loman cannot but forget the humanism and responsibility, which leads him to experience tragedy in his remaining life. The tragedy is that Willy Loman is isolated from the relationship between himself and society and he cannot be escaped from the interrupted human relationship. It seems that he cannot recover the humanity again from this divided situation in and outside himself.

           Finally, after pursuing meaningless hope of American Dream, Willy Loman is doomed to commit suicide. The ultimate death of a salesman reflects the sick memory of American Dream. In the city where there exists only dreariness in contrary to the brightness, there only remains the emptiness of life. The road to the seemingly positive future turns out to be a failed destiny toward the ultimate end. Because Willy Loman cannot understand the principle of success in advance, he totally becomes isolated from the society with pity and terror. As a normal person, he shows the present reflection that is made in the middle of the material society.